College is a thrilling stage of life that is full of enjoyment, fear, dreams, and obligations. Here, kids learn how to be organized, responsible, knowledgeable, and aware to prepare them for the future. But as the saying goes, taking the first step is the hardest. This is what happens to kids when they travel far from home to study.
It may be challenging to adjust to a new location because of the warmth and comfort of home, the love and care of family and friends, happy memories, and a sense of belonging to the city one has lived in for a long time. It can be quite difficult to acclimatize to new culture, climate, and surroundings.
A university is a new environment that triggers different reactions among first-year students. Thus, life at university for the first year can be exciting and challenging. The university terrain is drastically different from that of the secondary school in which the students had been attending their education before they joined the campus. Students get anxious as they adjust to the academic, social, personal, and lifestyle challenges that the university presents.
The combination of many stressors of university life, such as planning for the future, struggling with exams and assignments, coping with demands and challenging professors, deciding on a major, and transitioning into financial and emotional independence, can be an overwhelming experience for many students. Hence, almost all new students go through an adjustment phase upon entry to a university with each student varied in his or her own pace of development.
Transitional difficulties are not a sign of weakness or failure, but rather are frequently the start of a better and more fulfilling college experience. Slowing down and realizing that this is a change in your life that you desperately need can help you adapt to the surroundings. Consider your time in college as an opportunity to develop and improve. Recall the factors that led to your decision to attend college. Keep in mind all the effort, diligence, and planning you put into selecting the right college and course. There are a few methods to handle living away from home when you attend college.
Give yourself time to adjust: Allow yourself to get adjusted to college life. Be open to getting along with people around you, speak, and sort out if there are any issues. At times just speaking with someone makes an impact and can bring down the stress level. Also, interaction with people gives you an opportunity to get to connect with like-minded people, gain good friends, reduce stress, and ease loneliness.
Stay organized: When you prioritize an organization, you give yourself time to focus on what really matters, like your much-needed sleep. Organizing your daily schedule and tasks allows you to concentrate on what needs to get done that day instead of being distracted by things around you.
Join clubs and activities: College is the best place to work on your hobbies and interests. Join different clubs as per your interest such as sports clubs, theatre clubs, art clubs, and public speaking clubs. Get involved in campus activities. These activities will help to boost confidence, help to make new friends, and build connections.
Explore: Exploring new places is also a great way to keep yourself entertained. When you’re exploring, you’re learning all the time. Understanding new cultures, food, history, and language could broaden your horizons.
Regular communication with your family: Call your family and friends or leave them a large text about how they would have loved your favorite place (if any) tell them that you are missing their stupid habits and relive those moments by replaying them in your head. Talk to your family, initially, it would hit like a train but soon enough you will be getting peace from having the knowledge that they are always there for you. Talk things out before they destroy your mental peace.
Personal care: As you work hard to advance your career by advancing your education, the last thing you want is to get bogged down by unnecessary stress. It’s clear that self-care in college is one of the primary ways to balance stress and ensure overall wellness as a busy student. Making your well-being a priority in this way can help pave the way for continued success in your educational journey and beyond.
Keep in mind that everyone finds college challenging. No one is ever completely alone. You may be pleasantly surprised by how much enjoyment can come by just choosing to accept a new experience.
References
https://americanaddictioncenters.org/blog/college-coping-mechanisms
https://heri.ucla.edu/briefs/YFCY/YFCY-2019-Brief.pdf
