Transition to nursing college poses significant academic, social, and emotional challenges for first-year students. Understanding their level of adjustment and coping strategies is essential for planning student-support interventions. To assess the level of adjustment and coping strategies among 1st year BSc Nursing students and to explore their lived experiences of adjustment, this study adopted sequential explanatory mixed-method design. In the quantitative phase, a descriptive correlational design was used among 60 1st year BSc Nursing students using a modified Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ) and a structured Coping Strategies Scale. In the qualitative phase, a descriptive phenomenological approach was adopted with in-depth interviews of nine purposively selected students until data saturation. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, and qualitative data using Colaizzi’s thematic analysis. Most students demonstrated high levels of academic (86.7%), social (85%), personal-emotional (76.7%), and institutional adjustment (81.7%). Coping was predominantly adequate (63.3%), with a preference for emotion-focused and spiritual coping. A weak positive correlation was found between adjustment and coping (r = 0.328, p = 0.010). Qualitative findings revealed five themes: adjustment challenges, emotional struggles, coping strategies, social & emotional support needs, and positive adaptation. Although academic and institutional adjustment was satisfactory, students experienced notable personalemotional difficulties. Adaptive coping and peer support facilitated adjustment. 1styear nursing students require structured emotional and social support in addition to academic guidance. Mentoring and counselling services are essential to enhance holistic adjustment.