Sara Inagaki’s Journey to Santa Barbara City College

Choosing Santa Barbara: The Benefits of Starting at a Community College

Why did you decide to study in the USA?

I had always been interested in studying abroad when I was in high school, but since no one around me wanted to do it and I was ignorant, I thought it was something that was out of reach for me. I had been planning to go to university in Japan. There is a University Entrance Examination every year in Japan, so I had been preparing for it for a long time. 

However, a book about studying abroad that I picked up by chance at a bookstore changed my mind one month before the examination. When I read that book, it was saying “Even if you cannot do it, just jump in!” I could not stop my desire to study abroad. That is why I decided to study abroad. And for the country, since I was a child, I have loved American music, drama, movies, lifestyle, and more. Although I researched many countries to decide the country, the choice for me was almost decided to be the USA.

Why did you choose this particular college or university? 

First, I decided to go to community college because the tuition is cheaper than university and the opportunities to transfer are a lot. While searching for studying abroad, I learned that it is easier to transfer within the state rather than transferring out of the state. I have not decided which university I want to transfer to, but I chose California because there are many four-year universities. 

When I was searching many community colleges in California, I found that Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) offers a great education, award-winning professors, various majors, and a high transfer rate. These factors made me want to go there. This school has attracted me a lot. Especially, I love the view from school. Every time I get out of class and walk ahead to the library, I can see the blue sky and sparkling sea spread out before my eyes. I always get energy from its view.

What do you like best about your program or university?

What I like about SBCC is that we have people from all over the world. I have met countless people who are from somewhere I have never even been. Even though this is a community college, many international students like me are coming in both long term and short term, so I can touch various new cultures, and learn new knowledge, so I feel like my world is getting wider and wider. This is the best thing that I like about my college.

What do you miss most about home?

It is hard to answer only one thing, but I would say I miss most about Japanese food. They are not only taste great but also very cheap. For the price of a cup of coffee in the U.S., you can get a satisfying meal in Japan. When I came back to Japan for the first time after going to the U.S., I could not stop being surprised by the prices because they were all so cheap! And the quality is great! I love it and I miss most about it.

What was your biggest surprise about U.S. life and education?

What surprised me the most about U.S. life was how friendly people were. They talked to me even though they were strangers. Supermarket cashiers, Uber drivers, people taking a walk with their dogs, and more, it is very fun to talk with those people and I love this American culture.

For education, the thing that surprised me the most was that students actively raised their hands during class to express their opinions. In Japan, it is normal for students to just listen to the professor’s lecture and say nothing during class. So it is very quiet in Japan, but I can see many hands and hear many voices in the U.S.

What was your biggest disappointment?

My biggest disappointment is seeing people smoking weed as a normal thing. In California, where I live, it is legal for adults to possess and consume it, so it is fine here, but in Japan where I grew up, once people possess it, they will get arrested immediately. Since I have not gotten used to its smell, every time I come across someone who is smoking it, I feel not good because it smells very bad.

How have you handled language differences?

My English is still not fluent, so it is not easy to express my opinions, feelings, and more. But people around me have supported me a lot. They take time to listen to my voice, understand what I want to say, correct my English grammar, and tell me how to describe it in English. That is how I handle language differences.

How have you handled your finances?

Even though I am in a college where the tuition is cheaper than a university, it is still so expensive to attend school and live there. I try to save money in my daily life. For example, the basic needs center at SBCC offers us many foods for free such as vegetables, rice, pasta, snacks, and more, so I go there about twice a week and cook meals for myself. It is a good way to save money, but it is not enough, especially for an international student like me. I am studying hard now to get a scholarship someday and reduce the financial burden on my parents.

How have you handled adjusting to a different educational system?

I think the only way to adjust to a different educational system is to get used to it. Even though I had understood that it was different when I moved to another country, it made me confused and struggled at the beginning. Since the way classes are conducted and the way assignments are submitted vary greatly from professor to professor, I still tend to get nervous when the semester begins. It is important to get used to it by asking a professor or peers if I have any questions as soon as possible.

What are your activities? 

I am a member of SBCC Ambassadors. SBCC Ambassadors are students who volunteer with the International Students Support Program to bring together new and continuing students from around the world and facilitate connection to and inclusion within the SBCC community. I have been a member of it for about one year, and I had so many great experiences with it. 

As we expand the SBCC community, we have held many events such as beach volleyball, pumpkin patch, movie night, friends giving, ice skating, and more. I have met many new people through those events and I have made a lot of memories. Those are all special for me. I believe it was a great choice to become a member of SBCC Ambassadors for me.

How easy or difficult is making friends in the USA?

In my opinion, it is easy to make friends in the USA. This is because it is common for my friends to bring their friends over and hang out together. I once got talking to a store clerk and we became friends and hung out together. Most people in the U.S. are very friendly so I think it is easy to make friends.

What are your career goals? How is your U.S. education relevant to your personal goals and to the needs of your country?

I am interested in both fashion and international corporations, so I want to connect those two in the future. For example, I learned the charm of fashion when I was a child, so I want to make poor children know the fun of fashion like me. The range of education in the U.S. is very broad, and people are very proactive about taking on challenges, so I think it is an environment where it is easy to try what you want to do. At the college where I go, we can change our majors and also take two majors. Such a system is good for my personal goals because the two fields I want to tackle are very different.

What is your advice to other students from your country who are considering a U.S. education? 

I would like to tell someone who feels scared about studying abroad. Don’t worry!! I felt so scared about one month before I left Japan and cried almost every day because I did not want to go even though the one who decided to study in the United States was me. At that time, I was ignorant, I did not know anyone, and I was extremely worried about what my future held. But now, I have got people who make me happy, support and help me. I can say that I am not scared anymore because I am not alone. 

Of course, it is not all fun and games, there are many difficult and tough things, but all in all, I can say that I love this life. I believe that if you take on the challenge, you will meet people you have never met before, see scenery you have never seen before, and have wonderful experiences. The more you challenge, the more people you have never met, the more scenery you have never seen, and the more amazing experiences are waiting for you. So don’t worry and just go ahead!

Sara Inagaki from Japan is studying at Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) in California. She plans to transfer to a four-year university after one more year at SBCC.