The article presents a psychological analysis of the behavior features and interpersonal relations of students-managers in a metropolis. The relevance of the present work is determined by the fact that for young people, higher education is associated with a change in their social status when they move from direct dependence on their parents to independent actions and active life in a big city. The specifics of the urban space of a metropolis have a strong influence on their mental state and understanding of the world around them. The popularity of the manager’s profession among young people entering universities has also contributed to the relevance of the study. Young people set themselves the goal of “learning to manage and lead.” The conditions of the big city impose special requirements on future managers, focusing them on the implementation of adaptive psychological functions. The manager’s ability to conform to social attitudes, to create a pleasant impression for others becomes for him a professionally important quality. As a result, students face a paradoxical situation involving a system of “double standards”. In this regard, they encounter difficulties in social adaptation and the formation of stable interpersonal relationships. To solve this problem, an empirical study was conducted, which allowed determining the values of the main strategies of interpersonal relations based on a comparative analysis of the basic ideas of first-year students. Empirical data were obtained based on the psychological method by L.N. Sobchik “Diagnostics of interpersonal relations” (DIR). The results obtained make it possible to carry out preventive psychohygienic activities with students to form their social adaptability and maintain mental health
