It’s finally here…that moment you’ve been anticipating/dreading for 18 years: your child is a college freshmen! While this is a celebrated milestone in your child’s life, it can definitely come with a healthy mix of anxiety, stress, joy and exhilaration. So while you spend the next month getting them packed and ready, here are some things to share with them to help them through their first year.
- Get to know the campus. This applies to parents as well. Knowing where things are will help everyone feel a bit more prepared should any issues come up. This will also help your child during their first week of class- there’s nothing worse than being late and being lost at the same time!
- Make friends with other freshmen. These are your child’s peers, and no one else knows more about how it feels to be a freshman than other freshmen! They are likely dealing with the same emotions and stresses as your child, so it can be a huge stress reliever to have friends to lean on for support when times are tough.
- Go to class, even the early ones. Your child may find themselves in a class with 100 plus other students. It may feel overwhelming, and it may be tempting to skip those classes (or the 8 AM ones!), but they should avoid that temptation! Regular attendance will help ensure that they learn the material and receive vital information about assignments and tests.
- Get to know your professors. It’s no guarantee that your child will click with every professor they have, but establishing at least some type of personal connection to them may help later on in the semester if your child begins having problems with the material or needs extra help on an assignment. This type of networking can also lead to mentorships and academic recommendations later on.
- Stay balanced. This can be tough because it can be too tempting for your child to over-emphasize one aspect of college life (studying vs. partying). For most kids, this is the first time away from home and there’s no curfew and no parents watching. On the other hand, if your child is a super-serious student, they may throw themselves into their new studies without taking enough time out to enjoy the college experience. Emphasize to your child that college can be a healthy mix of both socializing and academics, and that they should reach out for help if they’re finding that their lives are too far out of balance in one direction or the other.
- Embrace the college experience and get involved. This can be especially helpful if your child has a hard time making friends. Encourage them to explore the options for an activity or club that they could join. Most colleges have student organizations, clubs, athletic teams (formal and informal), or sororities or fraternities. This is a great way for your child to explore a new or existing interest, make new friends, and learn new skills.
- Learn about the resources available on campus. Most schools have some type of tutoring services available on campus, and extra help in any subject is usually widely available. It would be worth finding out about these services before the semester begins so that they’re not scrambling at the last minute to find help should the need arise.
- College is preparation for adulthood. You aren’t going to be there to help wake them up, get them to class on time, or make sure they do their assignments. For many kids, this is the first time they’ve had to be totally dependent on themselves (this includes eating right and doing laundry!). The responsibility they have now is huge, and some kids adjust faster than others to this new way of life. Most schools have health centers that offer counseling, and if your child is struggling with the new and myriad challenges of college, encourage them to take advantage of this resource.
- Speaking of adulthood, have a talk about money. Now that they’re on their own, they will have to figure out how to pay for the things they’ll need. Be aware that credit card debt for new college graduates can be high, so this is a great time to have a conversation about budgeting.
