Maeve Zhu, an undergraduate at the University of Washington, said moving to Seattle with hopes of studying computer science quickly became overwhelming.
"The hardest part for adjusting to life in the U.S. as an international undergrad was also my first year living overseas alone without my parents around me," said Maeve Zhu, an undergraduate at UW. "Trying to manage your time, your money, and your energy, all while being so lonely, the first year felt like living in a nightmare."
Zhu's experience reflects a broader issue, based on a 2023 Purdue University study, nearly half of the 220,000 international students surveyed nationwide experienced major depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts. Many UW students are also facing growing mental health challenges as they try to adjust to life in the U.S. This emotional toll was compounded by academic pressure. She said she initially dreamed of becoming a computer science major but struggled with the language barriers and complex coursework.
"Although my TOEFL (English test for non-native speakers) speaking score was very high, I couldn't even get a word in a class full of native speakers," she said. "When I looked at the lecture slides, there were a lot of words I had no idea about.
After that, Zhu began to question her abilities. “I know that I'm not a talented student, I'm not that intelligent, or I'm not that hard working,” she said. "So I just gave up.”
Ariona Scott, a mental health counselor at the University of Washington Counseling Center, explains how students’ upbringing and the stress of a new environment can take a toll on their self-confidence.
"They can't move throughout the world in the same way, things are kind of perceived differently,” she said. “Like confidence difficulties, because they come into a new environment and there are things they're not able to do.”
“There might be different classroom styles and just sort of a lot of things that they might have to adjust to," Scott emphasized. Kristin Liu, a graduate student in information management at the UW, shared a similar struggle. After arriving in Seattle from China, she found herself trapped in mental health challenges.
“Language was my biggest obstacle; it became a psychological barrier,” Liu said. “I rarely talked with native speakers unless I absolutely had to. It made me doubt whether I was capable of doing things or even trying.”
Liu said she has previously undergone therapy for OCD(Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), eating disorders, and mild anxiety and depression. During her life in Seattle, her existing challenges became even more difficult due to the lack of a familiar support system and cultural isolation.
“Isolation is a huge problem; I couldn't find a social support system for me in this new cultural environment," she said. "And then I felt a stronger sense of emptiness after being away from the bustling life back in China.”
A 2023 study in the National Library of Medicine found that Asian international students, especially those from China, faced higher acculturation stress and were more vulnerable to mental health problems. The study noted that 45% of Chinese students in one U.S. university reported depression symptoms, and Chinese students in Australia also showed higher stress and anxiety levels than their domestic peers.
At the same time, political pressure has also increased the psychological burden on these students, leaving them feeling hopeless about their future. According to a report by The Daily UW on April 17, 2025, the Trump administration revoked the visas of 20 students from the UW Seattle campus. Liu said that one of her friends also had their visa revoked. This makes her feel mentally complicated and pessimistic about the world's direction.
“Yes, I have a friend whose visa was cancelled, and she is very worried,” she said. “I feel despair and confusion about this downward spiraling world. I dare not imagine where the future will go. “I don’t know how international students should cope with it,” Liu said.
The uncertainty Liu expressed points to a deeper insight: when political pressure, cultural isolation, and academic pressure overlap, they form a strong mental burden. Many international students have to deal with not only academics but also the political impact.
Despite the challenges, Ms. Zhu is beginning to find ways to manage their mental health, whether through personal habits or campus resources, and is working to regain balance in their life.
“I started going to IMA to exercise, supplementing with vitamin B, D, magnesium, calcium, and zinc. I even started researching food recipes on my own, and stepped out of my comfort zone to try to join clubs to make new friends,” she said. “The Telus Health psychological counseling platform recommended by UW was also very useful.”
Obviously, trying different routines and tapping into campus resources has clearly helped Zhu feel more mentally balanced, and she gradually adapted to life overseas. “I now know what I want and what I should do. I am full of gratitude for the natural beauty and sunny days in Seattle,” Zhu said. “I also hope that my good attitude and good magnetic field can make people around me feel happy, instead of complaining all day long.”
While Zhu found some relief through campus offerings, Liu’s story highlights the limitations of traditional treatments, especially for those dealing with deep-rooted problems or genetic reasons.
“The doctor told me that I was naturally lacking a hormone, which was lower than the normal value,” she said. “I am currently taking the medicine from the school health center, but it has not yet reached the theoretical time when the medicine will start to work, so I don't know.”
Meanwhile, Liu believes that the change of seasons has also made a considerable impact on her.
“In spring, along with the awakening of everything, my traumatic flashbacks and depression are also awakened,” she said. “I was immersed in such emotions for too long, just like a spring that has been stretched beyond its elastic limit and cannot be restored.”
Arsene Chi is a senior journalism student at the University of Washington. He focuses on stories about international students, mental health, cinema, and community culture.
Arsene was one of the students in the "Media Responsibility in a Diverse Society" class, taught by Hugo Balta. Balta is the executive editor of the Fulcrum, and the publisher of the Latino News Network.
The Fulcrum is committed to nurturing the next generation of journalists. Learn more by clicking HERE.
There are over 1000 NPR Member Station signals broadcasting across the United States NPR 
