Culture Shock

Culture shock is a phenomenon many people experience when they travel abroad, whether for vacation, school, business, or a permanent move. It is the result of being in an unfamiliar culture. International students in the US might experience culture shock while adapting to American culture. Even students studying outside the US in one of our education abroad programs can experience it too. Culture shock can bring feelings of confusion, anxiety, homesickness, and sometimes fear. It can be very intense, particularly at the beginning of your stay. However, each individual experiences culture shock differently.

In general, cultural shock has 4 different stages. Individuals may go through the stages in order, skip stages, or even repeat some. The length of each stage is also unique to each person. Therefore, it’s important to identify what stage you might be experiencing. During the first stage, the honeymoon stage, you are thrilled and feel positive about being in this new environment.  As time goes on, this feeling of happiness and excitement wears off, leading to the frustration stage. In this stage, you become increasingly frustrated about the different ways things are done in the host country compared to your home country. At this point, you may question if coming to this new place was actually a good idea. This stage is usually the most difficult to overcome in the culture shock cycle.

The adaptation or adjustment stage is when you finally start becoming familiar with the new environment. You may not understand everything yet, but the new culture’s values and behaviors are easier to interpret. You start to be more confident. Fourth, the acceptance stage, is when you come to accept the differences of the new culture. You feel comfortable in your new environment. At this point, you might consider adopting or practicing some parts of the new culture in addition to your own cultural traditions. It can take weeks, months, or even years to come to this point. For students returning to their home country, there is often a fifth stage of the culture shock cycle: re-entry. This stage marks another cycle of readjustment, often called “reverse culture shock”. Students should give themselves time to transition back into their home culture and routine.

Cultural shock is a very common phenomenon and it can affect the academic performance of students. However, here are a few tips to help during the transition:

• Socializing- try to meet new people or join clubs/organizations.
• Keep your mind busy – focus on your academic goals.
• Do not compare your culture to others
• Study the new culture as much as you can, before and after arrival
• Try to do one new thing each day
• Stay in touch with family and friends back home
• Reminder yourself that everything you’re feeling is perfectly normal
• Find or make familiar foods from home

St. Cloud State University also provides international student and study abroad support through our Center for International Studies offices. SCSU provides other services and resources as well, including the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) office.

For more information, please visit:

• Center for International Studies website
• International Student and Scholar Services Resources
• Education Abroad website