What can I do to help my student deal with the transition to college?

Be aware of difficult times of the year. Tune into midterms, vacations and final when a little extra support and attention may be beneficial. Encourage your student to set personal goals to address problems.

For example, if your student is having a difficult time meeting people, suggest a goal of initiating plans to eat meals with others as a start for social activity. You may want to set aside a certain time every week that you will call or email your student. This will remind your student that your focus is still very much on their happiness, and it may provide some of the attention we all yearn for when trying new things.

At all times try to understand that your student’s pain will go away. Part of being a parent is being there to help your student, but sometimes, the best and hardest thing to do is to let your student struggle and fall down. We’re all here to pick them up!