u/savemefromgod101

Hello everyone,

I lost my passport with my valid F-1 visa stamp last year (2025). After speaking with my university’s international student services office, I got a new passport, but I haven’t gone back home to renew my visa stamp yet.

I had considered going back this summer to take care of the renewal, but with the earlier pause in visa appointments, general travel uncertainties, and how unpredictable scheduling has been, it didn’t feel like a straightforward option. On top of that, my summers have consistently been my busiest period with research, conferences, and graduate school preparation, which made it difficult to step away at those times.

Now that I’m going to be a senior, it feels more practical to just finish my degree rather than take on the additional risk of traveling and potentially not being able to return to complete it in case my visa gets denied.

However, I will be going into graduate school soon, and I want to renew my visa at that stage so I can continue traveling when needed. I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has gone through a similar transition from undergrad to graduate school and handled visa renewal during that period.

I was thinking of going back for visa renewal either during the summer of my graduation or winter 2027, after I start my PhD program. Please share your experiences!

Hello everyone!

I am going to my first conference to present my paper. I am super excited and a little nervous. This will be my first-ever conference and I’ve been told to observe, learn from the speakers and make the most of the experience.

I want to use this opportunity to network with professors and fellow researchers. As an undergraduate student who plans to apply to PhD programs in the 2027 cycle, I would especially like to make connections that could help me learn more about potential research groups and graduate opportunities.

What advice would you give to a first-time conference attendee like me? Are there things you wish you had known before attending your first conference, particularly regarding networking and making a good impression?

Any advice appreciated!

I’ve been working on my conference presentation, and it’s turned into quite the grueling process. I don’t mind a little distraction though, so let’s drop our best fits here and I will rate it 1 through 10!