Upon entering university, students must adapt to a completely different environment, take on new responsibilities, and face various academic, social and emotional situations that can influence their university experience. Given this reality, the present study’s main objective was to analyze how first-semester students perceive institutional support during the process of adapting to university life. For this study, we opted for a qualitative approach with a phenomenological design, which allowed us to apply various semi-structured interviews to first-, second- and third-semester students at Polit\u00e9cnico Grancolombiano. Specifically, we worked with young people from the Psychology, Social Work, and Occupational Health and Safety Management programs.
\nAfter examining the discourses through content analysis, we found that adaptation to university occurs gradually; indeed, the accounts agree that the beginning of the process is filled with uncertainty and disorientation. It was also found that the relationships built with both classmates and instructors become the true driving force behind emotional well-being and integration into campus life. However, although young people recognize the value of the institution’s strategies, a concerning gap also stands out: there is very limited awareness and low visibility of several support programs. Ultimately, the study allows us to conclude that the view students construct of institutional support, combined with the strength of their social support networks, are the factors that tip the balance toward successful adaptation during that first year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","simposio_area":[53],"class_list":["post-10539","simposio","type-simposio","status-publish","hentry","simposio_area-educacion"],"yoast_head":"\n