From college to university: Exploring BS English first-year students’ challenges and strategies in identity transition

Abstract

Transitioning to university is one of the most important stages in students’ educational Journeys. Students face different kinds of challenges when they move to university, which affect their identity, mindset, and adjustment at university. Therefore, the purpose of this Study is to identify the challenges students face during the transition, how those Challenges affect them, strategies they use to overcome them, and how they develop a New identity which fits in this demanding place. To identify those challenges, a qualitative approach was used to understand students’ identity transition experiences. Fifteen participants were selected from the first semester of the BS English department at The Begum Nusrat Bhutto women university Sukkur, who have recently experienced such challenges. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data which were then analyzed and identified the key themes. The findings showed that students face both academic and social challenges when they move to university. They experience anxiety, nervousness, confusion, home sickness, loneliness, language barriers, time management issues, and they also find difficulty in making friends and managing academic pressure. The study also found the different strategies to deal with the Challenges they face, such as asking teachers or seniors for help, communicating with Classmates, and staying connected with families as they are the biggest supporters. Many Students shared that facing these difficulties helped them to grow emotionally and developed a new identity. These findings can help universities and teachers desig better Support systems for first year university students as they enter a new environment.