By Sophia Pardo
Prior to leaving for my fall semester abroad, many let me know there would be a culture shock within my first few weeks across the globe. I spent the semester studying in Madrid, and by no means was the transition easy, but I found a way to manage. I found myself quickly adapting to my norm in a new environment— a different country with a completely different culture. I started to understand the differences in Spanish culture quickly and learned how to implement new practices into my routine. From later dinner times, more laid-back routines, and a different food scene. It was a refreshing break from my usual routine in America and ended up being a semester that forever changed me. Needless to say, by the end, I was itching to come back to the states as I have a whole life here filled with great friends, family, school, work, and so on.
Something that I have not yet experienced or even crossed my mind was this idea of reverse culture shock— and yes, it hit me.
According to the US Department of State, reverse culture shock is the emotional or psychological distress one can experience after returning from spending time abroad. For me, it took form in that I came back and my life here felt out of my own control. I had put such an effort in adapting to a new routine and the customs overseas that when I came back, nothing felt the same. But there’s a level of truth to that. Because you have changed. Acknowledging that I have changed, and now relearning myself here and the type of person I am, as well as the type of routine I want to implement, is the first step in heading in the direction of allowing my world to feel a bit more in order.
When interviewing fellow SMU senior Meg Thorton about her experience reentering the Dallas scene after spending the fall semester in Madrid, Thorton explained, “I think the hardest thing for me was going from Spain, where everything is so centered around friends, family, socializing, and just being around people nonstop, back into the American culture which is very individual and work-centered.”
When asked about how she has adapted to being back, she said, “I’ve tried to focus on doing activities that I usually do alone with people. Like I usually do my homework alone at my house, but now I’ve been doing it with friends at the library or in Meadows. I think the social culture of Spain is beautiful, and I want to continue that with my life here.”
In my experience, I have found these three strategies especially helpful as I try to adapt to my new norm:
Being a proactive planner, even in my daily routine
This means I am taking my Sundays to plan out my week. With the stress of school, assignments, work, and also balancing a social life, it can feel overwhelming—especially after spending a relatively carefree semester overseas. I use my Sundays to reflect on the upcoming week and block out everything in my Google Calendar. I schedule my workouts, put my classes, grocery shopping, weekly meetings, and work hours all into my calendar. Having something I can revert to throughout the day to feel like I am on top of everything I need to do in order to succeed has been essential and my biggest lifesaver.
Prioritizing reaching out to friends I have not seen and making plans with them to fit into my day
When I came back, I had a lot of anxiety that friendships I had— and may not have been proactively keeping up with while I was away— were forever changed. That is not the case. Being abroad, it’s hard to keep up with everyone back at home. First off, there is a time change, and second, not everyone’s routines align with yours. I have made an effort, though, to daily plan something and reconnect with people who are important to me. From inviting a friend to go to my morning workout at O2 to catching up by walking the Katy Trail or inviting a friend over to cook dinner with, there is opportunity for you to get out and see people without the nightlife option. In fact, I find the simpler, the better— it’s easier to really sit down and debrief your time apart.
You do not have to say “yes” to everything
At the end of the day, you don’t have to be constantly doing something. Rather, it’s important to have moments of peace. For me, it’s my Sundays. They’re my off days and are sacred. I am very busy every day during the week and like to keep busy on Saturdays. But the second Sunday rolls around, that’s my day to really sit with myself, think about the upcoming week, and indulge. Lately, it’s been sleeping in and treating myself to Sadelle’s in the morning, doing some sort of self-care— whether that be a face mask or a new workout class— and having a comfort meal for dinner, in bed by 9:30.
Give yourself grace. Things won’t fall into place overnight, and it’s important to recognize that and give yourself time to breathe.
