KEEP CALM,
OPEN YOUR MIND
AND
ENJOY YOUR LIFE!
General facts and tips:
Do not worry or stress during your embassy interview; stuttering or talking off-topic won't make things easier. You should go through the interview as early as possible, as you will be able to buy tickets cheaper in advance and prepare better for your arrival.
Multiple participation in the program. Regardless of whether you are an undergraduate or a specialist student, every student can participate in the program at least 3 times, overcoming levels: Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced!!! I often encounter the opinion that all subsequent interviews are more difficult and the chance of being refused increases. I will say this: every year is different. Personally, when I had my interview in 2014, I knew many people who were participating in the program for the 3rd time and came to the interview immediately after defending their diploma, and 8 out of 11 received visas. My second interview went much easier.
Job Offer. You need to approach this issue as responsibly as possible, as it affects many things: whether the agency and the consul will confirm it, and most importantly, you will have to work and live there. I advise taking only verified offers—either from an agency or from people who have been there and whom you know personally. You also need to think about the workplace, because from experience I know that many guys left a particular place just because they were bored there. Be sure to keep in touch with your employer, especially if you arrive later than the date specified in the offer (understand that your employer is counting on you, and if you arrive later, they will most likely have already hired someone else, so you will either have a minimum number of hours or, even worse, they simply won't need you).
If you don't like your job, don't give up immediately; change your attitude towards it and for 2-3 weeks do everything to the best of your ability. This way you will be able to get used to it faster; besides, managers and colleagues will also change their attitude towards you. If even after that you don't like your job, you are not a tree, and you can always ask the manager to give you the minimum number of hours and get a second job, or quit altogether after talking to your sponsor.
Why does my employer have such a bad attitude towards me? 80% of students are to blame for the fact that their employer gives them a minimum number of hours, constantly makes claims against them, etc. Understand, they have no reason to be biased against you, but your constant "screw-ups"—lateness, asking for time off, failure to perform duties, etc.—are the true cause of such an attitude.
Don't forget to register every month in SEVIS!!! In 2014, I forgot to do this and received a "happy letter" in the mail stating that they planned to cancel my visa!!! In such cases, you need to call your sponsor immediately.
Shopping. You can buy inexpensive items from well-known manufacturers like CK, MF, RL, Guess, etc., for 15-50 dollars in outlet stores (TJ-MAXX, Marshall, etc.). The items there will not be from new collections, but much cheaper than in brand stores. There are also racks labeled CLEARANCE; they contain items in the last remaining sizes, and they are eligible for an additional discount of 20-50%. In all stores, there are also large discounts on July 4th in honor of the holiday. In addition, there are "tax-free" days when you can buy clothes (except bags and accessories) and electronics without paying tax (depending on the state, it is 6-10%). Such days usually fall at the beginning of August; you should check this with local residents or store employees.
What to do with your fears? Leave them at home!!! Personally, I believe that when there is an opportunity, you should always use it! Don't be afraid to try new things; when and where, if not now! This can be expressed starting from the fact that you will constantly buy and try different food, and ending with traveling to all the most remote corners of the country, skydiving in NY, concerts of your favorite band, etc.
Travel. I agree that traveling with friends is much more interesting and cheaper (if you are planning on your own, I strongly recommend developing a plan B, with additional information on inexpensive hotels, etc.), but it often happens that you have different interests, someone has no money, or your dates do not match... Therefore, the question arises: should I travel alone? For me, the answer is obvious: of course, YES! And then I recommend using the services of all possible tours, because no one will forbid you from finding friends right there, and most of the tour clients are the same students as you!!! (I booked a tour on the website http://www.tours4fun.com/, one of my guides even knew Russian because he studied at MSU). I strongly recommend considering the option of taking a tour of national parks (Yosemite, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, etc.). The beauty there is indescribable...
Keep in mind that for almost the entire duration of your participation in the program, you can forget about sleep. Personally, I slept 6-7 hours a day when I was working, and only 8-9 hours on weekends, and even less during travel—4-6 hours (because, as a rule, the excursion route is intense: you are brought to the hotel very late, and you have to get up very early). But in reality, this is almost not felt; everything is covered by a constant "thirst for adventure".
