If you are an immigrant, think about the time when you were leaving your home country, saying goodbye to your family, and starting a new life in the United States. If you aren’t an immigrant, imagine how you would feel if you had to move from the United States to a completely different country. Immigrants from all over the world have many different experiences when it comes to moving to the United States, especially when they are a teen. American school is one of the most difficult changes that immigrant teenagers have to adapt to. Today, teens express different emotions when leaving their home country, whether it is neutrality, sadness, or gratefulness. Today, several immigrant students were interviewed on how they view America and how they’ve learned to adapt to their new lifestyle.

Certain students come from countries that are in poverty, so they are grateful for the new life that was given to them. These students focus on the academic aspect of the life in America. “Everything’s acceptable like there’s so many opportunities especially in education,” Asna Prasla, a senior from Pakistan, said. “There’s different organizations and clubs that make you feel included, and you can participate in them to get ahead in your education and achieve more.” All students agree that the education system in the US is a lot easier than it is back in their home country.

Immigrant students pay attention not only to the academic aspect of American school, but also to the fine arts available for them. “when I was in China, I used to participate in English Drama Theater. But that was in elementary school so I found the similarity fades away as I move to middle school in China because it’s more like academic,” Olivia Jin says. “But when I moved here I felt like the elementary school me is coming back because I found what I’m truly passionate about, like I want to express myself more not just in English essays, but in a platform that truly allows me and gives me ability to express it.” Some students express not having time to actually do their hobbies because they are so focused on the academics. In America, things like sports and extracurricular activities are more common than in other countries.

Some students also report being treated differently by Americans, and whether it is with good or bad intentions is to be determined. “We’re not the same ethnicity or race, so I sometimes feel like I am facing racism,” Asna says. “But then again there’s like a lot of good people out there that take you in and help you in your difficult times.” It is common for immigrant students to feel left out or treated unfairly, whether it is for the language barrier or different cultural norms. Some, however, believe that the only reason that they would be treated differently, is out of respect. “I think people behave differently around you because they respect your culture and don’t want to offend you in some way and they want to get to know you as a person and not just the country you immigrated from,” Olivia says. Immigrants find themselves being questioned a lot about where they came from, and have to answer a lot of questions about their culture.

There are also students who miss their home country, and even express wanting to go back. “It’s like the people are different because they’re not as straightforward,” Maria, an immigrant from Romania, says. “In Europe it was much more of like people wanting to get together and having traditions and being wholesome and caring for each other and just sharing everything.” This difference in mentalities can make an immigrant feel misunderstood and feel like they don’t fit in. “Certain people can get offended very easily whereas my country its very uncommon to actually get offended. I feel like people here can get quite soft,” Oliver Klink, an immigrant from the United Kingdom, says. These kind of statements are relatable to immigrants who come from all around the world. The American mentality is usually talked about in a negative way. Some of the characteristics that immigrants might call an “American mentality” can be stereotypes that they learned through current world events or even American high school drama movies.

Indeed, being a teen immigrant in America is difficult and stressful. There are always anxieties about everything, especially school. Eventually, though, they get through it. But they can’t do it alone, which is why people have to provide them with support and welcome them with open arms. With enough help and support, immigrants are more likely to faster adapt to their new lifestyle. America is a complicated country, especially for immigrants who just want a better life, and it is vital to make sure that they have a good experience and no regrets.