PolyU Online Orientation - Student Experience
Transfer Shock
The fast teaching pace, the difficult coursework, a tight study schedule, the drastic drop of GPA, the new groups of classmates and a strange campus may make you feel overwhelmed and stressed in your first-semester study at the university.
Don’t worry! The anxiety you are experiencing is very common around the world. Senior-year Admitted (SYA) students in Hong Kong and transfer students in foreign countries share the same feelings with you, and this phenomenon is named as “transfer shock”.
Although adapting to the new environment and meeting new friends may be very challenging, just take your time to actively explore the campus and the services provided by the university. Of most importance, do not forget to meet your new friends in the new chapter of your life.
Mental Health
The Project’s research findings show that SYA students of PolyU have heavier study loads, lower social support, and more mental health concerns than non-SYA students.
Source:
Cheung, K., Tam, K.Y., Tsang, H., Zhang, L.W., & Lit, S.W. (2020). Depression, anxiety and stress in different subgroups of first-year university students from 4-year cohort data. Journal of Affective Disorders, 274, 305-314. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2020.05.041
Cheung, K., Yip, T.L., Wan, C.L.J., Tsang, H., Zhang, L.W., & Parpala, A. (2020). Differences in study workload stress and its associated factors between transfer students and freshmen entrants in an Asian higher education context. PLoS ONE 15(5): e0233022. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0233022
Believe in Yourself
It seems that academic and social challenges may bother our SYA students for a while. Believe in yourself! You will have a fruitful university experience after getting adjusted to the new study mode. Cheers!