Ziqi originally came to Indiana University as a direct admit student to the Kelley School of Business, whose top rankings as a business school made the program appealing for many reasons. However, after taking classes in business, Ziqi found that it wasn’t for her, and began to consider other options. Her searching led her to major in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Junior
Major: Psychology
Home country: China
Tell us about how you chose your major.
I came to IU with an interest in studying business, but after a semester of classes, I knew it wasn’t for me. I was really nervous about changing my major, because my parents were such an important part of the process for me, and I didn’t want to disappoint them. My advisor was a big help when making this decision.
For a while at one point, I doubted if I should really be here, and I considered transferring. But in the end, the decision I made was the right one for me and a positive decision, and I’m really glad I did it.
You’ve gotten to be involved in several things outside of the classroom. Tell us about those opportunities.
One of the most interesting things I do is my internship. I work at the Student Academic Center where I teach as a peer mentor for a class of all freshman. The class is about transitioning from high school into university, so it talks about study skills, time management, etc. It’s a really great opportunity.
I am also a volunteer at Middle Way House, which is a local organization that helps survivors of domestic violence and abuse. I’ve been involved in that since my freshman year.
One of the best parts of IU is the Hoosier code – that we are protected by the school and protected by each other. We look out for each other here.
Ziqi Zhao
How has IU supported you as an international student?
IU is doing a great job! They really try to protect the rights of international students and support them in a lot of different ways. One of the best parts of IU is the Hoosier code – that we are protected by the school and protected by each other. We look out for each other here. At IU, we call it the “Culture of Care,” that each of us as students is helping to support and care for other students.
Bloomington is a great place – there are lots of resources at the university, and it’s a beautiful campus. It’s also really nice that the campus is right next to downtown; the campus is almost the same thing as town!
Overall, how would you sum up your experience at Indiana University in one sentence?
I’m really happy with my experience here.
