Daily life
What a week at A-State actually looks like
Brochures describe facilities; this page describes your Tuesday morning. How the schedule works, what professors expect, how many hours you may work, who to talk to when you are homesick, and how to call home when Jonesboro and Vietnam are half a day apart.
On-campus work
Up to 20 hours/week during term
Time gap with Vietnam
12 hours (summer) · 13 (winter)
Health insurance
$570 – 650 / semester (required)
University police (UPD)
+1 870-972-2093 · 24/7
Daily life
The rhythm of a typical week
No two weeks are identical, but this is what most first-year international students experience.
| Slot | What it usually holds | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mon–Fri, morning | Classes, usually two or three a day, 50–75 minutes each | You build the schedule yourself, so leave a decent lunch gap |
| Afternoon | Library, lab, study groups, or an on-campus work shift | On-campus work is capped at 20 hours a week during term |
| Evening | Assignments, reading, clubs, the gym | The reading load at a US university surprises almost every new student |
| Saturday | Grocery run on the shuttle, laundry, a home game, the park | The grocery shuttle runs 10 am–3 pm on Saturdays |
| Sunday | Cooking for the week, cleaning, planning the week ahead | One hour of Sunday planning saves the whole week |
The minimum credit load for maintaining F-1 status and the rules for changing your schedule are set by the university and immigration regulations — confirm with your academic adviser and the international student office before any change.
Working on campus
F-1 students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week during term, and full-time during breaks. Common jobs: library, gym, dining, lab assistant, office support, campus tour guide. This is more than pocket money — it is the fastest way to build conversational English and to earn references for later applications.
Off-campus work is permitted only through CPT (an internship tied to your programme) or OPT (after graduation). Taking unauthorised off-campus work is a serious status violation, and the consequences dwarf whatever you earn. Always ask the international student office before accepting any job.
One honest note: 20 hours a week at student wages covers personal spending — phone, meals out, transport, supplies. Tuition and housing must come from family funds and scholarships. That is exactly what a consular officer checks at your visa interview.
Source: USCIS — Students and Exchange Visitors · A-State International Programs · Updated 08/2026
US classroom culture: the differences that matter
Asking questions is normal
Raising your hand mid-class is not an interruption or a sign of disrespect — professors usually welcome it. If speaking up feels hard, write the question down and ask at the end. Staying silent out of fear of being wrong is the most expensive habit international students bring with them.
Office hours are your time
Every professor posts weekly hours for students, and most of that time goes unused. Just show up and say what you did not understand. Students who use office hours regularly earn better grades and better recommendation letters.
Grades accumulate continuously
There is no cramming at the end. Grades come from weekly assignments, quizzes, presentations, group projects and midterms. Losing the first few weeks while you adjust digs a hole that is hard to climb out of.
Academic integrity is a hard line
Copying work, reusing an old assignment, or submitting AI-written content without disclosure is treated seriously — a failed course or disciplinary action, and for international students the consequences reach your visa status. When unsure about citation rules, ask the professor before you submit.
Specific rules on academic integrity, permitted absences and grade weighting appear in each course syllabus. Read the syllabus in week one — it is the contract between you and your professor.
Culture shock and mental health
Almost everyone follows the same curve: a few excited weeks, then a hard stretch somewhere between the second and fourth month — tired from thinking in English all day, missing the food, missing home, feeling slower than classmates. Knowing this in advance helps you read it as a phase rather than as evidence you chose wrong.
A-State has a counselling service for students, and for international students it is worth using early rather than saving for a crisis. Talking to a counsellor is entirely normal in the US, confidential, and has no effect on your academic record or your visa. Ask how to book during orientation week so you already know the way when you need it.
Three simple things matter more than you expect: keep a fixed sleep schedule, leave your room at least once a day even without class, and keep one activity unrelated to study — sport, a club, a church, a cooking group. Isolation is what stretches the hard phase out, not the coursework itself.
Source: A-State — Campus safety and student support · Updated 08/2026
Four seasons and how they change your routine
Jonesboro has a humid subtropical climate with four distinct seasons: summers as hot and humid as Hanoi, winters much colder with occasional snow, and a wet, stormy spring.
22°C71°F
Fog
- Feels like
- 26°C
- Humidity
- 100%
- Wind
- 5 km/h
Spring is storm season in Arkansas and tornado watches happen. The university has sirens, the A-State Alerts system and marked shelter areas in every building; you will be briefed at orientation. Sign up for A-State Alerts in your first week and install a weather alert app.
Staying in touch across half a day
Jonesboro runs on US Central time, 12 hours behind Vietnam in summer and 13 hours in winter. Your evening is the next morning at home — a small detail that causes a lot of unnecessary worry in the first month.
The most effective approach is to agree on a fixed weekly slot in advance — your Sunday evening is Monday morning in Vietnam — and hold to it. Between calls, send a short daily message saying you are fine and what you studied. Simple, but enough to reassure your parents without interrupting your work.
Tell your family about the peak weeks ahead of time: midterms, finals and major deadlines. When parents know the calendar, a slow reply is not read as bad news.
Everyday safety
- Sign up for A-State Alerts in week one; parents can register too
- Save the university police number +1 870-972-2093 and 911 for emergencies
- Use the evening escort service instead of walking quiet routes alone
- Note where the blue-light emergency posts are on the routes you use
- Lock your room even for a few minutes away
- Do not post boarding passes, passports or detailed itineraries on social media
- Keep copies of your passport, I-20 and visa separate from the originals
Faith, community and fitting in
Jonesboro has many churches and faith communities, and several run welcome programmes for international students — free dinners, airport pickups, help with the first shopping trip. You can join these regardless of your own beliefs; for many international students they are the first relationships outside campus. The specific list changes each year, so ask the international student office.
On campus, the Multicultural Center and the international student organisations are the natural starting point. The Vietnamese student community at A-State is not large but it is close-knit, and students already there will usually pick you up from the airport, show you where to shop and lend you a pot in your first week.
Faith, community and fitting in
- Say yes to your first three invitations, even when you would rather not
- Learn classmates by name and use them — a small detail with big effect
- Join a study group in week two, not before the exam
- Share Vietnamese food at gatherings — the easiest conversation starter there is
- Accept imperfect English; nobody judges you as much as you think
- Stay connected to the Vietnamese community, but do not live only inside it
Frequently asked questions
How many hours may I work each week?
Up to 20 hours a week in on-campus jobs during term, and full-time during breaks. Off-campus work is allowed only through CPT or OPT. Always ask the international student office before accepting a job — work violations affect your visa status directly.
My English is not strong. Will I keep up?
Most international students need about a semester to adjust to lecture pace. Use office hours, record lectures if permitted, read ahead, and join a study group. If your English does not yet meet the entry requirement, the university ELA programme is the official route in.
What should I do if I feel homesick and lose motivation?
It happens to nearly everyone, usually between the second and fourth month. Book a session with the university counselling service — confidential, with no effect on your academic record or visa. Alongside that, keep a regular sleep schedule, leave your room daily, and hold on to one activity outside study.
Does using AI for assignments count as cheating?
It depends on the course rules, stated in the syllabus. Submitting AI-written content without disclosure, where the course does not allow it, is handled as academic dishonesty, and the consequences for international students are severe. When unsure, ask the professor before submitting.
Is the university health insurance mandatory?
Yes. Every F-1 international student must carry the university plan, about $570–650 per semester, billed automatically. For routine illness, go to the on-campus Student Health Center first — it is much cheaper.
When is a good time to call Vietnam?
Jonesboro is 12 hours behind Vietnam in summer and 13 in winter. The easiest window is your evening, which is the next morning at home. Agree on a fixed weekly call and send short daily messages in between.
Get ready for your first semester
Our Vietnam office walks with you from application to the day you settle into your room — free of charge.