Life in U.S as an international student

Background

Life in the U.S. is about much more than just studying. International students need to adjust to a new culture, make friends from different backgrounds, manage money, and handle many other things. It’s normal to feel homesick or face challenges like language barriers or figuring out visa rules.

At the same time, living in the U.S. opens doors to incredible opportunities—from learning from world-class professors to building networks that can shape your career. Understanding both the fun and the challenges helps students settle in more easily and get the most out of their time abroad.

Problem Statement

Most people who come to the U.S. think it’s a place where you’re lonely, depressed, and will have no life, and that your only goal will be to make money, send it home, get your immigration sorted out, and sponsor your family—but it doesn’t have to be like that.

When I came to the U.S. for a PhD, most people told me a PhD would be miserable and that I wouldn’t be able to have a good life. But during my PhD, I travelled to about 35 states, and I travelled on a budget as well, without spending a lot of money. I used many communities, friends, and options like home exchange to travel. I went hiking, started a blog, set up my personal brand, and tapped into photography. I did a little bit of modelling as well, and then I learned to play the piano and guitar. I used to go hiking and do a lot of adventure and water sports, which I wouldn’t have done if I were in Pakistan.

I was able to do all of that on a very suitable budget, even as a PhD student whose life is usually very hard—and mine was too. But it didn’t stop me from pursuing my hobbies and goals, thinking about financial management, and having a family as well. I got married and had a child at the end of my PhD, and I managed all that without compromising my career.

Balanced and Intentional Life

When I graduated, I had a good job, and even now, I earn six figures. I try to balance my life—I don’t just work all day. I spend time with my kid, manage my house as well, and I like to cook and bake. I do many things related to home management. So it’s about having an intentional life, and it’s possible even if you’re a PhD student or a corporate worker in America. You just need to know a few rules that you can follow to balance everything.

Finding Communities

Don’t make the mistake I did. I found Muslim student clubs, and in the beginning, it felt supportive. I surrounded myself with people like me, but in reality, it was draining me because we only had language in common and nothing else. My energy was drained whenever I met with them. I only found a couple of friendships from those groups, and I feel that if I had followed my heart more and found other communities, my life would have been better much sooner.

As soon as I figured out that it wasn’t working, I started going out on my own and exploring other communities. I started going to book clubs with many international students, and I began engaging in Facebook groups (women-only) where people were interested in photography and modelling. I started doing all that with people at my university, and that’s how it all started.

Chasing Hobbies

We all have a social fear of being alone. Most students, especially girls who are unmarried, think that they will be alone in this. I went through the same situation, but I didn’t want to compromise my sanity or settle for a man who didn’t have the same ambition and interests as me. So I kept going without thinking about a perfect man or chasing marriage.

One time, I went on a road trip, tried to enjoy myself, and explored my hobbies. I met that one person, and we both fell in love and got married. I always advise people not to chase people or communities; instead, chase your interests, and you will find companionship, good relationships, friendships, and you might find a spouse that way as well.

Be Curious and Explore

Find interesting people and places near you. Go to the downtown of your city, hop on a bus, and go wherever the bus takes you. Try to see areas and places through your own lens without anybody’s influence. Observe what you like and what you notice, because when you explore this way, you become familiar with these places and start finding your elements in them—places that comfort you and where you can go with friends.

Whatever your goals are, you need to explore. This not only helps you cope with homesickness and loneliness but also helps you adjust to a new culture and adapt efficiently so that you can find more opportunities to grow.

You become a local when you explore this much. You behave like a local, and that opens doors to better jobs, better communities, better friends, and, in general, a better life. You become part of the culture, so try to get the maximum out of any place.

When I joined university, I started exploring my campus—finding where the library was, where the recreation centre was—and these became my comforting places. They helped me adjust a lot. I did the same at NUST, Oregon State University, and the University of Tennessee.

One cool thing I learned at the University of Tennessee was that with your library card, you can borrow a camera. I borrowed a DSLR, hopped on a bus, and used to take pictures of random people with their consent. I talked to them about how long they had been living there and what their interests were. I found a couple of people I enjoyed talking to, invited them for a meal at my apartment, and now they are my friends. Through them, I was introduced to other communities.

I met a girl on my first day on campus, and she introduced me to a community called RUF International. Many international students come on weekends, we provide free weekly dinners, and go on trips together. Through this resource, I made many friends and went on travel adventures that shaped who I am today. These experiences helped me reflect on why I was doing a PhD, what I wanted to do with my life, my goals, and what triggers me. It shaped who I am today. So explore yourself and the area around you.

Show Up

The next point is to show up. Show up in different ways—NGOs, online, on social media, or in person at campus events. You have your own voice, and you need to share it with the world so people can know your persona. That will open doors for you, because the world is changing fast.

Social media is a whole world. Show up there as well. Share your thoughts, projects, thesis, or anything you like to work on in a way that provides value. Someone who is two years behind you can learn from your experiences.

For example, if you came to the U.S. for a PhD and someone else is still searching for one, they can learn from what you share. That’s how you build an online audience and eventually your personal brand. One post per day doesn’t seem like much, but by the end of the week, that’s seven posts.

Even if 30 people engage with you on average, those relationships can grow. In the future, they might become your customers if you open an online business. You’re not just creating relationships; you’re creating a body of work you can reuse later. One post per day becomes around 300 posts a year. These don’t have to be written posts—they can be videos, tweets, newsletters, emails, live videos, or reels. It’s all your content.

I started writing about my experiences around 2018 or 2019. Today, I have a small but meaningful community of people who relate to me and engage with my work. I’ve collected so much content that I compiled it into blogs, and now I’m converting it into a book. Much of that book is based on those blogs.

If you want to take advantage of social media, especially in the U.S., start putting your content out there. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube pay for content. It’s not a lot, but sometimes I earn around $20–30 a month from Facebook posts if they perform well. It’s not a steady income, but for graduate students, even that can be meaningful.

Storytelling and Personal Branding

Showing up alone is not enough. Start writing and sharing your work, but also think about what topics your audience cares about and how to present them meaningfully. Storytelling helps you build a personal brand.

This opens many opportunities, including business opportunities. I practice storytelling by sharing my experiences through relatable moments. During my PhD, I wrote about financial stress, time management, and existential crises—real problems for many PhD students. When people read these stories, they relate.

Stories need conflict and resolution, just like TV shows. I use this strategy while writing. Taking breaks is also necessary because working nonstop leads to burnout.

Invest in Skills

Many people think a degree gets you a job, but in reality, it’s your skills that matter. I learned this early. I invested in learning filmmaking even though it had nothing to do with my degree, and it helped me later when I started my own business.

You can learn a lot from YouTube, but learning from coaches saves time. Investing in your skills pays you back in better ways.

Monetise Your Skills

Monetising your skills turns what you know into income. It builds independence and control over your growth. Skills become long-term assets.

My husband and I love photography. We combined our skills and turned them into a business, providing services to graduate students, families, and couples. That’s one path to financial freedom.

I’ve always enjoyed helping others. From tutoring in Pakistan to mentoring in the U.S., I built experience over time and monetised it. You can do the same.

Entrepreneurship

Once you build systems, chase hobbies, invest in skills, learn storytelling, and create a personal brand, you naturally grow into entrepreneurship.

The U.S. is one of the best places to become an entrepreneur and build generational wealth. There are many opportunities, a strong infrastructure, and access to funding. Your life doesn’t have to be linear here.

Being an entrepreneur doesn’t mean doing everything alone. You can outsource and still enjoy life and your hobbies.

Conclusion

The U.S. is not just a place to study, get a job, and a green card. It’s a place where you can become whatever you want to be. The resources are there—you just need to know where to find them, how to use them, and how to build systems that give you freedom.