Exchange at Penn Q&A with Yuto Suzuki

Yuto Suzuki is an exchange student coming to Penn from Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo, Japan. Yuto is studying at The Wharton School for the 2019-2020 academic year. We sat down with Yuto to learn more about him and his exchange experience so far. 

Why did you decide to come to Penn?

Before coming to Penn, I had worked for several startups in Japan, but I felt like the startup culture is lacking there. Thus, I wanted to learn more about startups in the US since there really is no better location to study entrepreneurship than in the US. I had actually already visited Penn the summer of 2018 with Penn English Language Program, where I was able to study English intensively. I really enjoyed Penn back then, so I wanted to return and stay for a longer duration.

What have you been involved in around campus or Philly?

I am a part of Penn’s Japanese Student Association, which holds events such as Karaoke Night in Koreatown. I would say 70 percent of the club members are Japanese, while the other 30 percent are not, so I’ve had lots of opportunities to share about Japanese culture to those who are interested. Several of them are interested in anime or manga*, which I actually do not know much about, so I’ve also learned a bit about how some Americans or non-Japanese students may perceive Japanese pop culture. Around Philly, I've also enjoyed exploring jazz clubs and listening to soul music. 

*anime and manga: Japanese animation and comics

What challenges have you faced so far at Penn?

My English is still lacking, even compared to other exchange students, which means that I’ve had to work extra hard in my classes and in communicating with my peers. Lots of my courses last semester included group work, which required lots of communication with Penn students and sometimes I struggled to catch what they said. I remember in one instance, I was in a brainstorm session with my group mates. As you know, you can’t really prepare for a brainstorm session, so in the end, I was only able to understand 20 percent of the brainstorm session.

Wow, that must be tough. What has helped you in improving your English?

Honestly, I think there’s no way around it besides simply jumping into the discussions and situations where you have to improve your English. However, I’ve also learned that things will get better, so don’t worry too much!

Do you have any advice for current or future exchange students?

From what I know, every exchange student seems to be doing well in their own way. Some students thrive in socializing, while others are much more focused on their academics. For me, studying is important, but others may not feel the same way, and that’s okay. I would say to clarify your objective about your stay in the US and what you want to achieve.

Finally, can you share your favorite aspect of your exchange experience?

Definitely the friendships I’ve made. I have dinner with friends every other day, I go to the gym with them, and I’ve traveled with them to New York and Chicago.