3 Ways to Overcome Culture Shock

Like, because now you have to now you have to kind of like make an effort, you know? Now it’s like, oh, you’re going back to you’re going back to the old times. So much happens, like, and then they see you on Instagram, Latinfeels and they think that you are you know, living your best life or whatever. What do you think that I had to do was talk to people who knew that version of myself. And kind of like, just just to hear from them who she was. I enjoy people being around me are people who are comfortable with themselves, people who who know what they want. And I mean, you have to know that crystal clear, but it has some kind of outline of it.

In the United States, I attend Clemson University, which is about 13 hours away from my home, so I know what it’s like to not see your family for an extended period of time. However, living somewhere with a new language, traditions, and customs is still a new experience. Many students never experience culture shock to any appreciable extent and perform their overseas tasks and manage their relationships just fine. The honeymoon stage typically happens in the beginning of the school year. It’s that feeling of excitement mixed with nervousness that comes with new possibilities. Campus activities, meeting new people and exploring the area may keep one engaged for a while, but then the culture shock sets in. Culture shock isn’t strictly for those traveling long distances.

  • Culture shock is simply the deepest trough of the “U-curve” and rarely lasts more than a few weeks.
  • As a result, students can withdraw from social activities and experience minor health problems such as trouble sleeping.
  • Handle it with patience and without losing sight of why you were close to the person in the first place.
  • Speaking to other international students about how you are feeling might be useful to help you cope, but try to avoid being too negative about your situation, as that could be more detrimental.
  • In the case of students studying abroad, some develop additional symptoms of loneliness that ultimately affect their lifestyles as a whole.
  • Follow these tips to avoid being your own worst enemy and slowing down your adjustment dwelling on negative feelings.

There will be lots of people who want to help you, and universities are very much used to helping people who are feeling homesick or sad. Your university might be able to offer to buddy you up with someone, or have a free counselling service you can take advantage of. The offerings of societies https://kiss6kartu.in/persons/2023-mexican-women-dating-guide-everything-you-need-to-know/ and activities at universities are wide and varied. You might choose to join a sports team, a faith based society, or a hobby society. Your university might even have a society specifically for international students, who will all have experienced some level of culture shock. Establishing a routine can really help you to cope with your feelings of culture shock.

Talk to others about how you’re feeling

Read about your student’s host country to learn about the politics, economics, and social norms. Referencing these sources may provide your student with helpful information and help you better understand your student’s experience. Negotiation/Adjustment Phase—Most often occurs during middle of stay as individual develops strategies to cope with difficulties and learns to adapt to host culture; length of stage varies. In order to best support your student, it’s important to understand this phenomenon and how to overcome it.

Culture Shock Affects American Students

And refers to some people returning to their own places and re-adapting to the old culture. Make friends with locals and invite them to spend time with you. Creating such a support network can really help to alleviate homesickness while creating lasting friendships. Engaging in regular exercise is a key component to overcoming homesickness when studying abroad. Not only will it help improve your mental well-being, but it also ensures that you remain physically fit and healthy during your stay. On the other hand, neglecting your physical health through poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle can worsen your mood and make it harder to cope with homesickness.

There’s no guaranteed cure, but try these tips for the best way to help alleviate feelings of homesickness. Traveling to a different country can be exciting and rewarding.

These kind of frustrations are likely to solve themselves as you become more knowledgeable and competent in the new culture. It can occur soon after arrival or within a few weeks. Not every student feels the same way, however. Jasminemarie Mack, a Howard University junior psychology major and painting minor from Denver, Colorado, has never felt homesick on campus and was incredibly excited to move out.

The student has learned to function in the new culture with confidence and has developed a sense of belonging. The student may enjoy and appreciate things he or she was highly critical of during Phase Two. After getting back into the routine of life at home, you may feel like your https://www.svhailfingen.de/husband-of-ex-japanese-princess-passes-new-york-bar-exam/ experience is slipping away from you. Keep the experience alive by maintaining contact with the friends you made while abroad and sharing your experience with those who can relate to it. Financial therapy merges finance with emotional support to help people cope with financial stress. Write a journal of your experience, including the positive aspects of the new culture.

Simply focus on your breathing for a few moments. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and think about five things in your life that you are grateful for. This quick exercise can help stop any negative thought spirals in your mind and get you back on track.

During Ash’s time on campus, she made sure to do things that helped alleviate her homesickness, like reaching out to her extended family in the D.C. Area and keeping in contact with her close family back in Alabama. Although staying connected with her extended family helped her feel less alone on campus, she still longed for the personal connection and familiarity she had with her parents and siblings back home. There is no one definitive college experience.

When it comes to expressing myself, I have always found writing better than speaking. It allows me to gather my thoughts into a coherent train of thought and often provides myself some clarity. Writing, whether it be for others to read on a blog or to keep it private in a journal, writing is a great way of getting over some of your biggest challenges. I forced myself to try and keep busy, to go explore the new world I found myself in. However, I only resulted in giving myself a panic attack in the middle of a shopping area. I was overwhelmed by the loud sounds, intense smells, and bright lights that surrounded me, for the busy city was very different than my quiet hometown.

Like, I enjoy their company for these for these reasons. And midway through, I’m like, I don’t have time for this. A lot of people – aren’t in tune with, you know, energy with their own energy and things like that.

Leave A Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *