I’ve truly lived an international life.

Born in Rome, spent most of my toddler years in my home country of Nigeria, most of my mischievous childhood in Canada, went through my teenage years in Kenya, then moved back to Nigeria as a “mature adult,” and I use that term loosely.

You may think it’s not that hard for me to adjust to different cultures, but admittedly, it took me awhile to get used to college life in the United States.

Sure, the majority of freshmen don’t exactly have an easy first few weeks, but for the international students lucky enough to have the opportunity to study in the United States, it’s a lot harder.

Don’t get me started on the months it takes your admission letter and housing contract to reach your hometown. I didn’t find out where I was living until I got here, and what made it even funnier was receiving my housing contract a month after I had already moved in. Don’t blame it on the school, blame it on the barnyard they call a postal service back home.

Unlike American students, most international students don’t get to see their parents regularly for another couple of years. “Bye Dad, see you in a couple of years,” doesn’t exactly have a nice ring to it.

Moving into the dorms was hectic. I remember it well, entering my cave-like room filled with the unique scent of wax. Being the friendly guy I am, I decided to pay a visit to my new neighbors from East Lansing, and lo and behold, their room looked like they had lived there all their lives. They had it all - a fridge, DVD, computer, PlayStation, even a George Forman Grill.

As I expected, most other in-state freshmen were just as equipped as they were. Unlike international students, it is relatively easy for them to bring their belongings from home without worrying about excess luggage.

Apart from my few clothes and documents, all I had were some airplane peanuts and a half-eaten Ding Dong. So where was I at midnight? Meijer, of course.

Some of the lackluster rituals of international orientation involved creating an anthem about MSU and singing it in front of all the other international students, who seemed to be giggling and jeering at my all but melodious voice. However, these activities did help me feel more at home because I got to mingle with fellow international students and eat some home cooking.

I don’t know how many times people told me I had an accent. I constantly thought I would have a nervous breakdown if they reminded me one more time, but the ladies loved it, so that was good.

To the international freshmen, especially African students, don’t resort to slapping another student in the face if they ask if you have televisions in your country, or if you used to ride on elephants to school (I’ve been asked this twice).

If you want someone to blame for their lack of knowledge, blame the media for only depicting the starving, malnourished side of Africa, and not its developing side. Oh, and for the record, yes, we do have televisions in Africa, and we don’t ride elephants to school - but come to think of it, that would be pretty sweet.

Treat your first days in class like they are your last and don’t fall into the trap of underestimating the work, though you may think it’s like taking candy from a baby compared to what you did back home. Make study partners as soon as possible, and good luck with the 8 a.m. classes. One word: coffee.

I’m sure some of you former international freshmen have had a few welcome week experiences you may or may not want to share, hmm?

My advice to incoming freshmen is to party as much as you want in your first week, but be ready to get down to work after that. Just don’t do anything you don’t feel comfortable doing, which includes mooning and streaking a sorority down the street, but let’s not get into that.

Well, I’m sure I’ve told you enough about Welcome Weekend experiences at MSU, so I’ll leave all the incoming international Spartans with a couple of helpful pointers to make their first few weeks a little easier: