Rushing from one class to the next in two different buildings that you have never heard of before and trying to decipher the abbreviations on your crumpled schedule are just a few of the things that make that first week of school stressful and a bit overwhelming.
But imagine the stress of a new campus with unfamiliar buildings and people in a country that is not your own, speaking a language that is not your native language. Everything is new, and your family is thousands of miles away, but you do your best to stay in contact through technology. Your roommates or friends are getting care packages and a surprise visit from their family who lives nearby, which makes you feel more and more homesick.
The Office of International Student Services (OISS) has found many different ways to make the international students at Elizabethtown College feel more welcome, including their new initiative, Random Acts of Kindness.
The entire group of international students is split between the different International Leadership Assistants (IPA), who are responsible for up to 13 students each.
The director of OISS, Kristi Syrdahl began Random Acts of Kindness this year as a small way to remind the international students that they are not alone. The IPAs are responsible for sending the students small gifts such as candy or notes at least twice a semester.
“A budget was created to support small acts of kindness, such as a package of instant ramen noodles for someone who we know is sick or a journal and pen for someone who we know is homesick,” Syrdahl said.
OISS also sponsors fun welcome and farewell dinners at the beginning and end of each year to commemorate both the time the international students spent here and the friends that they have made.
Some of the students are only attending Etown for one academic year, while others may attend for the full four years. Though one year may go by quickly, the memories made and the friendships that grow out of the experience can certainly last a lifetime.
Etown is known for being an incredibly warm, welcoming campus. The work that OISS does to make the international students feel at home is just one of the many reflections of the kindness we try to emanate. We should all strive to brighten our classmates’ lives in whatever small ways we can.
Random acts of kindness are easy to carry out, but go a long way in making people happy. Syrdahl hopes that this small project will catch on and inspire others to spread kindness. “Making someone smile is a gift and it is priceless.”
