First Half Semester in the U.S.

This is my first time living in the U.S. for such a long time. I didn’t experience much culture shock, perhaps because I’ve lived in a foreign country before during my exchange program. I am used to cooking for myself and handling chores. However, I do feel like I have some things to share with you (and my future self!), and I hope this blog helps you understand what student life in the U.S. actually like.

First Impressions of UIUC

The campus is quite different from what I think what a campus is back in Taiwan. The buildings are not tall; most of them are 3 or 4 floors. The walls are mostly made of red bricks and are well-preserved–old-style but clean. The campus itself is huge. It takes at least 20 minutes to walk from the north side to the south side. The computer science building is really impressive, with lots of study spaces and great natural light. I think that’s where my tuition goes. The school has TONS OF resources. In just my first month, I got 4 T-shirts(10/12 edit: now 5) and countless free meals from the events like Engineering welcome party, Graduate Student Organization gatherings, and Cultural Center activities. Additionally, there is a Career Center that offers resume reviews and mock interviews. We have about 20 libraries on campus, and the Engineering Library opens 24 hours. The interior are modern, and the facilities are top-notch. The gym is huge – I think it can accomodate at least 500 people working out at the same time. There is also a writing center, counseling center, performance center. There are so many resources you can take advantage of to help you become your best self.

Academic Experience

I am taking four courses this semester: 421 Programming Languages and Compilers, 426 Compiler Construction, 539 Distributed Algorithms, and 567 Social Spaces. These courses are what I really wanted to take, and they have turned out to be amazing.

“Programming Languages and Compilers” and “Compiler Construction” are both about compilers. I hadn’t taken any compiler-related courses during my undergrad. I tried to take one during my exchange period, but I quit because I couldn’t even finish the first assignment at that time. That’s why I think this is a great chance to take them. “Compiler Construction” is almost exactly what I expected: it starts with topics like parsers, lexers, IR, and goes further. The assignment is to build a compiler for a toy language, which has really helped me understand how compilers work internally so far. On the other hand, “Programming Languages and Compilers” is a little bit different from I thought. I knew it would cover functional programming and I had no idea what it was, but it turned out to be really interesting. This is my first time working with functional programming and OCaml, and now I finally understand what “‘a” in Rust is lol. The course isn’t difficult but time-comsuming. The concepts are relatively easy for a master’s student like me, but the new concepts I have learned are fascinating, and they’ve really broadened my understanding of computer science.

“Distributed Algorithm” truly impressed me. Having taken the famous MIT 6.824 distributed systems course, I already had some experience with distributed systems, but I still learned a lot from this course. This course starts with very simple concepts and algorithms, explaining and proving them, and gradually move to more complex topics. The professor speaks in an organized and clear manner, and the difficulty of assignments is just right; they require a significant amount of time, but I eventually can find a way to solve the problems. In short, I would recommend this course to anyone who is interested in distributed algorithms (425 Distributed Systems is also a good starting point though).

“Social Spaces” is not a typical CS course; it focuses on the interaction between the society and technology. We discuss topics such as discrimination, honesty, misinformation and disinformation, etc. Each class has a topic, along with extensive readings and assignments. One of the reasons I took this course is because one of my roommates is also taking it, but I do interested in these topics, as AI now seems creating more bias and its impact being far-reaching, there are undoubtedly so many interesting and challenging problems waiting us to solve. We have several group projects in this course, and one of my teammates has been conducting research in the HCI field for several years, and I learned a lot from him as well. He is even going to attend the conference organized by the professor!

I have to say that I still have the same problem I had when I was studying in Europe. I still hang out with Taiwanese people almost all the time! I wondered if it was because I was afraid of meeting new people. I found that I felt a little uncomfortable when speaking and thinking in English. But people I have met here are very nice, and I am gradually getting used to small talk. I attended the GSG group to experience American culture and local activities. Apple picking and canoeing were fun!

Some cultural differences: throwing garbage outside and rarely sorting, needing to tip when eating out, AC/heating running 24 hours, grocery price being about the same with Taiwan but anything or service involving people becoming expensive, and almost every restaurant have drive-thru. Just differences, not shocks.

Daily Life & Routine

I usually wake up at 8. I have coffee, go to classes, and go to the gym 3 days a week. Practicing LeetCode and applying for internships usually take me about 30 minutes per day. Most of my spare time is spent doing assignments, as I am taking 4 courses this semester, which is considered tough. I try to make time for reading and learning extracurricular topics.

Housing and Living Situation

I live in a 3-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom apartment on-campus with two roommates. Our apartment is next to the main street, so it is convenient for food and groceries. It is also a 10-minute walk from our department building. The room is small but cozy. I bought a standing desk and a nice monitor to make me more comfortable when dealing with class assessments. The kitchen is a little bit small but manageable. Overall, it is a great apartment given the price I paid, and I’m quite satisfied with it.

Adapting to the Weather

The weather has changed a lot since the semester started. I remember the temperature being 20 to 30 degree celsius back then, but now it is from 0 to 15. I already wear my second heaviest jacket when going out ,and still feel cold sometimes. It’s going to get colder, but my experience in Europe prepared me well. It rarely rains here, which is super nice.

Future Expectations

The first and most important goal is to secure an internship in the U.S. In my plan, I want to work here at least for several years to experience an different lifestyle. I knew it would be difficult, especially in recent times CS market is so competitive, but I am willing to give it a try. I’m also excited about the fall break trip! But still not yet decided where to go…

Personal Reflections

I found myself more willing to go outside and walk after moving here, as it seldom rains here and the weather is so nice. Unlimited sunshine definitely makes people happy. I also found how dumb I was for the past 2 years, but I think it is a good sign that I’m growing.