SHU is committed to supporting you as you navigate challenges, explore opportunities and meet new people.  Taking advantage of the many different resources will help you as you adjust to living away from home for the first time.  

Things to consider: 

• You will experience increased freedom and responsibility and making choices about when and how to study, socialize, get involved, budget money, exercise, eat and sleep.  Remember to stick to your own values.

• Learning to balance your time will be important to your success at SHU.  Using a planner to schedule obligations and social time may be helpful.

• Relationships with family members and people back home may change.

• Adjusting to new people can be exciting and challenging.  You'll learn new ways to interact, address conflict, and understand the world. 

• Take care of yourself by getting good sleep, eating a balanced diet, exercising, resting and playing.  Schedule study time in advance and stick to your schedule.  

SHU cares about you and wants to support you getting connected, make friends, and learn your way around campus.  Transferring to a new campus can be both exciting and challenging.  You may find yourself facing changes you were not expecting.  Take advantage of the many different resources as you become a SHU Griffin.

Things to consider:

• Hang out on campus whenever possible.  Doing so will help you build connections at SHU.

• It may take a little while to find your niche here.  Joining a group will help you make connections and help you build your resume, gain leadership skills and enjoy your time at SHU.

• Meet with your advisor to better understand your transfer credits and what you need to graduate.

• Take care of yourself by getting good sleep, eating a balanced diet, exercising, resting and playing.  Schedule study time and stick to the schedule. 

International students, regardless of what country they are from, will go through a period of adjustment to the new culture. There are often differences in values and beliefs, and this can cause some discomfort. Give yourself some time to learn and adjust. 

Greetings.  Americans often greet each other with a handshake or a hug regardless of gender.  Many will ask, "How are you?"  This is often another way of saying hello.  The most common reply is, "I'm fine, how are you?"  Spatial distance is an important aspect of non-verbal communication.  Most Americans stand about three feet apart when talking.  

Friendship.  Most people at SHU will be friendly.  However, they will talk about hobbies, politics, sports or current events rather than personal matters such as finances or family problems.  As your friendship deepens, more intimate conversations will start to take place over time.  

Tips to help you adjust:

• Push yourself to get involved on campus and with student groups. While it might take some time, this will help in building connections and learning more about the new culture. 

• Be curious and open-minded. Observe how things are done here and feel free to compare and contrast this with your own culture. 

• Try to push yourself a little beyond your comfort and engage with students who are not from your cultural background. Students who surround themselves with other students from their home country tend to have a harder time adjusting. 

• Find an ally with whom you can talk about your culture as well as the local customs and how they differ. 

• Take care of yourself by getting good sleep, eating a balanced diet, exercising, resting and playing.  Schedule study time and stick to the schedule. 

• Need additional help? You can stop by the Diversity, Inclusion and International Student Services Office on the Administration Building 5th floor or email Kiesha Che're Jimmerson at jimmerson@setonhill.edu. You are also welcome to meet with a counselor who can direct you in the right direction!