Examination of univeExamination of university students’ experiences regarding the university adaptation processrsity students’ experiences regarding the university adaptation process


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Eryılmaz A., Deniz M. E., Uzun G., Yıldırım Kurtuluş H.

Yıldız Journal of Educational Research, vol.8, no.1, pp.11-27, 2023 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)

Abstract

This is qualitative study aiming to examine the experiences of university students regarding the adaptation process to the university. 30 university students participated in the study. The data for the study were obtained through semi-structured interviews. According to the results of the study, it is the experiences before the university education that increase the adaptation of the students to the university environment such as career adaptability, educational background, social environment, social skills, openness to experience, parental influence, social activities, knowing the city, and having a different city experience. The experiences before the university education that increase students’ adaptation to the university environment include personality traits, social skills, and participation in social activities. Factors originating from the university are social activities, physical facilities, the quality of faculty members, the quality of education, the richness of experience, the quality of the student environment and deep-rooted history. However, the experiences of the students before the university education reduce the adaptation to the university environment such as leaving the family, the education system, city, personality traits, career incompatibility, social life changes, transportation difficulties, limited job opportunities, living with family, and bullying. Factors that reduce students’ adaptation to the university environment such as lack of motivation, academic failure, personality traits, expectations, future anxiety, health problems, and low self-perception. Factors originating from the university that reduce adaptation to the university environment such as systemic problems, limited opportunities, physical location, course content, and quality of the cafeteria. Students used resources such as social support, personality traits, problem solving skills, positive perspective, and social activities while to cope with incompatibility. While students express the gains of university education as self-development, a social environment, different perspectives, knowledge, social skills, recognizing different cultures, and diplom, they state that university education loses time, effort, motivation, money, mental health, a social environment and family ties.