Teaching Seniors to Survive as College Freshman
A survey published in the American Journal of Public Health concluded that 60 % of first-year college students were not prepared to survive the rigors of college emotionally. When faced with the reality of college, those students often become suicidal or depressed. One way that parents can help is to remind students throughout their senior year of skills that they already have to help them handle their feelings.
Teach Problem-solving Skills
Many students find it a significant challenge to go from high school where parents or staff tell them what to do to the freedom found on college campuses. As students encounter problems throughout their senior year, parents have the perfect opportunity to reinforce problem-solving skills in their child’s mind. Start by stating the solution, brainstorming possible solutions, choosing one to try and applying it. Talking about the different stages can help your student learn the process to use when they get away from home.
Encourage Coping Skills
Chances are incredibly strong that your child will experience a wide range of emotions during their first year of college. Their senior year is a great time to reinforce coping skills that they already have, like working out, spending time on a hobby, calling a friend, or writing in a journal. When a child learns that they have skills that they can employ, then they usually feel powerful. Doing this helps them overcome negative emotions instead of letting the emotions get them down.
Teach Students to Say No
Incoming students often feel a lot of peer pressure to try to fit in with their peers. You want your student to get involved in many worthwhile campus activities, but you should also reinforce their ability to say no during their senior year of high school. If necessary, let your child make some poor choices during the year as it will help them understand that their actions have consequences. At the same time, you can still provide a safety net for them. You should be careful to avoid power struggles over their choice of friends. Look for opportunities to send positive messages to your child when they make good choices.
Allow for Decision Making
You may be tempted to make many choices for your senior during their last year of high school. Instead, consider withdrawing some of your decision-making ability so that the student learns to make decisions on their own. While you may want to shake your head at some of the choices that they make, it is a good time for them to learn that decisions have consequences. Allowing them to make more choices on their own will help them prepare to make wise choices in college and for the rest of their lives.
The senior year of high school often has many ups and downs that can follow the student into college. It can be a great time to set up appointments for individual counseling in Orlando. Receiving individual counseling in Orlando can help your student prepare emotionally for college.
