Getting by culture shock.

When I moved to Malaysia, apart from being spellbound by the beauty Kuala Lumpur has to offer, there was and still is so much to see, do and learn.

Right after the excitement of a new experience fades, many of us will go through a phenomenon called Culture Shock.

It can be very difficult to deal with culture shock appropriately, because the responsibilities of being a university a do not get swept away while you are constantly being swayed between the thrills of having fun and pangs of loneliness. We are all different. Having said that, there is no sure way to deal with culture shock. However, there are some ways you can do to control the situation.

Below are several symptoms of Culture shock. See if you are experiencing any of the listed symptoms so as to deal with them appropriately:

• You tend to feel so much anger, confusion, frustration, discomfort or irritation, and loss of sense of humor.
• You tend to spend excessive amount of time alone or with other foreigners, and avoid contact with the locals.
• You tend to develop negativity towards the people and culture of the host country.
• You tend to sleep excessively or eat and drink compulsively.
• You tend to lose concentration from working effectively, and develop boredom and fatigue.

There are various ways in which one can get by culture shock, which include the following:

Talk about it.

Share your difficult experience with the people around you so that they understand what you are going through and can help you relieve yourself from the stress. This may also be beneficial to your peers, too. UCSI University has counseling services and various international student associations that are made available. You may feel free to discuss your cultural differences, the adjustments you have made, management of loneliness and creation of friendships, as well as academic pressure and any form of discrimination around campus.

Immerse yourself in the culture.

Be more open minded. We all have our own preference. Putting yourself out there and exploring various things may bring you to an extra mile. English may not be the first language for some people, which may elad to fear of talking to other people. UCSI has a number of clubs and organisations you may be part of. Finding people with similar interests will motivate you to interact and share your ideas with your peers on various subjects.

Keep yourself busy.

Filling up your schedule may be a great way to help one become more present. If you find yourself spending excessive amount of time by yourself in your room, try to seek out various opportunities around campus or experiment on things you have never thought of doing. Volunteer, pop up at random club meetings or apply to join various programmes and events. Don’t forget to wrap up your assignments and projects first. Being preoccupied may be helpful, but be mindful of how much you have on your plate so you do not burn out easily.

Remind yourself of home.

If possible, try as much to keep in contact with your old friends and family from your home country, because they will bring a sense of familiarity with your now unfamiliar world. If you do not feel like talking to people back home, try to do something that will remind you of home, be it listening to music from your country, watching movies in your native language, spending time with people of the same nationality or taking part in hobbies you are familiar with.

P.S. Getting by dealing with culture shock varies from person to person. So be mindful and see what works best for you.

I do hope that you will find some of these tips and resources helpful.

Lastly, you will get through this.