Adjustment to UK student life
Walking into a crowded student union bar can Bea daunting experience for a Chinese student, coming from a culture where bars are not necessarily socially acceptable.
Although China’s changing and becoming more westernized, life’s much more tightly structured and the influence of peer group sand the authorities is strong.
Students, who are used to living in same-sex dormitories on campus, may feel daunted at the freedom of the UK campus and find it hard to adjust to a busy social life unconnected with their studies.
The idea of having a special classmate is very important and this relationship is regarded as lifelong. The “cooler” nature of UK universities can leave students feeling isolated.
The severity of the Chinese classroom contrasts with the warmth and friendly relationships outside.”Students and lecturers may eat dinner together,go out together and develop close personal mentoring relationships,”says Turner.
Despite all this, the survey showed that many manage to adjust their attitude and orientation quickly to life in the UK and certainly feel they can be successful in their new learning environment.