When you first land in the U.S., everything feels big. The buildings. The roads. The possibilities. Even the coffee cups.
But give it a few months, and you realize life here isn’t as simple as those Instagram posts make it look.
After three years of navigating college, culture shocks, friendships, and figuring out who she is, Spriha has some things she wishes someone had told her.
This is her note to YOU.
1. Busy Streets, Busy Lives
In Nepal, life felt calm. You could stop by a local shop just to chat. You could sit for hours at a café without feeling rushed.
Here? Everyone’s on the move. Every conversation feels like it has a purpose.
“It was hard at first,” she admits. “I had to learn to slow myself down—even when the world around me didn’t.”
Her advice: find your pockets of peace. Take walks. Call home. Make time for the things that make you feel grounded.
2. Burnout Is Real (and It’s Okay to Step Back)
Spriha was everywhere during her first two years—student ambassador, RA, peer counselor, clubs, classes, work.
“I thought saying yes to everything meant I was doing college right. But I didn’t realize I was burning out.”
Lesson learned?
✨ You don’t have to do it all. Pick what matters to you, and give yourself permission to rest.
Gif by pudgypenguins on Giphy
3. You’ll Outgrow Some Things (and People)
She thought making friends would be easy. It wasn’t. She thought her first major would be perfect. It wasn’t. She thought life in the U.S. would be glamorous. It wasn’t.
“And that’s okay,” she says. “You’re supposed to outgrow versions of yourself. That’s how you grow.”
Her reminder: It’s okay if your journey doesn’t look like anyone else’s. It’s not supposed to.
Gif by youtube on Giphy
Her Gentle Pep Talk
“You’re going to be homesick. You’re going to cry over assignments. You’re going to wonder why you even came here.
But you’re also going to find strength you didn’t know you had. You’ll discover new passions. You’ll meet people who change your life.
So keep going. You’re doing better than you think.”