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| Typical Issues for First Year Students |
| Every student is different. Each student will experience a
different range of emotions and issues as they pursue
their education. The following list highlights some of the
more common experiences of students and some
suggestions for parents on how to support your student
through these challenges. |
| THE ACADEMIC SIDE OF LIFE |
- The semester pace often starts out slowly and speeds up
quickly
- Finding the right study system (notetaking strategies, study
groups, study locations, etc.)
- Improving critical thinking skills (it’s not all memorization and recall
anymore)
- First paper or test returned with a grade lower than they had
originally expected or hoped for
- Pressure of grades going into midterms; especially strong for
students who are required to maintain a particular grade point
average for sports or scholarships
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During your regular conversations, ask your student what the
class workload is like and what events (tests, papers, etc.) are
approaching on class syllabi.
Remind them that Avila has a Learning Center to help students
with their study skills.
Ask them what they think about what they are learning, not just
what they have learned.
Help your student set realistic expectations for college level
work.
Ask them how they feel about their classes, not just how they
are doing in them.
If you have similar experiences to share, share them. Students
always like to be reminded that their parents are “human” too.
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| THE FINANCIAL SIDE OF LIFE |
- Balancing the value of a college education with the cost
- Working while going to school: eight out of 10 college students
work while completing their degree; working part-time is positively
associated with high academic performance and completion
of education; and working full-time is positively associated
with iscontinuation of educational pursuits
- Budgeting their money and responsible use of credit. College
students are bombarded with offers from credit card companies
and often receive credit offers far in excess of their means $$$
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Discuss goals and professional aspirations with your student.
Help your student explore whether these goals are attainable
without a college education. This is generally a good way to
help students better appreciate the value of their education.
Discuss time management strategies. You might want to recommend
that your student seek time management assistance on
campus through the Learning Center, an academic advisor, or
by attending a workshop on the topic.
Help your student develop a budget that is realistic for income
and expenses. Encourage your students to become aware of realistic
spending habits. The website www.finaid.org helps students
look at their spending of today in light of their future
anticipated earnings.
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| THE INDEPENDENT SIDE OF LIFE |
- Homesickness. For many students this improves as they become
more involved in the college environment. Even if they
won’t mention it, they miss the comforts of home
- They are struggling with “starting over”. They were big fish as
seniors and have to return to being little fish as first-year students
in college
- Learning to manage their own time, money and health (staying
up late, eating junk food, learning study skills, etc.)
- Making life choices about issues such as alcohol, sex, drugs,
etc. Many students state that they have had some encounters
with these issues in high school, but are forced to look at them in
a different light in college
- Feeling guilty/bad for not being home during a special family
event or a family crisis
- Feeling like they are “out of the loop” with family related decisions
and routines
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Listen, offer support and suggestions, encourage honest communication,
encourage use of services of Resident Assistant
(RA), Residence Director (RD), Learning Center, Counseling
Center, etc.
Discuss making responsible choices, consequences, and taking
responsibility.
Acknowledge that mistakes are a part of the growth process and
every student will make a few mistakes along the way. Help
them to take a critical look at their mistakes so they can make
better choices next time.
Encourage your student to make choices for him/herself. Discuss
setting boundaries in all aspects of life.
Don’t try to hide family situations from your student. Prepare the
student and the family members for events that will be different.
A student going away from home changes things.
Be open and honest in communications.
Expect changes in your student and your family dynamics. |
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| THE SOCIAL SIDE OF LIFE |
- Finding a new group of friends
- Changing dynamics of relationships with a significant other or
close friends back home. These relationships will change and
might even end. This can be a very unsettling situation for a student
that hasn’t found a new circle of friends at school
- Trying on a new “self” with new looks, foods, habits, friends, personas,
etc.
- Experiencing new cultures and diverse individuals
- Struggling to identify who they are and what they want from life
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Remind your student that friendships take time and effort, but
that being involved in hall activities and student organizations,
forming study groups, etc. can help speed up the process.
Discuss the importance of seeking balance between finding a
comfort zone and pushing to meet others.
Ask your student about long distance relationships and don’t be
afraid to support change as your student grows.
Discuss self-exploration as a natural part of determining “who
you want to be when you grow up,” and that everyone will approach
this differently.
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| FIRST-GENERATION ISSUES |
- Fear they are becoming “different” than the rest of their family
- Concern that the family doesn’t understand why they have chosen
to attend college
- Loneliness – fear that nobody at home understands what it's
like
- Financial guilt. Students may fear that they are “taking” money
from other family endeavors. Or, if a student is financially responsible
for their educational costs, they may be struggling to
balance work and class commitments
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Know that a student’s respect for their family
usually grows during college as they begin to
more fully understand the sacrifices and challenges
that you have experienced.
Ask your student to explain what it is like at college
so you can gain a better appreciation of what the
typical college student day is like.
Remember that most students usually do not stray far from their
family’s value system. |
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