When it comes to transitions, going from high school to college is one of the biggest and often one of the most difficult for a person to make. As a parent, how can you help your child get ready for college?
Get on the same page. Before your child leaves home, talk about the important things: expectations about grades and financial matters. (Will you be helping them out financially? If so, how much a month? Will your child have a work study job or a job off campus? How many hours a week is acceptable?) Having a shared understanding before your child leaves can help avoid misunderstandings and challenges during their first semester.
Help your child get organized. Getting organized can be one of the most difficult parts of going to college. Your child will have to budget time for classes, studying, extracurriculars, laundry, grocery shopping, working out, and seeing friends. They’ll have tests, quizzes, homework, and study sessions to remember. Get your child a student planner and use the summer to help them get in the habit of scheduling their time. If your child isn’t one to write down using pen and paper, find a scheduling app that syncs to their computer and phone.
Attend orientation. To help in the transition from high school to college, most colleges offer new student or freshman orientation. Attending orientation will let you meet other classmates, learn about campus life, ask questions, and take care of any unfinished business before the semester begins.
Give your child time to adjust. During your child’s first semester of college, their grades might not be where you or your child anticipated. Give your child time to adjust. Plan on staying in touch, but know that they might not be available to talk on the phone every day. Utilize text messages and emails, so they can get back to you when they have the time. Don’t underestimate the power of snail mail, getting a letter or package from home might be just the thing they need.
Don’t be afraid to reach out. If you feel that your child is having trouble adapting to college (homesickness, difficulty sleeping, trouble getting organized), encourage them to speak to a counselor. Most colleges have counselors available at student health services. If your child doesn’t want to make an appointment but you’re concerned about their well-being, make the call yourself and ask one of the mental-health professionals to stop by their dorm room or invite your child down to talk.
Transitions Part II will consider another big change in a person’s life: Transitioning from college to the job market.
If you’d like to set up a time to meet up with Reka, you can contact her by phone at 402-881-8125, by email at reka@omaha-counseling.com, or via Twitter or Facebook.
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photo credit: WPI 2013 Freshman Move-in via photopin (license)
