Understanding How New Collectivistic International Undergraduates Build Belonging Across Online and Offline Contexts

Abstract

First-year international undergraduates from collectivistic cultural backgrounds navigate belonging across hybrid online and offline contexts as they transition into U.S. universities, yet existing work has underexplored how this process unfolds over time. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 participants, supported by journey mapping and descriptive survey measures. Findings show that belonging changed over time through three broad trajectories: gradual rising, relatively flat, and decline-to-recovery. Many students experienced an early belonging distress when friendly interactions did not develop into deeper friendships or group connections, and belonging recovered through repeated participation, peer and faculty support, cultural communities, and online-to-offline connection. Digital platforms supported belonging through rituals of care, relationship maintenance, and pathways into in-person communities, but did not replace face-to-face support. Our findings offer empirical insights on temporally responsive, culturally informed, and online-to-offline support for international student belonging.