“It’s still a different country, we have different culture, different language,” computer science freshman Naifu Ji said. “I’m not sure how to make me feel it’s more like my home. It’s a very different place for me.”

The language differences might seem hard to overcome — the divide in communication can make campus feel like two worlds. Chinese students, able to more easily form friendships with one another, stick together and carve out their own slice of college culture.

“Most of my friends are Chinese,” Ji said. “(My friends and I usually) play basketball and play League of Legends and maybe sometimes go to see films and play pool."

Ji’s friends play pool at Limit Pool and Karaoke Club, an off-campus Chinese restaurant on Grand River Avenue and a popular destination for Chinese students. Other patrons include Zhichao Huang, an undecided freshman who goes by "Jack."

“People around me are quite kind,” Huang said. “I’m not really (close to anyone), we say ‘hi, what’s up.'”

Huang, before enrolling at MSU, attended the Chinese International School in Hong Kong, which teaches classes in both Mandarin Chinese and English. Huang, like many Chinese students, studies in America to escape the gaokao, a massive standardized college-entrance exam that determines not only a student’s economic future, but their career path as well.

“The classes are pretty good, and I have lots of time to do whatever I want,” Huang said.

Huang, a gym enthusiast, said he likes to work out and collect shoes. He said he feels welcome at MSU.

“Not quite fond of the weather here,” Huang said.

For those that have trouble feeling as welcome as Huang, the Chinese Undergraduate Students Association, or CUSA, hopes to help Chinese students stay in touch with their culture while making them feel more at home on campus.

“I think CUSA is a platform to help others and to get help,” Jiexiong Qin, president of CUSA and supply chain management junior, said. “When you help others, you are learning something. You help yourself as well.”

Qin, who goes by "Jason," said CUSA was founded in 2007, after another campus organization, the Chinese Student Scholars Association, didn’t do enough for Chinese students. Qin said a large influx of Chinese students came to MSU around 2008-09.

"At first, we were just like a study group, just trying to help others,” Qin said. “Our founders (decided to) make an organization to officially help Chinese students."

CUSA undertakes a wide array of events aimed at keeping Chinese students both entertained and informed, holding events such as a three on three basketball game every semester, a The Voice of East Lansing singing competition, a Spring Festival Gala modeled after a Chinese New Year program and yearly tours at Cedar Point.

“We also will share lots of information with students,” Qin said. “There’s activities held by, for example, Career Services, from UAB, from other American student organizations or official (MSU) events. We’ll share this information with Chinese students.”

Qin said CUSA is ran entirely by students, and gets most of its funding from picking up recyclables at Spartan Stadium after football games.

“Our purpose is to help every Chinese student get what they need, and teach them how to help themselves, to share resources and teach them how to use the resources instead of just helping them with a certain problem, to let them know how to help themselves in the future,” Qin said.