Culture

A new university, a new city, a new country, and, for most international students, a new culture! Many students, will experience a whole range of feelings and reactions when first arriving. Culture shock comes in many forms, and people experience it in varying degrees. It is a normal reaction to what can be a drastic change in ones physical, social, and cultural environment.

New students will find that they are not alone in feeling concerned about change. In fact, having difficulty adjusting to a new environment is, in most cases, a very good sign. It indicates that one is not merely "skimming the surface" of the new culture but is actually "engaging" in it - coming into close, personal contact with it. The trouble students experience in their first months may be in direct proportion to their success.