{"id":1455,"date":"2021-09-24T16:08:49","date_gmt":"2021-09-24T16:08:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.butler.edu\/academic-services\/international\/getting-adjusted\/"},"modified":"2024-01-19T09:25:08","modified_gmt":"2024-01-19T14:25:08","slug":"cultural-academic-adjustment","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.butler.edu\/academic-services\/international\/new-students\/cultural-academic-adjustment\/","title":{"rendered":"Cultural and Academic Adjustment"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"wysiwyg wysiwyg-primary-block alignfull\" >\n\t<div class=\"container grid-default wysiwyg__container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<nav class=\"sidebar-menu \" aria-label=\"Site Menu\" id=\"page-nav\">\n\t\t<div class=\"sidebar-menu__wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<header class=\"sidebar-menu__header\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"sidebar-menu__headerLabel\">International Student Services Menu<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"sidebar-menu__mobileToggle\" title=\"Toggle Menu\" :aria-expanded=\"mobileOpen\"><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/header>\n\n\t\t\t<ul class=\"sidebar-menu__list\" v-show=\"mobileOpen\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"sidebar-menu__listItem initial-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"\/academic-services\/international\/new-students\" class=\"sidebar-menu__listLink\" >New International Students<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"sidebar-menu__listItem initial-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.butler.edu\/admission-aid\/international\" class=\"sidebar-menu__listLink\" >Prospective International Students<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"sidebar-menu__listItem initial-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"\/academic-services\/international\/immigration\" class=\"sidebar-menu__listLink\" >Immigration Information<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"sidebar-menu__listItem initial-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.butler.edu\/student-life\/living-in-indy\" class=\"sidebar-menu__listLink\" >Living in Indy<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"sidebar-menu__listItem initial-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"\/academic-services\/international\/employment\" class=\"sidebar-menu__listLink\" >Employment<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"sidebar-menu__listItem initial-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"\/academic-services\/international\/faq\" class=\"sidebar-menu__listLink\" >Frequently Asked Questions<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"sidebar-menu__listItem initial-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"\/academic-services\/international\/forms\" class=\"sidebar-menu__listLink\" >International Student Forms &amp; Resources<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/nav>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wysiwyg__wrapper wysiwyg__wrapper--hasSidebar\">\n\t\t\t<!-- content from editor -->\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wysiwyg__content wysiwyg__contentContainer\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\"><h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cultural and Academic Adjustment<\/h1><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Culture Shock<\/h2><p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" class=\"media-youtube-player\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"390\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tPfB6GIjM9Q?wmode=opaque\" title=\"International Student Experience Part 1: Culture Shock\" width=\"640\">Video of International Student Experience Part 1: Culture Shock<\/iframe><\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is Culture Shock?<\/h3><p>Basically, culture shock is cultural adjustment. You are in a different country with different customs, norms, lifestyle, and there will be an adjustment period. The amount of time it will take to adjust varies from person to person; as well as the initiation, severity, and triggers of culture shock.<\/p><p>Culture shock is usually represented in a &#8216;U&#8217; curve and will consist of 4 stages: Excitement, Frustration, Understanding, and Acclimation. The image below shows the &#8216;U&#8217; curve for the host country, as well as &#8216;reverse culture shock&#8217;, which you can experience when you return home.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stages of Culture Shock<\/h3><p><strong>Excitement Stage:<\/strong> (also known as the &#8216;honeymoon&#8217; stage): You will experience excitement when you first arrive. Everything around you is new and different, people are friendly and helpful, and you are keeping busy with all the tourist-like activities. You are really enjoying yourself!<\/p><p><strong>Frustration\/Rejection Stage:<\/strong> This usually occurs when the classes have been in session for a couple weeks. You begin to become frustrated with the new and different aspects of the culture. The people who were very helpful in the beginning may be busy with classes and extra-curricular activities, and may not have as much time to dedicated to helping you, the classes are not like the classes at home, you hate the food, etc. This is the most difficult stage. You might experience the following <strong>symptoms<\/strong>:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Depression, fatigue, insomnia<\/li> <li>Loss of self-confidence<\/li> <li>Anxiety, confusion, frustration<\/li> <li>Fear and insecurity<\/li> <li>Grief &#8211; mourning for old life<\/li> <li>Loneliness and isolation<\/li> <li>Annoyance and\u00a0over-sensitivity<\/li> <li>Impatience<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Understanding Stage:<\/strong> You will need to learn about the culture, people, lifestyle, and environment of your foreign country in order to understand the differences you find yourself frustrated by. In order to reach the understanding stage, you will need to immerse yourself in the foreign culture. Against all the feeling in the &#8216;Frustration Stage&#8217; you will need to get involved on campus and get to know the culture by meeting people and asking questions. Personality traits that have shown increased success in reaching the &#8216;Understanding Stage&#8217; at a faster rate are:<\/p><p><em>An Open Mind<\/em>\u2014be open to the new and different way of life. Try foods you&#8217;ve never tried before, go to a (American)\u00a0football game, participate in class, etc.<\/p><p><em>A Sense of Humor<\/em>\u2014humor will help when you get frustrated, annoyed, or insecure. Be able to laugh and move beyond the little annoyances.<\/p><p><em>Communicativeness<\/em>\u2014Talk to people, ask questions; but more importantly, if you are feeling sad, lonely, frustrated, do not be afraid to speak to an advisor or a counselor.<\/p><p><em>Curiosity<\/em>\u2014You need to have a genuine desire to learn about the culture, people, lifestyle and places in which\u00a0you find yourself. The ability to adapt comes from learning about your new environment.<\/p><p><em>Flexibility and Adaptiveness<\/em>\u2014Life in the U.S. may be a little different or a lot different from your home. You will need to be tolerant and try not to pass judgment in new situations.<\/p><p><em>Positive and Realistic Expectations<\/em>\u2014If you enter a new situation with a positive attitude, the outcome is more likely to be positive. We have a saying in the U.S.: &#8216;smiling is contagious&#8217;. However, you do need to have realistic expectations, and that is when flexibility comes in.<\/p><p><strong>Acclimation:<\/strong> Once you come to understand the new culture, you will begin to embrace it. You may even feel like it&#8217;s your new home and have difficulty leaving when the time comes to return home.<\/p><p>*If you are experiencing extreme culture shock and are not acclimating to Butler, please contact the Counseling Center or OISS for help.*<\/p><p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.butler.edu\/well-being\/counseling-services\/\">Counseling and Consultation Center<\/a> provides counseling help to all students on an individual or group basis in many areas related to their University experiences. All counseling, whether individual or group, is strictly voluntary and fully confidential. Students may wish to come to the Counseling Center regarding issues of a personal, social, career, or academic nature. The center is staffed by a professional psychologist and closely supervised counseling interns.<\/p><p>Students are seen by appointment only, except in emergency situations. Students may either walk in to schedule an appointment or call.<\/p><p>All individual and group counseling sessions are provided at no cost to the student. However, in more serious circumstances where psychiatric consultation is recommended by the Counseling and Consultation Center or requested by the student, the student will incur the cost of individual sessions with the consulting psychiatrist.<\/p><p>Group counseling is a situation in which six to eight students who have mutual concerns meet together on a regular basis with a Counseling and Consultation Center staff member. Placement in a group will normally come from a recommendation within the Counseling and Consultation Center.<\/p><p>The staff also provides consultation to any campus organization or group. This would require that the group request services and meet with the appropriate staff members to discuss their specific needs.<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Academic Adjustment<\/h2><p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" class=\"media-youtube-player\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"390\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VbTKaZLLALo?wmode=opaque\" title=\"International Student Experience Part 5: Academic Adjustment\" width=\"640\">Video of International Student Experience Part 5: Academic Adjustment<\/iframe><\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Observations about the American Education System<\/h3><p><strong>Classroom Atmosphere:<\/strong><\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Of the various academic traditions, one of the most significant is the degree of informality in American classrooms.\u00a0 Free discussions and critical questions are encouraged by most faculty members, and you will notice that the professor wants to hear your opinions even if they do not align with the opinions of the professor.<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Expectations:<\/strong><\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Class attendance is critical.\u00a0 If you miss classes, the professor will assume you are uninterested.<\/li> <li>Be on time to class. Being late to class is a sign of disrespect and\u00a0some professors will not allow you to enter after the class has begun.<\/li> <li>Class participation is often considered in determining the grade.\u00a0 You should therefore speak up in class,\u00a0ask questions, and take part in discussions.<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Asking for Help:<\/strong><\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Professors will generally wait for students to come to them for help rather than offering assistance.\u00a0 However, they usually are very willing to help if you approach them,\u00a0especially at Butler.\u00a0 Most professors have designated office hours where you can make an appointment to speak with them about any questions or concerns you have about the course. If you are struggling in your class,\u00a0GO TO\u00a0OFFICE HOURS! Your professors\u00a0are your best form of support.<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Coursework:<\/strong><\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Tests are given frequently in most undergraduate courses and you must therefore study consistently from the very beginning of the semester.\u00a0 If you get behind at the beginning of the semester, you may not be able to catch up.<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Grading:<\/strong><\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>The professor will usually tell you in the first\u00a0class how your final grade will be determined.\u00a0 Professors differ in the weight given to various factors, such as class participation, attendance, tests and final examinations, in determining the final grade.\u00a0 Be sure that you understand how the grade will be assigned.\u00a0 If you do not understand, ask!<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Studying:<\/strong><\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>It is generally estimated that students at Butler University need to spend two to three hours studying for each hour spent in class.\u00a0 Students who are still becoming accustomed to reading in English will find more study time necessary.<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":1461,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1455","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"revision_note":"","acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.2 (Yoast SEO v26.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Cultural and Academic Adjustment | Butler University<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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