PROSES ADAPTASI EMOSIONAL DAN PEMBENTUKAN IDENTITAS DIRI MAHASISWA RANTAU DALAM MENGHADAPI PERUBAHAN SOSIAL

Abstrak

This study aims to understand the process of emotional adaptation and identity formation among out-of-town university students in facing social changes. The research employed a qualitative approach using in-depth interviews with three migrant students. The findings reveal that the initial phase of living away from home is characterized by emotional ambivalence, including feelings of excitement, anxiety, loneliness, and low self-confidence. Over time, participants developed coping strategies through social support, organizational involvement, self-reflection, and selective peer relationships. This process led to improved emotional regulation, self-acceptance, independence, and stronger identity formation. Living away from home is ultimately interpreted as a process of psychological maturation and the development of a more established sense of self.