Adjusting to a New Cultural Environment

You just landed at DTW and got to Ann Arbor. You probably spent long hours thinking about this new chapter in your life; indeed, this was a life-changing decision – moving to a new country and spending a decent amount of years in this university as a graduate student. In preparation for this transition, you did your homework; exploring google maps, looking for recommended places to buy groceries, thinking about the best place to live, worrying about making new friendships and rebuilding your lost professional network. Your anxious mind knew no rest. You also know that this university has resources, oh, so many resources – nonstop emails from your department, Rackham, the International Center, and many other units whose existence was completely unbeknownst to you up until this point constantly urge you to join meetings, listen to a lecture, and attend a cultural event. They all sound great and you wish you could do them all, but right now, you really miss your family. Your friends. You miss the smell of the food you used to eat all the time when you were back home. You miss knowing where you are going and the ease of getting around. You miss the sound of the language you spoke your entire life.

Take a deep breath. You are not alone. So many international students like you have just joined the University of Michigan; they also do not have the slightest clue what they should do next. I mean, they do – they came here for a reason and they worked very hard to be able to become a part of this prestigious institution. This means that they are probably pretty good at what they are doing; this also means that you are probably pretty good at what you are doing too. Please know - you will figure it out. It might take a while, though. Based on my experience, it can take up to a year before you start feeling comfortable in your new environment. The first semester is particularly hard; you are not used to American academia – things are done differently here. You need to listen and express complex ideas in a language that is not yours. You miss home. People around you might be oblivious to these difficulties.

Talk to them – explain your difficulties. Seek out other international students in your department and elsewhere; you will probably find out that they are dealing with very similar problems and you will get their immediate empathy. Do not be hard on yourself. Yes, try to take advantage of some of the opportunities offered to you – both professional and social. But you do not have to do all of them and not even most of them. Choose one event every week that you find exciting and go explore; if you feel comfortable enough, try to talk to people. Gradually, you will build your confidence and make new friends. Maintain a balance between feeling comfortable and going outside of your comfort zone. True, you live in the U.S. now, which means that making friends with Americans will help you get a better sense of your new environment. But there is also nothing wrong about finding a community of students or professionals from your home country or from your religion with whom social interaction will probably be much easier, at least at the beginning.

And above all – make this experience work for you. Do not give in to imposter syndrome, remember that you are here for a reason. Be kind to yourself, and soon enough you will find your way to thrive.

Written by Yuval Katz
Summer Orientation Peer Advisor
Graduate Student
Israel