OIE Student Stories

Meet Nicolle

Hometown: Guatemala City, Guatemala

Degree you are pursuing at UTA: Master of Science in Market Research & Master of Science in Business Analytics

Living in the United States has allowed me to grow, challenge myself in unimaginable ways and become more independent. I decided to pursue a master’s degree in a topic in which I did not have a background in. It has been much harder than I thought it would be. At times it can get overwhelming but looking back at my journey, this challenge was a daily reminder that I can achieve anything that I put my mind into.

Getting outside of my comfort zone has enabled me to truly get to know myself. I’ve also learned to appreciate my family and my culture a lot more. My best advice for an international student is to embrace the new experience of being a student in this country, including the good and the bad. Being away from your family and your home could be really difficult at times, but it’s important to look for the silver lining. Always remember that at the end your experience, it’s going to be as good as you make it to be. I know that it can be scary to move to another country and basically start over, but you’ll grow much more than you’ve ever imagined. This experience will enable you to make lifelong friends and have memorable moments to share.

The highlight of my UTA experience has been the people. I was nervous about moving to another country because I had to essentially start a new life. The thought of making new friends seemed scary at first. The friends that I’ve made in UTA have become like a family to me, and they have made my experience wonderful.