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Showing posts from August, 2025

Study Spaces I Love (and When to Use Them) by Aurora Bi

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Study Spaces I Love (and When to Use Them)  Written by Aurora Bi Summer Orientation Peer Advisor Graduate Student China, Guangzhou When I first arrived at the University of Michigan, I felt overwhelmed by how big the campus was  and how many places there were to study! Over time, I discovered that finding the right study space can really make a difference in how focused, relaxed, or motivated I feel. Now that I’ve explored different buildings and corners of campus, I want to share some of my favorite study spaces and when I like to use each of them. Shapiro Library: For Group Projects and Casual Study Shapiro Library is a popular spot for students who enjoy a more casual, flexible study environment. It’s ideal for group projects, brainstorming sessions, or just getting work done at your own pace. The open seating areas, group study rooms, and proximity to a café make it easy to settle in for a few hours. I often come here when I need to meet with classmates or switch up my ro...

Memories That Made Ann Arbor Feel Like Home by Pavan Prativada

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 Memories That Made Ann Arbor Feel Like Home Written by Pavan Prativada Summer Orientation Peer Advisor  Graduate Student  Hyderabad, India Ann Arbor has a way of surprising you. Some places here are more than just scenic spots – they’re where memories are made, friendships grow stronger, and homesickness fades for a while. For me, three places in Ann Arbor hold that magic: kayaking on the Huron River, afternoons at Nichols Arboretum, and quiet drives along Huron River Drive. Nichols Arboretum – A Place for Many Firsts Tip: Wear comfy shoes, bring a frisbee or snacks, and don’t forget your camera – every visit feels new. The Arb is where so many of my “firsts” happened. My first snowfall, first snowball fight, first ultimate frisbee game – all right there. One November afternoon, my friends Roshan and Kevin and I were caught up in a snowball fight when Kevin’s phone accidentally captured the exact moment a snowball smacked him on the head – still one of our favorite memor...

Don't Just Expect The Unexpected, Explore The Unexpected by Tiffany Sudijono

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Don't Just Expect The Unexpected, Explore The Unexpected Written by Tiffany Phoebe Sudijono Summer Orientation Peer Advisor  Undergraduate Student  Indonesia When I first stepped onto campus, the number of opportunities and pathways stretched out in every direction, both exciting and overwhelming. The buzz of students crossing the Diag, the posters plastered on brick walls, and the constant stream of activity made it feel like a small city within itself. Coming from a small high school in Jakarta, Indonesia, where class choices were few and familiar, I was used to making decisions based on what was already available. But on orientation day, as I explored the Maize Pages website—a sprawling directory of student organizations with everything from social causes to niche hobbies—I realized just how wide the world at U-M truly was. It was the first time I felt the full weight of possibility, and it was thrilling but also deeply intimidating. This realization continued to grow as I...

Missing Home: How to Deal with Homesickness by Laura Estepa

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Missing Home: How to Deal with Homesickness Written by Laura Estepa Summer Orientation Peer Advisor  Undergraduate Student Bogota, Colombia It all started with the dream of studying abroad, countless sleepless nights studying and applying to universities. You get your acceptance letter and you feel extremely excited, you just got into one of your top choices! Now you’re boarding that plane about to start a new life, a life full of new experiences and opportunities, a life in a place where you will learn and grow as a person, the life you always dreamed about and thought was impossible at first. And now, you're here. It’s actually happening. It all seems incredible, like you're going to have the best memories of your life! Wait, this seems too good to be true… What’s the catch? Why is it starting to feel like something is missing now that you’re here? Everything seemed like it was going to be so perfect and fun, you imagined yourself making new friends, meeting your professors, ...

K-Pop and Anime? How it's Done Done Done by Soo Hyun Choi

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 K-Pop and Anime? How it's Done Done Done Written by Soo Hyun Choi Summer Orientation Peer Advisor  Undergraduate Student (Rising Senior) South Korea While handling all my studies and extracurriculars, I like to spend a little time investing in two of my favorite things: K-Pop and anime. So, when “K-Pop Demon Hunters” finally dropped, I had a blast watching a bibimbap of those two favorite things while sitting on my living room floor (I won’t lie, I’m still on Team HUNTR/X, but Saja Boys are a good rookie group though!) But, when I’m not watching Jinu and Rumi at Naksan Park, my friends and I check our favorite spots for K-Pop and anime in Ann Arbor! First off, I love taking pictures with my friend, but also posing like our favorite idols, or recreating anime references. So, going to Potobox , a Korean–style photobooth, happens really often! There’s three regular angle rooms, all with different background colours, and one room with a high angle. Along with lots of headbands an...