Adjustment Dynamics of First-Year Students to University Life at a Rural University in South Africa

Abstract

This research paper discussed the adjustment dynamics of first-year students to university life. Registering for the first time at the university seems to impose various challenges on newcomers. Most first-year students experience adjustment challenges in university life, which seem to lead to poor academic performance. Their performance stimulated the need to find the challenges and find ways to enhance adjustments and challenges to improve academic performance. The theory underlying this paper was Critical Emancipatory Research Theory. Participatory action research was employed in this study to collect data and a thematic approach was used to analyse data. A WhatsApp group was created to facilitate group conversations for data collection. The paper responds to two research questions: What adjustment challenges are experienced by first-year university students? In which ways can adjustment challenges be overcome? Participants in the study were ten first-year university students from two faculties. The study found that the factors contributing to difficulties in adjustment were a university workload, lack of residential accommodation, and lack of financial support. In light of the findings, the study recommends support strategies and programs that promote interaction with and among those who are newcomers at the university and the building of more residences for students. This paper contributes to the continued discussion about how newcomers can be supported to ensure they are settled in a conducive academic environment. Keywords: Workload, Residential Accommodation, Academic Adjustment, Social Adjustment.