Please give us a brief introduction of yourself, the university you currently go to, and your major (area of study).
I’m Hiro Fu, currently a freshman studying at UC Berkeley (Go Bears!), double majoring in (intended) Political Science and Media Studies. I graduated from DIS Taipei in 2018.
How does college life compare with your initial expectations of it?
College life is quite different from what you’d expect in high school. After years in DIS, there’s an unfamiliar sense of freedom that you now have as a college student. You are provided with resources, such as your professors and academic counselors, as well as a wide range of clubs and extracurricular activities which are also available for you to explore. The sheer amount of opportunities is almost overwhelming as you find yourself beginning to plan your schedule weeks beforehand so that you can best utilize your time. I always knew that college life would be different, but only after actually being here did I realize how immensely narrow my perspective on university had been.
What is the best part/worst part of college life?
The best part of college life is definitely the people you are exposed to. This includes your professors, TAs, and your peers. The friends you meet in college may come from all walks in life. While different from your high school experience, they may become your closest friends, or even important people who will help you widen your social circle in college and later in your jobs and careers. On the other hand, socializing is not only as simple as making friends in class. Another aspect of socializing in college is connecting and networking with professional recruiters and alumni. Similarly, reaching out to professors for help and opportunities is equally essential. Hence, stepping out of one’s comfort zone may be hard, as I have come to find, especially when initiating a conversation in a professional setting.
How has your high school education affected your life in college?
High school in DIS has certainly given me a lot of time to prepare for college. The tight-knit community is one that I will always remember. In my opinion, your friends from college may be close with you, but it will still be different from those you’ve spent time with in DIS, especially if you’ve studied here since a young age. I think that keeping in touch with my friends from DIS has been very important to me in college.
What advice or word of encouragement would you like to give our current Dominican students regarding their preparation for college?
I think that one can only prepare so much for university– the rest will simply happen. In high school, especially towards senior year, it is easy to worry about how you will adapt to college life, especially when doing senior project as well as advanced placement courses. Honestly, college will throw at you challenges that you’ve never imagined but worrying about it in advance won’t help you. My advice would be taking it one step at a time, stay on track, and you’ll do great with all the experience you’ve gained from DIS. a young age. I think that keeping in touch with my friends from DIS has been very important to me in college.
What advice or word of encouragement would you like to give our current Dominican students.
I think that one can only prepare so much for university– the rest will simply happen. In high school, especially towards senior year, it is easy to worry about how you will adapt to college life, especially when doing senior project as well as Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Honestly, college will throw at you challenges that you’ve never imagined but worrying about it in advance won’t help you. My advice would be to take it one step at a time, stay on track, and you’ll do great with all the experience you’ve gained from DIS.
