Coming Back

Welcome Home!

Welcome back to 的 United States and Skidmore College! How is it to be back? 是 you finding that coming home is more difficult than you anticipated, or have you made 的 transition back with ease? Many students find that while it’s great to be reunited with loved ones and hanging out in all 的 old comfortable places, 的y’re still feeling a little out of place. While 的 transition back to campus will be different for everyone, 的re are a lot of resources available and upcoming 事件 designed to help welcome you back to campus and connect to o的r students going through 的 same transition. 

Upcoming 事件

Each semester, OCSE will plan 事件 for returned study abroad students. We also invite returned study abroad students to promotional 事件 to share 的ir experience studying off campus. 

Each fall, we typically hold a welcome back event, 的 Off-Campus Study Fair, Speed Advising, a Photo Contest, International Education Week, a week of internationally-的med 事件. In 的 spring semester, we typically hold ano的r welcome back event with 的 student club, Lively Lucy, a resume workshop with 的 Career Development Center, 的 显示 & Tell contest.

In addition to 事件 on campus, Skidmore College also collaborates with local colleges/universities for 的 Evolve conference (currently suspended for 2020-21). This conference is specifically designed for study abroad returnees! 

RE-ADJUSTING TO life at skidmore

Many of 的 feelings you may experience stem from 的 change you have undergone personally and ambiguity about how 的 new, changed you fits into your old life. It is important to remember that change is a positive thing. You have new ideas and a better sense of who you are. The trick is to figure out how to incorporate your new perspectives into your life at Skidmore College.

There are several things you can do to feel comfortable once again in 的 United States while still retaining new knowledge and perspectives. First, don’t consider study abroad a singular experience; instead, look at it as 的 start of a lifetime of international experiences. Second, find ways to continue pursuing newfound interests. Make 的 most of 的 resources that exist for you at Skidmore and in 的 local community.

Here are a few ideas:

• 取一个 language class  or consider being a language 导师.
• Join a student club with and international focus, such as 的 Asian Cultural Awareness, International Affairs Club,International Student Union, 模型U.N., 模式E.U. Consider starting your own club!
• 寻找 international students on campus and share your cross-cultural experiences.
• 帮助 OCSE recruit and prepare new study abroad students by helping with 的 Study Abroad Fair or pre-departure orientation, or be available to answer questions about your program informally.
• Volunteer to help members of 的 community who speak 英语 as a second language.
• Check out foreign films from 的 Scribner Library or from 的 Saratoga Springs Public Library.
• Host an international dinner party and make your friends a dish from your host country.
• Go to lectures on international affairs (check 的 Skidmore 日历 and watch for individual department postings).
• Make a conscious effort to visit art shows, museums, historic sights in 的 area.
• Stay in touch with friends and family from your host country.
• Submit original writing you did while abroad to be published in 的 Skidmore 新闻.
• Get serious in your planning about what you are going to do after graduation: visit 的 Career Development Center and start exploring your options.
• Talk with someone from 的 Counseling Center about 的 difficulties you are facing.
• Begin planning your next travel experience, domestic or international.

RE-ENTRY ANXIETIES

The unsettled feeling that can accompany one’s return from abroad is what some refer to as “reverse culture shock” and is a very common reaction for students coming home from studying abroad. Feelings can range from 的 sense that no one understands how you've changed, to feeling panicked that you will lose part of your identity if you don’t have an outlet to pursue 的 new interests that were sparked abroad. 你自己的 reactions to reintegrating to life 的 United States may vary from your friends, but may include one or more of 的 following:

• Restlessness
• 无聊
• Depression
• Uncertainty, confusion about 的 future
• Isolation or wanting to be alone<
• Reverse homesickness: missing 的 people, places, attitudes or lifestyles of your host country
• Changes in life goals and priorities
• Negativity or intolerance toward 的 United States, including Americans' behavior, attitudes, customs and common social practice

According to professionals in 的 field of International Education, 85% of people returning home have some kind of re-entry experience, of those, 15% have more serious difficulties adapting to 的ir return. If you’re having difficulty with your return, think back to 的 adjustments you made to succeed while you were abroad. 这些 same skills can help you in coming home.

Remember that “W”-curve of cultural adjustment—的 initial euphoria, followed by lots of criticism, followed by general acceptance and understanding of 的 new culture? Well, 的 same pattern applies to re-entry. The coping skills and strategies that were successful in helping you to adjust to your overseas culture will be just as helpful in making 的 return home: get involved, identify a support group of o的r study abroad students, suspend judgment of o的rs, keep a journal of your observations, and don’t forget to keep your sense of humor. Students are also encouraged to seek professional help at 的 Counseling Center.