Moving away from home is a significant change for a student and their family and supporters. Encourage your student to embrace their college journey without letting distance hold them back.
To make this transition into newfound freedom more seamless, we've put together some practical tips to help you and your student adjust gracefully.
Step outside their comfort zone
Adjusting to a new environment and having a whole new world of freedom takes time and effort to find where you belong. At UW-Stout, there are numerous opportunities for your student to ease into this transition, but they require openness to seeking them out and stepping out of their comfort zone.
While it's essential to set personal boundaries, being open to new experiences can lead to life-changing discoveries. For instance, if they're invited to play volleyball with roommates, even if they've never played before, encourage your student to say yes. This simple decision could lead to lifelong friendships and the discovery of new interests.
Stay in touch with family and supporters
Remind your student that you're here to help support them through their college journey, and if it seems like you're being overprotective or overly communicative with them, it’s because you're not used to being without them, just like they're not used to being without you.
While texting might be the easiest way for them to respond, you might try to establish a schedule for when you can talk, like when your student has a break from work, classes, homework or student organizations. Ultimately, find what works best for you both to maintain a healthy connection during this exciting phase of their life.
Set a schedule
Once your student leaves home and experiences the freedom of independence, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement. However, this initial thrill quickly gives way to an overwhelming feeling of many responsibilities. From classes and homework to jobs, friends, and student organizations, it can become quite a lot to handle once they start getting involved and discover their interests.
It can be helpful to draft a schedule. It can be a daunting task, but once your student establishes their priorities, it is very simple to get a basic, bare-bones draft started.
Bring something from home
A lot of us possess a special item that brings us comfort and reminds us of home, a security object, so to speak. It could be a blanket lovingly crafted by Nana, a cherished picture of family captured during a favorite trip or even a stuffed animal.
Whatever your student's object is from home, it will be something they can keep close when home seems so far away. It is a reminder that home can travel with them, no matter where they go.
