Transitioning to Life at ANU

You may not realise but it is completely normal to be anxious when you move to a new city or country to live and to study. What can happen to you is sometimes called "“Cultural Transitioning” (CT) also known as Culture Shock.

CT may occur when you are in a new environment and do not understand the cultural norms of your new society; or simply when you miss the food you would normally eat back home or the language you normally speak, or everything is just very different and/or not what you had expected.

People from all cultures may experience CT when in a different country.  English may be your first language but you may still experience CT, as life is different in different countries.

Some things that you may find different or unexpected could be how you:

• catch a bus
• cross the road
• address your lecturer
• stand in line at the supermarket or on an escalator
• understand the Australian accent and our slang words
• use the Australian Health system 

These may seem obvious, but they can be confusing at times and cause real distress.  Understanding the CT process and how it impacts upon you is just one way of learning more about the world and yourself.  And always remember the negative feelings and the euphoric feeling don’t last forever!

Try and remember that by the very act of moving to another culture to study you have already demonstrated a bravery and willingness to take risks to attain your goals! So use your inner resources and always seek help early. The university has a wide range of student services and they are there to be used and to help you succeed.

Enjoy ANU, Canberra and all the best with your studies

You may experience some of the following during your periods of transition:

• incredible excitement
• a whirlwind of social activity
• anger, irritability, resentment
• an unwillingness or even inability to interact with others
• idealising life back at home
• insomnia, sleeping too little or indeed too much
• becoming confused particularly when trying to understand Australian Slang
• a loss of confidence
• preoccupation with health
• sadness, loneliness, melancholy

The experience of CT can be likened to a wave feelings of great excitement can be by confusion and unhappiness within a very short time.  Again, everyone is different in the feelings they experience; there is no right or wrong way of being at this time.

The First Stage:

Generally when you first arrive you feel excited and eager to learn new ways of doing things and you may expect and anticipate that things will seem a bit odd or completely different. Sometimes this can even be a bit frightening particularly if you have never traveled before and you do not know anyone when you arrive. At this stage you do learn to become self-reliant!

Typically when you first arrive at ANU, particularly if you are an undergraduate or coursework postgraduate student you will be on campus at the commencement of the semester.  At this time the university has a program in place designed to help you transition to life at ANU this is called "Orientation".

The International Orientation is designed to provide you with a series of activities that get you involved with the ANU community as soon as you arrive. If you were greeted on arrival you will have already met some of your fellow students, we only employ senior Australian or International students as our Meet and Greet drivers.  You will find them an invaluable resource about life in Canberra, and you can ask them the questions you may not feel comfortable discussing with a staff member!

We run a series of informal “Sausage Sizzles” a very Australian activity; these too are run by our student volunteers and provide you with an excellent opportunity to meet other new and current students.  Similarly the Bush dance which is held after the official Orientation Day* is an evening where you can relax, meet other people, learn some traditional Australian folk dances and just enjoy yourself in a completely informal setting.

The Second Stage:

At this stage you have done with exploring your new environment, you have a general idea of what’s happening and where.  It is now that you begin to consolidate your understanding about life at ANU and in Canberra.  You are “transitioning” from your home culture and subconsciously creating a new one for yourself.  You may find that you become disgruntled and annoyed at things especially if problems crop up, and you don’t seem to be able to find answers or advice about how to resolve them.  You may find that you become impatient and think to yourself “things are better back home” and you may well be correct.

The good news is that when you do experience problems, there is always someone to contact. You may want to contact someone in the International Students Services section who may not be able to solve your problem but we will help you find out how to solve them

Importantly remember to stay in touch with your family and friends, and start to develop a lifestyle that you enjoy.  Include an exercise regime, participate in campus activities, perhaps join your cultural society on campus, try and make friends with students in your tutorials and in your Hall of Residence if you live on campus.

Continue to practice English at every opportunity and only use your first language among friends when things seem a bit overwhelming.   The more you practice your English the quicker you will adjust and the more confident you will feel.

The Third Stage:

By this time generally you will be more relaxed and familiar with Canberra and the ANU.  You will be exploring socially and mixing with others.  This is the time that you may consider signing up fro one of our Day Trips away or becoming active in student organizations. 

If you regularly visit the same shop smile and say hello to the shopkeeper, being a part of a community doesn’t always mean knowing someone well, sometimes it is just good to b recognized!  Join an online forum such as Facebook so you can easily communicate with your friends allover the world.  This way you may even be able to ask ANU graduates questions about what is was like at ANU when they were here!

This may also coincide with your assessment requirements, it may be a good idea to utilise the resources available to help you succeed academically.

The Fourth Stage:

You will recognize the good and bad things that this culture has to offer, and you may begin to feel a greater sense of belonging and being a part of a greater community at the Uni. You may begin to develop new ideas and ways of doing things by now you should know how to access help and what to do if a problem arises.

Learn how to manage the things you do not like and remember why you came to ANU in the first place, continue to think about and consider your future goals and desires.

The Fifth Stage:

This is often called Reverse Culture Shock. This comes about when you return home to your country of origin, and you discover that you have changed, and home has not remained static either, and that you may need to readjust to life back home. People at home may not seem interested in your experiences. They may expect you to fit back in as if you’ve never been away. You may miss aspects of life in Australia and feel critical of some aspects of your home culture.

A good thing to do is to allow yourself a period of time to reconnect with old friends, family and places. Have some photos to share that could help them know something of your life in Australia. Don’t be over-critical of your home culture. Keep yourself busy, explore your home again and perhaps become involved in your local Alumni Chapter as a means of keeping in touch with the types of people you met at ANU.