What is Culture Shock?
Culture shock is a term used to describe the anxiety and feelings (of surprise, disorientation, confusion, etc.) felt when people have to operate within an entirely different cultural or social environment, such as a foreign country. It grows out of the difficulties in assimilating the new culture, causing difficulty in knowing what is appropriate and what is not.
As a new student or scholar at Purdue, you may find adjusting to a different educational system, culture and in some cases language to be more challenging than you expected. Some kids never experience any shock and take to Purdue like a duck to water, while others may go through a severe adjustment period- with cultural adjustment often occurring over a period of several weeks or months.
Many different characteristics affect how a particular individual experiences culture shock, but most can be divided into two main areas: the breadth of difference between the two cultures and the individual’s personality traits. The further the cultural distance between the home culture and the culture of the host country, the more likely it is that an individual will feel discomfort and difficulty in social interactions. An individual’s personality plays a role in how they react to new experiences and the extent to which they are willing to put themselves in awkward situations to learn the new social rules-research supports the idea that individuals with personality traits such as extroversion and conscientiousness are likely to adjust more easily to new cultures.
There are usually three phases in Culture Shock:
Phase I – The Honeymoon
You have arrived in the US! Your dream school has opened its arms widely. You have loved the fun and games of BGR/BGRi so much that you didn’t have time for your parents who have accompanied you. You are exploring a new city and campus- but involvement in the new culture is superficial and tourist-like. During this initial period you may feel excited and exhilarated. For some, however, the novelty soon wears off- as soon as the serious academic work starts and their parents return home.
Phase II – The Rejection
- You will be irritated and frustrated with the differences between your home culture and US culture; it could be simple things like learning to read the temperature in Fahrenheit; or the sunset happening late; or the harsh cold winters.
- You may miss your usual ways of dealing with school or work, social relationships, and everyday life.
- You may find yourself studying for hours longer than your classmates and colleagues because of language differences. If English is not your first language, speaking and listening to English every day and trying to understand how things are done here may feel like an overwhelming effort.
- You may feel homesick and may idealize your life back home, while being highly critical of life in the United States. Feeling frustrated, angry, anxious, or even depressed is not uncommon.
- You may experience minor health problems and/or disruptions in sleeping and eating patterns.
- Your motivation may diminish, and you may feel like withdrawing from your new friends. This is a natural reaction to living in a new culture.
- You may contemplate going home early before completing your degree or research.
- You may be angry at not finding what you had expected.
Phase III – The Recovery
- It is important to understand that as time passes you will be better able to enjoy your new surroundings.
- Feelings and attitudes about being at Purdue and in the United States will improve although you may never get to the high level experienced during the first phase.
- You may become more relaxed, regain your self-confidence, and enjoy life in the United States. A more balanced view of life at Purdue and the United States will develop. Misunderstandings and mistakes which in the earlier phases of culture adjustment would have become major obstacles will be more easily understood and resolved.
Ways to Diminish Feelings of Culture Shock
- Before you go, research the local history, politics, cultural norms, etiquette, and education systems in your host country. Speak to other students who have been abroad.
- Once you arrive, start keeping a journal when you settle into your residence.
- Push yourself to leave your comfort zone, it might feel uncomfortable at first but it is part of the process.
- Recognize what is happening and realize that these reactions are very common. Talk to your family and let them put you at ease.
- Find at least one person—a fellow student, professor or counsellor—to talk to if difficulties arise. Reach out to them for help instead of withdrawing, even though it may be difficult. In certain cultures it is not acceptable to share your problems with people outside the family. Here, however, students are faced with obstacles unlike those they have faced back home. The family support system upon which you relied at home is not easy to replace. At Purdue, there is the additional stress of trying to succeed in a different educational system. Luckily, Purdue is a very collaborative student culture- unlike other universities, there is no competition as such to climb to the top.
- Get together with students and scholars from your home country. It can be a big help to speak your own language, to share a meal from home or have a cup of coffee and talk about adjusting to living in the United States,
- Contact a cultural club to meet students or scholars from your own country and/or other countries.
- Get involved in an enjoyable activity that helps you meet people. Have greater social interaction with US culture and the domestic student population – learning the social rules and expectations quickly and developing supportive relationships will allow you to experience less culture shock.
- Get out and discover some of the attractions in the area. Sitting inside and doing nothing when you are feeling depressed can make you feel even more isolated. There are always events happening on the Purdue campus and the neighbouring community.
- Plan excursions and participate in sports and recreational activities.Athletic activities or other kinds of exercise such as taking walks may also be helpful.
Using Purdue and Digital resources to Cope
Counselling and Therapy: Discuss and explore problems or feelings that are important to you. Grow toward greater freedom in making informed choices. Counselling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is committed to helping students benefit from their college experience and helping you achieve personal and academic success. One way that students can do this is to talk to a counsellor or psychologist in a supportive atmosphere to aid self-understanding and the resolution of personal issues. All services are confidential. For more information about CAPS: call 765-494-6995 or visit the website. CAPS is now also offering online treatment services to all Purdue Online students through UWill, a third-party telehealth option for students seeking services. Visit the UWill announcement to learn more.
Self-help: The “Starting the Conversation: College and Your Mental Health” guide is written to provide you with important information about mental health during the college years. Read this guide, learn from it and use it to start and continue a conversation about mental health. Also CAPS have a range of self- help apps for you to access.
The Office of the Dean of Students (ODOS)– provides information and resources to help with issues that may be negatively affecting you academically, financially or emotionally. They provide many different services and support systems to help students overcome obstacles.
If your religious or spiritual community is an important part of your life, you can seek out these communities at Purdue.
Your race, ethnicity, gender and/or national identity may impact your study experience in a variety of ways. At Purdue, you can turn to the Cultural and Resource Centers and LGBTQ Center
Accessibility is an important consideration for many students who want to live and study in another country successfully. If you are differently abled, you will find a great source of support from Purdue’s Disability Resource Center
Leave a Reply