Article By: Muzaffar Mir
Making the transition from high school to college life can be difficult. It is easy to become discouraged, overwhelmed, and homesick. Here are a few tips that will make the transition to college life a little easier.
College Transition Statistics:
1) College student stress levels have been rising steadily since 1985.
2) 30 percent of freshmen report feeling overwhelmed.
3) There has been a 40 percent increase in the number of students who
seek some form of mental health counseling the first year of college.
Many students have expectations of college before they make it to the dorm room. These expectations are often influenced by movies and television or preconceived notions. The chances of college meeting these expectations are unlikely. After all, real life doesn't work like TV or the movies. For this reason, college can sometimes feel like a disappointment. But you shouldn't become discouraged. Not every student immediately adjusts during the first few weeks or even the first semester.
If you find it's difficult to adjust to college life, you'll need to give yourself some time, and keep the following in mind:
You are in Charge of Your Time
For many students, college means more freedom. Along with this new found freedom, responsibility follows. Being responsible involves being able to manage your time, which may seem easy in theory.
However, you may not be used to the amount of work that college professors expect. There are also extracurricular activities to consider.If you take on too much, you may find yourself struggling to balance your commitment to school and your commitment to clubs or other organizations you join. Using a planner to help you stay organized is highly recommended. You may also try to make time for your coursework ahead of time, so you can determine what extracurricular activities you will have time for.
It's Important to Keep an Open Mind
When you first move to college, you're going to be in a new place, handling new situations. You may be living with someone you've never met before. You may be introduced to different types of people who you may not have associated with during high school.
When dealing with these types of situations, you need to keep an open mind. Being open-minded may help you connect with different people and help you deal with situations better. College isn't just about learning facts and theories from textbooks. A large part of college involves learning how to be an adult. By being open minded, you may learn different things about other people or even about yourself, which may help you shape what type of an adult you become. Remember being open minded doesn't mean you have to compromise your beliefs or feelings. It involves being respectful and understanding of others.
Home is Only a Phone Call or Instant Message Away
If going away to college is the first time you've been away from home or your hometown for a long period of time, it's natural to feel homesick.Although you're homesick, you may want to try to give your college campus a chance. Don't be too pessimistic. Yes, your college may be nothing like home. You may not have friends from your high school. Your family may not be nearby. You may not have your favorite pet with you. Your favorite restaurant may not be a few streets away. All these things may be true, but being at college may also provide you with the opportunity to experience new things.
And if things get too bad, home is only a phone call or instant message away. The family and friends you left behind will be just as happy to hear from you as you are to speak to them.
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