Introduction. The beginning of university studies is a difficult process that requires adaptation both to new social conditions and the development of a new spatial area. At the same time, a cognitive map of the city is formed — the image of the city that lives in the human mind. The aim of this study is to identify the relationship between the peculiarities of students' ideas about the spatial environment of the city and their adaptation to the social conditions of life at the university.

Materials and methods. To study the adaptation of students to life at the university, the methodology “Adaptation of students at the university” was used by T. Dubovitskaya and A. Krylova. To study the ideas of urban space, the method of graphic representation of cognitive maps according to S. Milgram was used.

Results. The images created by students can be divided into types according to the subjective organization of space: geographical, topographic, fragmentary. It was revealed that students with a high level of adaptability to higher education are more likely to have cognitive maps of a geographical type, and students with a low level of adaptability have fragmentary maps.

Discussion. The results of the study show that the nature of the subjective organization of spatial information is associated with the level of adaptation of students to new living conditions. However, the nature and direction of these connections are not entirely clear. It is possible that better adapted students are more actively involved in the social life of the city, more often turn to maps, as a result, the image of the city in their minds becomes more geographically defined. But the opposite effect is possible: a high level of structuring of spatial information is associated with a higher level of intelligence and information culture of the individual, which allows her to adapt better in a new environment. It is possible that both explanations are true in their own way, and the connection is two-way.

Conclusion. It is necessary to continue research on the problem of the relationship between students' ideas about urban space and their social adaptation.

The nature of the subjective organization of spatial information is associated with the level of adaptation of students to new living conditions;

Students with a high level of adaptability to higher education are more likely to have cognitive maps of a geographical type, and students with a low level of adaptability have fragmentary maps;

The nature and direction of the revealed connections are not yet completely clear, it is necessary to continue research on the problem of the relationship of spatial representations and human adaptation to the conditions of social life.

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