import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;

public class Solution {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        /* Enter your code here. Read input from STDIN. Print output to STDOUT. Your class should be named Solution. */
        Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);
        boolean valley = false;
        int valleys = 0;
        int ups = 0;
        int downs = 0;
        int steps = scanner.nextInt();
        String ud = scanner.next();

        for (int i = 0; i < steps; i++) {
            if (ups == 0 && downs == 0) {
                if (ud.substring(i, i + 1).equals("U")) {
                    valley = false;
                    ups++;
                } else {
                    valley = true;
                    downs++;
                }
            } else if (ud.substring(i, i + 1).equals("U")) {
                ups++;
            } else {
                downs++;
            }
            
            if (ups == downs) {
                if (valley) {
                    valleys++;
                }
                ups = 0;
                downs = 0;
            }
        }
        System.out.println(valleys);
    }
}