Esra Çeker
International Student from Turkey
Studying TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)
For International Education Week, we interviewed some of our current international students. This interview was with Esra Çeker. She talks about her time at Cortland so far and some highlights from her study abroad experience.
How has your time at Cortland influenced/changed your life?
My time at SUNY Cortland has taught me never to be hesitant to seek help when I need it. I used to believe that asking for help was a burden on the other person, yet there are many people who are eager to assist you while also being extremely polite. For example, if you are having technical problems and are unable to solve them on your own, you should not strain yourself and should instead seek assistance!
What has been your favorite activity, event, part, etc.?
When you tell people where you're from, they get thrilled and want to learn about your country or culture, which has been my favorite part. I had a great time making my favorite food and tasting out my friends' favorite traditional dishes. It's fun to meet new people and share your culture with them.
What advice would you give to an incoming international student and why?
Based on my own experience here, I would give them two pieces of advice. To begin with, studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that broadens one's horizons and promotes personal growth. To get the most out of it, though, one must be open to everything. I believe they should not be afraid to attempt new things or to engage in social activities. SUNY Cortland, for example, has a very active campus. Something is always going on. They should participate in these activities as much as possible. I don't think they'll be disappointed!
Secondly, they should be prepared for the heavy workload as well as the valuable experience that awaits them. Students are accountable for their own academic performance here. Therefore, there are a lot of tasks and self-study to accomplish that may differ from what they are used to in their home countries. In order to be successful academically, incoming international students must be prepared to manage their time effectively.
Why did you want to study abroad?
It is undeniable that the United States has some of the world's greatest institutions and education systems. I wanted to benefit from the good level of American education. In addition, I am studying TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), and I wanted to get extremely good at English since immersion is one of the best methods to learn a language, so I wanted to study abroad where English is the spoken language and came here.
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