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Things to do after Arriving in USA
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Right after you arrive in the US, it is normal to feel overwhelmed with everything that is new and unfamiliar for you. Nonetheless, you need to focus on what to do next, since there are a lot of things need to be done on the first few weeks of your stay in the US.
Below we have listed some important things that you need to do soon after you arrive in the US.
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What should I do after I arrive at my final destination?
- Go to the apartment / dormitory / house that has been arranged for you or that you already have arranges for yourself. If you are going to stay in the university dormitory, report to your residence assistant or your resident manager, and they will show you your room
- Call home to let your family members know about your safe arrival
- Report to the international student office that you have already arrived in the US (if you are required to do so)
- Purchase a health insurance plan if you have not done so
- Look for housing if you currently live in a temporary housing or hotel
- Attend the new student orientation. Usually there is a special orientation for international students. If there is no special arrangement for international students, then attend the regular orientation for all students. You will learn a lot from the orientation, including (i) how to register for classes, (ii) the kind of services provided by your university (i.e., health center, career center, university police department, etc), (iii) introduction of student organizations in the campus, and many more. It is also your chance to make friends. If you still need a roommate, this is a good chance to get one too
- Open a Bank account
- After you open a bank account, you might want to transfer your money or ask your source of funding to transfer the money to your new US account
- Meet with your academic advisor (An Academic Advisor is a person who will guide you about your academic program) to talk about the classs that you need to take for your first semester and to register for classes
- If you are interested to take a waiver exam, do so on the scheduled date
- Pay your tuition in a lump sump or arrange a payment plan. The payment plan will allow you to pay your tuition in installments over a period of time
- Buy your text book and school supplies
- Get a Social Security Number (SSN) if you are entitled to do so
- Get a State ID or Driver License, so you don’t always have to carry around your passport for photo ID
- Familiarize yourself with the transportation around campus
- Purchase your basic necessities such as groceries, bathroom supplies, kitchen supplies, bedroom supplies, etc
- Subscribe for a cell phone plan / home phone plan / Internet / Cable TV if you want to do so
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