Culture Shock on Campus: Narratives of First-Generation Rural College Students Navigating Their Freshman Year

• In Event: First-Generation College Students Perspectives: Adjusting to Campus, Financial Aid, College Access, and Belonging

Abstract

This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of first-generation rural college students encountering campus culture shock during their first year at a Midwestern university. Using narrative inquiry and guided by Schlossberg's Transition Theory and Zeller & Mosier's W-Curve model, the research uncovers how rural identity, limited exposure to diversity, new academic norms, and lifestyle changes inform these students' transitions. Through thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 12 participants, the study finds that disorientation in diversity, academic unpreparedness, and cultural dissonance contribute to initial marginalization but also spark self-authorship. Findings inform culturally responsive support practices for rural first-gen students and challenge institutions to recognize culture shock beyond international contexts.

Authors

• Pietro Antonio Sasso, Delaware State University

• Justin L. Alexander, Delaware State University

• Chetanath Gautam, Delaware State University