Navigating the unknown: a sensemaking inquiry into the mental health experiences of first-year university students at a regional university in Fiji

This study examines the mental health experiences of first-year university students at a regional university in Fiji that serves twelve Pacific Island nations. The study addresses a gap in Pacific higher education research, where student mental health has received limited systematic attention. This study uses an interpretive qualitative approach guided by sensemaking theory. It examines how first-year students understand the emotional, social, academic, and financial challenges of transitioning to university in a diverse Pacific higher education setting. Data was collected through three semi-structured group interviews with seventeen first-year students from different Pacific Island countries. Data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, supported by NVivo. Six inter-connected themes were identified: homesickness and emotional separation; financial struggle and survival; academic pressure and feelings of inadequacy; identity reconstruction; social isolation and belonging; and resilience and coping. The findings show that students actively engage in sensemaking to interpret and manage disruptions to identity, relationships, and academic confidence. The study contributes to sensemaking theory by showing how it operates in a Pacific higher education context shaped by collective identity, cultural obligation, and, for many participants, Christian spiritual values.