Skip to content

Pam Hendrix Center for Education Abroad

Returning Students

Returning to Clemson

Welcome back to Clemson! We hope that your international experience challenged you and helped you grow both personally and academically. Although your program may have ended, your experience is far from over! Now, we hope that you will take advantage of our many resources to reflect, adapt and grow. Please refer to our Returned Student Checklist to help you navigate your transition back to Clemson.

The Pam Hendrix Center for Education Abroad has created a Canvas workgroup for all returned study abroad students. This workgroup provides students with content modules and resources to help students successfully transition back from their international experience and prepare for a global career.

For information about receiving credits from abroad, visit our Academic Coursework page.

A group of students walk across Cooper Library bridge

Adjusting to life after abroad

Reverse cultural adjustment is a normal process when transitioning to life back home. The process is unique to each individual student. The personal growth that you experienced while abroad may be challenging for your friends and family to recognize. That personal growth may also hinder your re-adjustment to the established routine that you were used to prior to your time abroad.

Some Common Re-Adjustment Experiences Include:

  • Having the impression that you cannot fully explain your experience or its importance.
  • Realizing that others do not want to hear very much about your adventures.
  • Feeling "out of place" despite being home.
  • Being bored with being home.
  • Experiencing "reverse homesickness" for the place where you studied abroad.
  • Realizing that relationships with family and friends have changed.
  • Feeling that others misunderstand your growth or see the "wrong" changes in you.
  • Assessing your home in a way that is judgmental or overly critical.
  • Feeling that your experience abroad is lost or cut off from the rest of your life.

If you find yourself having difficulty with any of the experiences above:

  • Check out the Getting Involved at Clemson section to find ways to tap into your intercultural mindset and experience in the Clemson community.
  • Maintain friendships and connections built abroad.
  • Remember the cultural adaptation skills that you developed during your initial adjustment to being abroad and try to utilize them during re-adjustment. Examples include flexibility, finding support in others, normalizing differences, etc.
  • Set long-term goals, including future international experiences.
  • Reflect on aspects of the host culture that you enjoyed and find ways to incorporate those into your daily life.
  • Seek out support from a trusted source if needed. Our staff is always available as well as contacting Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS).

Getting involved at Clemson

  • International student groups and cultural exchange communities.
  • Multicultural programming and engagement in coordination with the Gantt Center.
  • Study abroad alumni.
  • Campus jobs such as UPIC Internships with PHCEA or the colleges, peer advisors/mentoring programs.
  • Writing content for student newspaper or our website.
  • Photo contest, Instagram takeovers.
  • English language programs.
  • International Student Services.
  • Creative inquiries for international research and engagement.
  • Clemson extension community-based initiatives or volunteer and engagement opportunities.

*For additional information and resources, returned students should login to the Pam Hendrix Center returned student workgroup in Canvas.

Highlighting your experience professionally

*For additional information and resources, returned students should login to the Pam Hendrix Center returned student workgroup in Canvas.

Going Abroad Again

  • Seek opportunities through the Office of Major Fellowships.
  • Meet with a Study Abroad Coordinator to discuss internships, research programs, or even other study abroad programs.
  • Pursue international graduate school opportunities.

*For additional information and resources, returned students should login to the Pam Hendrix Center returned student workgroup in Canvas.