International Students’ Workshop
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CULTURE SHOCK
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ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS
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SETTLING IN & STRESS
MANAGEMENT
Adam Sandelson
LSE Student Wellbeing Service
Helen Green
Teaching and Learning Centre
Culture Shock – what is it?
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The impact of moving from a familiar
culture to one which is unfamiliar
‘Culture shock, like love, is a temporary
madness’
(from ‘Culture Shock Thailand’)
Culture Shock
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… is often discussed in terms of “transitional phases.”
These are
Initial shock
Honeymoon period
Distress period
Adjustment Phase
Independence
What students say
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‘Sri Lanka is very slow and relaxed. The pace of life there is so
different. Coming to London is like jumping on a rollercoaster’
‘I didn’t experience culture shock, I experienced price shock!’
(student from China)
‘You have to depend on yourself in London. It’s easy to feel
lonely here’ (student from China)
‘I quickly learned that people don’t touch each other very much
here. That is very different from Brazil’
What students say
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“When I first came to London
and I went on the underground
I looked up at the escalator and
I saw every race of people and I
thought ‘I will never forget this’”
(student from India)
Resources
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Website created by international students at
Loughborough and Southampton university:
www.ukculture.info
UKCISA:
www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/culture_shock.php
International Students House:
www.ishevents.org
www.ukstudentlife.com
Academic expectations
LSE students are expected to be
proactive,
critical, and
independent.
But what does this mean?
Let’s consider reading and writing
Reading
Select and prioritise readings (and parts of readings)
according to your own learning goals. Try to avoid a
“passive” approach of reading every page, in order…
Prioritise quality over quantity.
Reading
As you read, stop frequently to consider and write in
your own words what you think the author is trying to
convey. Understanding some key ideas is more
important than reading every page.
Write your interpretation and questions as part of your
reading notes.
Reading
Question the author’s arguments and evidence.
Question whether the ideas are valid, out-of-date,
applicable in all contexts / cultures, etc.
Reading critically involves questioning and evaluating;
not necessarily “criticising”.
Reading
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Prioritise quality over quantity.
Write your own interpretation rather than copying.
Reading critically involves questioning and
evaluating; not necessarily “criticising”.
Teaching and Learning Centre events:
How to read for academic work at LSE (7 October)
MSc reading workshops (15, 22 October)
Writing
Essays should convey YOUR position, YOUR view on a
question. They are not simply a description of what
you have read.
Be sure your “voice” is heard and your position is
supported with evidence.
Writing
Clear, convincing writing requires several attempts
(then rethinking, then trying again!)
Leave enough time before your deadline to draft,
review, discuss, and re-draft your writing.
Writing
You are expected to use others’ ideas, and to recognise
that they come for other thinkers by citing them
appropriately.
Use an appropriate citing and referencing style (e.g.
Harvard citation, APA bibliographical style) and
understand how and why to avoid plagiarism.
Writing
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State and support your position clearly.
Leave time to review, re-write, and edit essays.
Cite and reference properly and avoid plagiarism.
Teaching and Learning Centre events:
How to write at LSE (14 and 16 October)
How to use others’ ideas in your arguments (without
plagiarising!)(18 November)
MSc essay writing workshops ( 29 Oct., 12 Nov., 3 Dec. )
Participating actively
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Learning is a social, collective activity!
Engage with your professors, teachers,
advisers, and peers.
Seminars, classes, and study group meetings are for
testing your understanding-not showing it off!
Teaching and Learning Centre event:
How to participate actively and make presentations
(21 October)
Academic expectations
LSE students are expected to be
proactive,
critical, and
independent.
And remember …
“Academic English is no one’s native language”
(Bourdieu and Passeron, 1994, p. 8)
Settling in and stress
management
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Settling in Tips
Practical approaches
Sources of advice and help
Settling in and stress
management
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Talk to others who may feel the same.
Speak to people at home but also get involved
here.
You are allowed to enjoy yourself!
Be realistic about what to expect from student life
and
from yourself
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Try to balance work and leisure
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Give yourself time to adjust
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You don't have to get everything right straight
away.
Food and sleep …
Practical approaches
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Set realistic and achievable goals
Short term targets, longer term
strategies
Break down huge activities into small
manageable tasks
Focus on the task, not the outcome
Remember past successes
Time for breaks
Stress Management Skills
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Physical, behavioural, cognitive…
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Regularly switch off
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Schedule some kind of physical activity.
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Good self care
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Sleep, diet, etc. Be aware of caffeine,
alcohol and nicotine
Take time out without guilt.
Acknowledge anxiety, rather than denying it.
Ask: ‘Are my negative thoughts realistic?’
LSE Student Counselling Service
KSW.507
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Free and confidential.
Mainly short-term counselling.
Book appointments in advance.
20 minutes Drop in sessions at 3.00 each day
See website for stress-management handout.
Self-help resources on a wide range of student
issues (study-related and personal difficulties)
e.g. relaxation MP3’s
Future Workshops
How to deal with study related stress
Thursday 28 October, 3.00-5.00: OLD 4.10
How to build confidence for academic writing
Wednesday 14 October, 3.30-4.30: KSW.G.01
Friday 30 October, 3:30-4:30: KSW.G.01
How to manage depression
Friday 13 November, 2:00pm - 3:30pm: KSW.G.01
How to manage your time effectively
Thursday 19 November, 2.00-4.00: OLD 4.10
How to learn from experience: End of term review
Wednesday 02 December, 12.00-1.00: KSW.G.01
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Sources of advice and help
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Your Academic Adviser
Departmental staff
Disability and Wellbeing Service
Student Union and Advice Centre
Deans
Student Counselling Service
Language Centre
Library, IT Services
Student Services Centre
Moodle: Learning World
Medical Centre
TLC study-skills advisers
LSE Peer Supporters
Don't wait until problems have grown impossibly large …
it’s OK to ask for help earlier.