The transition from high school to college is an exhilarating time involving increased independence and an abundance of new opportunities, experiences, and relationships. While this is an exciting time, it can also feel overwhelming for both high school seniors and their families as it represents a period of tremendous change and adjustment.
Late adolescence and early adulthood marks a significant time for the onset of mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression. College adjustment is a stressful time when students may be feeling lost, anxious, and confused as they navigate a multitude of changes. Students need support during this time as they adjust to a new, less structured environment. Ensuring your teen is ready for college is integral in ensuring their academic success and well-being.
Understanding the Challenges
High school seniors face a variety of challenges and stressors as they transition into college such as:
- Anxiety about the future: Many students may feel overwhelmed at the thought of what they want to do with their lives. Choosing the right college and the right major are big decisions for a teenager to face.
- Pressure to succeed: The academic rigor of high school versus college is quite different, with college requiring students to adopt new study strategies and time management skills. This can come as a shock to new college students and requires students to adjust their expectations of what “success” looks like. There can also be added pressure for students who are on academic scholarship, involved in sports that require a minimum GPA, or who are in highly competitive majors.
- Grief when separating from friends and family: Regardless of whether students are moving far away from home or attending college locally, the end of high school marks a shift in relationships with family and friends. Many students will experience grief and loss related to graduating from high school, saying goodbye to friends, and adapting to a new environment.
Left unchecked, these challenges can negatively impact academic performance, relationships, self-esteem, and overall well-being. Students who face one or more of these challenges may turn to unhealthy coping strategies such as self-isolating, overworking, neglecting to care for themselves, or even using substances.
Key Skills and Capabilities to Develop Before College
So how do you know if your high school senior is ready for college? Developing the following skills are important for your student’s success and well-being:
- Time management skills: College schedules are less structured than high school schedules. Every day may look different and students will be faced with carving out enough time for homework and studying, all while balancing a social life and self-care. Students can enhance their time management skills by using a planner or a calendar to manage their schedules. How skilled is your teen at managing their academic and social calendars?
- Self-Advocacy: College is also a time where students are tasked with advocating for themselves and knowing how and when to ask for help. This may include seeking out resources for tutoring or speaking to their professors about any concerns they have. Encourage your teen to reach out to their current teachers directly to help them build this important skill. Another way to help them develop this skill is by having them call to make their own doctor’s appointments. Practicing this skill will help them become more independent, responsible adults.
- Daily Living Skills: In addition to adjusting academically, your teen will likely be living alone for the first time and will have added responsibilities of completing chores and tasks of daily living. Help them prepare for this by showing them how to do laundry, grocery shop, and cook some basic meals. If your teen has their car on campus, prepare them for how to maintain their car on their own.
- Coping strategies: Finding healthy coping strategies is integral for college readiness and success. How does your teen cope with stress? Some effective ways of coping include exercising, getting out in nature, journaling, deep breathing, or calling a close friend or family member.
- Consistent self-care: Self-care is another major factor in your teen’s well-being as they transition to college. Some basic tenets of self-care include getting enough sleep, carving out time to eat three meals a day plus snacks, making time for extracurricular activities, spending time with friends, and having enough time for rest and relaxation.
- Financial Literacy: While everyone’s financial situation is different, be sure your teen knows the basics of budgeting and managing their finances. This may include tallying up monthly living expenses and budgeting for going out with friends. Your teen should know what is and isn’t covered by their student loans as well as their options for getting a job on campus if needed or desired. Financial literacy isn’t usually a skill taught in high school so sit down with your teen to talk about the basics of finances and budgeting.
Strategies for a Successful First Year in College
There are many strategies and skills to contribute to your teen’s successful transition to college:
- Orientation and Campus Involvement: Most colleges have both parent and student portions of freshman orientation. Attending orientation can help your teen get acclimated to campus, meet new people, and gather information about clubs, extracurricular activities, and campus resources. It also gives parents the opportunity to connect with other parents who are going through the same transition, ask specific questions about the college, and learn about all the resources offered on campus.
- Building a Support Network: Students need a reliable support network throughout college- they can’t do it alone! During such a big transition, maintaining close connections with friends and family members is important. Make time to check in with your teen to hear about how their time in college is going. Be prepared to hear both exciting and challenging parts of their experience- this is normal and expected. Sometimes your teen may just need to vent about their day or week while you listen intently and provide support; they are not always looking for answers or a fix to their problems. You can best support them by asking if they need someone to listen or if they are ready to hear some of your advice and wisdom.
- Academic Strategies: Both the rigor and structure of college courses are quite different from what students experience in high school. College coursework requires more critical thinking, a different set of study strategies, and good time management skills to complete assignments and papers. This can be a big adjustment for your teen, especially for high achieving students who found high school to be relatively easy. Most colleges and universities have academic success centers where students can get connected to tutors or peer study groups. There is no shame in utilizing these resources- they are designed to help your teen achieve academic success.
- Academic Expectations: Talk to your teen about setting realistic expectations for their courses, especially if they are used to being a straight A student. Nobody is good at everything- your teen will excel at some courses and will struggle in others- this is normal and to be expected. Support them by encouraging them to do their best and remind them that their grades do not define them as a person.
- Building a Routine: As your teen adjusts, they will begin to establish a daily routine that works for them. The most successful daily routines include time for classes, studying, socializing, and self-care. Maintaining a self-care routine can be tricky due to how busy and stressful college life can be, but engaging in regular self-care can help prevent burnout and decline in well-being and academic performance. Getting enough sleep, adequate nutrition, movement/exercise, finding time for hobbies, and spending time with friends are all important aspects of self-care. Establishing a self-care routine also helps your teen understand themselves better regarding what they need to best function.
- Managing Stress and Anxiety: There is no doubt that college is stressful, both academically and socially, meaning, your teen is going to be stressed and anxious at different points throughout college. It’s normal for students to experience low to moderate levels of stress, especially during midterms and finals season. Low to moderate levels of stress can actually be adaptive in motivating your teen to study and complete assignments. It’s high and persistent levels of stress that can begin to pose a threat to teen’s mental health and well-being. As you’re checking in with your teen, be aware of signs for burnout and stress overload. Some of these signs include: isolating from friends and family, not eating enough meals throughout the day, consistently pulling all-nighters, skipping classes, consistently expressing overwhelm and anxiety.
Luckily there are many effective ways to cope with stress and anxiety. Some of these include unplugging from technology and getting out in nature, taking a walk, journaling, dancing, listening to music, playing sports, taking a hot shower, deep breathing, and leaning on trusted friends and family for support. If your teen is struggling with managing their stress and anxiety on their own, encourage them to seek professional help. Therapists and mental health professionals are equipped with the knowledge and skills to help your teen enhance their well-being and have a successful college experience.
College is a significant time of change for both high school seniors and their families. These transition periods are commonly accompanied by anxiety, stress, overwhelm, and grief. While your teen is likely vying for the independence that college brings, they need your support during this big transition. Practice having open conversations with your teen about the logistical pieces of college and make space for all the emotions you and your teen are likely experiencing. Knowing you have their back and are in their corner will help your teen feel more confident and capable as they encounter greater independence and new experiences.
If you are looking for support for you or your teen as you navigate this transition, Integrated Care Clinic can help. We are a team of specialized psychologists who work with teens and their families to promote their mental health and well-being.
