Social Adjustment: Adjusting to university
involves the complementary processes of desocialisation
and socialization (Pascarella and Terenzini
1991). Desocialisation entails the changing
or discarding of selected values, beliefs and
traits one brings to university in response to the
university experience. Pascarella and Terenzini
(1991) explained socialisation as the process of
being exposed to and taking on some of the new
values, attitudes beliefs and perspectives to
which one is exposed at university. Upon entry
into a university, first year students are confronted
with new personal and interpersonal
challenges that include the need to establish
new relationships, develop study skills and modify
existing relationships with parents and their
families (Parker et al. 2004; Tinto 1996). Pascarel