When my daughter was in college, she pledged a sorority. I had my concerns. Turns out, they were valid. Even though it was against campus policy for any fraternity or sorority to use hazing on its members, it happened during “hell week”. The hazing not only affected her health but her first semester grades.
As a parent, I voiced my concerns and wanted to report the sorority. My daughter begged me not to get involved. In hindsight, I wish I had.
Sending your child off to college can be a nerve-wracking experience for any parent, drawing on memories of our own transitions. Yet amidst our own apprehensions, it’s essential not to overlook the need to provide unwavering support and encouragement to your soon-to-be college student as they embark on this significant journey.
Continue reading Parenting a Soon-to-be College Student
As your student makes the transition from high school to college, he enters a very different world. This is a world of freedom, but also responsibility. For the parents, it’s often the reality of an empty nest and the realization that their student is taking a huge step toward adulthood. This transition period offers its own set of challenges for parents, students and their families.
Continue reading The Transition from High School to College
Are you in the process of preparing your student for year one of college? This is an exacting time but it’s also important to ensure that you do take the right steps here. That way, you can guarantee that your student thrives and is able to maximize their potential during this critical first year.
Continue reading 6 Things Your Student Needs in College
Going to college is about much more than just learning an academic subject. In today’s society, it’s just about the closest thing we have to a rite of passage. Young people attend universities to become adults and survive in the real world. It’s a sort of half-way house between school and the world of work.
As such, college isn’t just for learning. And while remote courses might be convenient, they’re not as fulfilling. Students need a university experience to set them on the right track in life and get them to where they want to be.
Studying hard for college courses during the week is okay. But students should really focus on dedicating time to other things on campus. It can’t all just be about work.
Continue reading Making the Most of Your College Experience
No one ever said that college would be easy. In fact, for many students, it can be downright difficult. From balancing classes and work to dealing with personal problems, there are a lot of situations that can arise during your time in school. If you’re not prepared for them, they can easily throw you off track. That’s why we’ve gathered some tips from the pros on how to handle difficult situations at college.
Continue reading 5 Ways to Handle Difficult Situations in College
Every parent wants their child to build strong relationships and friendships that have a positive impact on their health and well-being. It’s not always easy to make friends, and this can be a source of worry and anxiety for parents as their kids prepare to start high school or college. In this guide, we’ll outline some top tips to help teens forge positive relationships.
Continue reading Helping Teens Build Positive Relationships
As teens grow into young adults, their horizons begin to expand. They begin to explore their interests more, make new friends, and think about leaving the nest. As they head to college, there are skills they will need even if they live in a dorm. If they live off campus, these skills will be even more valuable. It’s important to prepare your teen for independent living.
Here are five ways you can help your prepare your teen for living away from home.
Continue reading 5 Ways to Prepare Your Teen for Living Away from Home
Your college student is a unique creature. They are at once old enough to be considered adults but still young and inexperienced enough to make some pretty big mistakes. They are also incredibly idealistic, which can lead to them making even more mistakes as they try to pursue their dreams.
For all of these reasons, it is important for the people in their lives to offer them support. Here are six ways you can support your college student:
Continue reading 6 Ways to Support Your College Student
Many students struggle in the first few weeks and months at their new college, and if that’s something that you’re experiencing at the moment, you’ll want to move past that phase as quickly as possible. So what can you do to settle at college more quickly? That’s what we’re going to explore now, so if you’re looking for answers, you’re in the right place. Read on to find out more.
First of all, you should think about how you can meet new people and make new friends. That’s what college is all about, and making like-minded friends who you have things in common with will make you feel much more settled in your new environment. It gives you people to discuss things with and to support you with any struggles you might be having.
If you haven’t done so already, you should definitely try to join clubs and organizations that are operating in your college. This is a great way to meet new people and find new interests as well. You can explore a range of clubs and societies until you find the ones that offer the most to you in terms of hobbies, activities and social opportunities. All of those things matter a great deal.
Embracing the culture of the college and really throwing yourself into everything that the college stands for is key. You can visit the school spirit shop, rep the merchandise and be proud of the fact that you’re studying at your college. When you feel invested in the institution itself, you’ll find it easier to settle because you’ll feel at home at your new college.
Of course, you’re going to need to find time to study as well. When you’re at college, you need to focus on the academic stuff as well. This matters because you’ll find it even more stressful and even more difficult to settle if you start to fall behind with your course and your studies. That’s not what you want to happen, so make sure that you find or create the time to study and keep up with any necessary reading.
Routines are really key when you’re at college, and they’re vital when you’re trying to adapt to a new situation or environment too. So, take the time to create and establish some healthy routines that you can stick to going forward. That will provide you with structure, and that’ll definitely assist with your efforts to settle and feel more at home in your new surroundings.
Settling in college when it’s all brand new to you can be pretty tough, but it can be done. Even if you’ve been struggling to settle, with the right steps and a little time, you’ll be able to feel at home. Make the most of the advice above and make the most of your college experience.