Rosanne’s parents advised her to take the initiative and approach her classmates. Although it meant taking a “huge step outside [her] comfort bubble,” she did it, asking other students to have lunch or just hang out. The friends she made helped her better understand American English and culture.

Her new friends also helped with her college applications. “I found it really hard because I don’t put myself out there a lot” she says. “It was hard to put [my strengths] into words and not sound cocky. It came out like, ‘I’m great!’ My friends ... taught me how to sell myself in a more humble way,” she says.

She also made a valuable connection with her high school counselor. Rosanne describes him as “really bubbly ... He would always make jokes. I didn’t feel like I had to watch what I said.” He made her feel comfortable asking for extra help completing applications and writing essays.

Her senior year at a U.S. high school was tough but along the way, she discovered that she could survive — even thrive — as an independent person. “I didn't have to rely on my parents. I just needed a push to get out there and do things myself.”