Why is studying in the U.S. more likely to lead to mental health problems than staying at home? There is a shortcut to understanding the living conditions of international students in the United States. However, to truly answer this question, it is important to discuss the social adjustment aspect, the cultural differences between the US and China, the academic stress aspect, and the emotional aspect.
First, social adaptation
Language communication is the foundation of social life. Imagine if you suddenly traveled (it's not an exaggeration to use the word "travel" to describe the experience of taking a plane to a country on the other side of the world) to a country where only language A is spoken, and where not many people know Chinese, you would not only need to start learning language A to buy food, to take public transportation, to attend classes and do your homework, to negotiate with the landlord about renting an apartment, but you would also have to learn language A to find a job, to establish relationships with your bosses and colleagues, to find a job, and to communicate with your bosses and colleagues. language to find a job, establish a good relationship with your boss and colleagues, and improve your self-cultivation in your spare time, but only A language books are available in A language, and you have to go through a lot of books in order to strive for a higher socio-economic status and to realize your self-worth. ...... How long will it take for you to become proficient in speaking A language as well as you speak Chinese? The main character of any crossover novel is expected to be abused. Even if you are a parent, a successful businessman, a mentally active and healthy middle-aged person, if you suddenly go to live on another "planet" with nothing, and your language skills become an "elementary school level", how sure are you that you can withstand this drastic change?
Safety issues are another discomfort of living in the United States. Will you feel unsafe when Americans can legally own guns and you can't because of your status? When it's dark, you can't see anyone on the road, the streetlights aren't as bright as they are at home, and armed robberies and rapes are often reported in the newspapers, so will you feel uneasy because of this kind of living environment?
Some Americans boast that the United States is the most culturally diverse country, but the fact that there are many people from different cultures does not mean that they get along with each other harmoniously. The issue of racial discrimination has never been hotly debated and cannot be ignored in the United States. As the story of "I came from Xinjiang" reflects, international students, Asian Americans, Hispanics and African Americans ...... in the eyes of mainstream white Americans or other minority groups are often labeled as "Xinjiang people" or "outsiders". "outsiders," "southerners," and "liberal arts students." If you ask yourself how many times in a month have you interacted with Xinjiang people? How many times have you seen them and walked away? How many times have you encountered a colleague whose Putonghua is not standardized, and how many times have you developed some prejudiced mental activities against that person? Have you ever thought, said or heard that "outsiders" come to take our jobs, pollute our city, or are "unqualified"...... These "natural" ideas are what many Americans think about. These "natural" ideas are what many Americans think of your children and friends. Most Han Chinese, especially students from urban areas, are very uncomfortable with the idea of coming to the United States and suddenly becoming "second-class citizens".
Second, cultural differences
"Depend on your parents at home, depend on your friends when you go out", what kind of friends do American students have abroad? Many Chinese students are frustrated by being "stuck" in the Chinese student community and are unable to integrate into the American social scene. Social success relies on many cultural identities and familiarity. For example, if your American classmates tell another joke today and everyone laughs, but you don't know what Geico, %$#@ is, you don't get it. It's hard for you to think of a paragraph, finally finished in awkward English, you don't find it funny anymore, Americans politely "Oh~~" How much patience does it take to make friends? Since your English is not that outstanding, you are often interrupted, and when you are talking, others go to talk about something else. When you go out with your American friends, there are a lot of activities that you don't know about, what's this and what's that? Americans are lucky to have the patience to explain it to you, but Americans are more attentive to the flow of activities and the mood of most people. In the United States, if an American friend asks you about your life in China, it is expected to be moved to tears. Americans are not as curious and enthusiastic about Chinese people as Chinese people are about Americans.
The food in the US is just beyond words, unless you live in a big city, a really big city. The so-called average city in the US is probably not as good as a third-tier city in China. And you have enough money to allow you to go out and eat the food you can get at home for very little money. Entertainment? With the exception of a few really big cities, most Americans really don't have much in the way of entertainment. You'll find that Americans have such a low laugh point that they can't move without jumping into the air with excitement; life must be so boring. A national college ball game can mobilize the domestic equivalent of the province's people driving all the way to see the car all the way to Hoha messy run, which can be imagined in China? Only the level of the Olympic Games is possible. There is no good restaurant can call friends, no shopping district can be recruited on the object of desire shopping, a piece of green space can be called a park, the park can not see people. When the bar is like a domestic teahouse for the older men and women to spend time watching football matches, and "nightclub" this exciting word has nothing to do with the KTV can only stand in the center of the bar to sing to the whole bar of the older men and women. At night there is no one, back in China and then see the square dance ladies, I really hope they can take over the United States. People are social animals, and lively group activities can definitely make people's mental health more secure!
Third, academic pressure
Not to mention the fact that hearing, reading, and writing are all in English, when your life and social life are not going well, the only thing that may be of some comfort is the last straw of the academics. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but what's wrong is that academic performance is more important than personal well-being. Expectations from tutors and parents can be even more stressful for international students. Due to differences in cultures and education systems, some tutors think you should know things that we don't "should know", which can be misinterpreted as incompetence, lack of responsibility, and lack of motivation. Many international students are afraid to talk to their families when they encounter problems, and they are afraid that their families will worry about them, but they can't do anything in vain, and they are afraid to face their parents and their financial commitment when they can't "succeed" in their studies, so they are more easily pushed to the brink of extinction.
Fourth, emotional pressure
Study abroad is an emotional tug-of-war. When your American classmates have the financial income to support themselves, you can't find a job or even struggle at the basic level of life, and your self-esteem is seriously challenged. You want to have a family around you, to take care of your parents or grandparents, but feel guilty and guilty for not being able to do so because you are studying abroad. However, not being able to "make it" or get a good job abroad seems to be a disservice to your parents, and this fear of parental disappointment challenges your sense of self-worth even more profoundly. Therefore, studying abroad should be a prudent decision, not only financially, but also emotionally and mentally to be able to "support". If international students really miss their families and want to take on family responsibilities and financial burdens, it is only because they are beginning the normal process of becoming adults and should not be treated like children. I hope that anyone who knows an international student will not use the phrase "It's worth it as long as you study well." "You just need to care about your studies and nothing else." "Persistence is victory!" "Failure is due to XXX, success is due to XXX", because without empathy for their experiences, such words will not really reduce their stress, and will even catalyze the problem. When a person's spiritual life can't even eat rice and noodles, it's cruel and irresponsible for a fish-eating bystander to tell them that they "can't succeed if they can't eat the chaff without worrying about it".
If you are studying in the United States, are you experiencing any of the above stresses? Today's article on the pressure of studying in the United States is to hope that you recognize these problems, and then find the most suitable solution for themselves, do not because of these problems and let their life and study in the United States to receive the impact. I hope that every student studying in the United States can maintain a positive and optimistic mindset, and correctly deal with every problem and pressure encountered. If you have other questions about studying in the U.S., welcome to consult the Tendo education online counselor, we are happy to serve you.