Below you will find our scholar blog posts – they cover a variety of topics, from arriving in the U.S. to interning with a stellar company to post-graduation dreams.
| Dary Phen is a sophomore at Dartmouth College, where she studies Biomedical Engineering.The other day I met up with a close friend of mine in Boston to catch up about where we are in life right now. One thing that we talked about was happiness. As human beings, our only job is to do what makes us happy. It sounds simple, but still, it seems that is easier said than done. Why is this the case? What happens when we base our decisions on what makes us happy? |  Dary and her friend Veronica meeting up at Boston Common |
 Occom Pond at Dartmouth College I was introduced to meditation by one of my SHE-CAN mentors after spending some time with her and her family in the summer. After seeing its benefits, I decided to give it a try. I’ve learned it is a great routine to start my day off. It feels peaceful to set up a time to pause and sit with myself. Meditation has allowed me to be more mindful of my surroundings, enabling me to enjoy and feel connected to where I live. It has helped me to be present and aware of things that I would not normally pay attention to. For example, how many times do we actually notice the color of the sky or the cold wind that touches our skin? How many times do we actually enjoy the sounds of strangers’ laughter when we walk past them on the street? |  Dinner with friends  Getting sap from maple trees at Dartmouth College |
 | Sopheak Thy is a freshman at Bucknell University. She reflects on her journey to the U.S. and the importance of sisterhood.The redness of the roses, the puffiness of the stuffed bears, and the heart-shaped balloons are some of the distinct characteristics of Valentine’s Day. Growing up in Cambodia, I never adopted the traditional Valentine’s Day celebrations. It seemed more fitting for couples in romantic relationships. But three weeks into my college journey, I redefined Valentine’s Day as the celebration and embodiment of self-love and womanhood. |
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 | Scholar Sythong Run is a freshman at Syracuse University studying Public Health and Environment, Sustainability, and Policy. When I left for the U.S., I was nervous because I've never traveled such a long distance on my own. My family — my parents, my older sister and younger sister — came to the airport with me but no one knew what to say. We didn't take a family photo or hug; we were all too stunned to remember to take a photo and physical contact has never been part of our love language. |
| There, I spent most of my time sleeping, catching up with friends and family, attending my virtual high school graduation ceremony, and joining virtual orientation to prepare for my first semester and to go to campus. Arriving on campus and seeing my roommate for the first time was one of the happiest times I’ve had since I got here. I was so glad Syracuse University allows students to do a roommate search and even provides a platform to ease the process. |  Me and my mentor Elly Wallace in front of the JFK airport. I was so excited and exhausted at the same time. |
 | Sinet Kroch, junior at Bucknell University, reflects on her visit home over winter break. We all can agree that 2020 was a year of a lot of things. For me, it was a year of discomfort, a year of uncertainty, a year of COVID-19, a year of learning, and importantly, a year to remind myself what is really important and has been truly special and significant. As an international student with no family in the US, I felt lost when my school closed down due to COVID-19. But with the support from SHE-CAN and other kind people I know, I was offered a place to stay and was well taken care of. |
| phrase that he doesn’t use with any of his children or even his wife. My mom said, “I miss you and take care” - a sentence that takes Cambodian moms a lot of courage to say. When I finally completed my quarantine and went home, my parents bought a new bed mattress, bedding, pillow, and mosquito net for me. That was the first time in 23 years that my parents could afford this and invest in getting me a comfortable place to sleep. I was so surprised. |  A pleasant surprise: Sinet's new bedding |
 | Kimseang Am, a sophomore at Bucknell University, loved her freshmen International Orientation. She decided to pay it forward to other incoming international students by becoming an International Orientation Leader.The first day I came to Bucknell, I was welcomed with a loud cheer and enthusiasm from the International Orientation Assistants (IOAs) and Leaders (IOLs). The international orientation program was five days long and full of information sessions, tours, games and |
| Can you imagine leaving your home country to pursue a higher education during a pandemic? As IOAs, we have to consider the fear, worries, and anxiety the students face. In addition to the resources we were providing, we had to be positive and give ongoing support.A lot of international students were not able to come to campus during the fall semester due to travel restrictions. |  Ready to welcome new international students in the fall |