3 Ways You Can Help Your Child Get Prepared to Head Off to College

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

It can feel like a mad scramble when you are helping your son or daughter get ready to head off to college. For so many years, you’ve taken care of your child and always been right there to shepherd them and guide them along the way. Now, in the blink of an eye, they are about to start their own journey in the adult world and leave the nest to begin their own adventures. Even though they will soon be on their own, there’s a lot you can help them with so they get the right start on their new adventure.

College will present a lot of challenges and diverse experiences that they have not encountered before in life. Instead of the daily routine they have gotten used to for all of their years at home, they’ll be living with roommates and be free to do what they want whenever they want. Rather than having high school classes most of the day from Monday to Friday, they’ll have a varied schedule and only attend classes for around fifteen hours per week. With so many new things coming, it’s important for you to help them with this major transition.

Plan a Post-Admission College Visit

During the college application process, it’s likely that you and child made the time-honored journey to visit some of their top college or university choices. Being at the schools, and getting a feel for the environment and vibe at the university was an important part of making the best college choice.

Now that your eighteen year old has been accepted into their new school, it’s a great idea to schedule another visit to the institution of higher learning. The transition to living at school will be so much easier when your son or daughter has the chance to really familiarize themselves with everything on campus and start to get comfortable there. You can also take them around town too.

Choose the Right College Housing Option

Years ago, university students had little choice when it came to housing during their college years. Most lived in dorms on campus, rooming in bunk beds with multiple roommates crammed into a single, small room. All of the meals were provided on expensive meal plans, and communal bathrooms were the norm.

Fortunately, your college student has some great options for student apartments now. Instead of living in dark, crowded dorms they can share a full apartment with roommates of their choice. Each roommate will have a bedroom and a private bath, and they’ll have full kitchen facilities so they can save money and cook their own meals.

Set Up New Ways to Communicate and Stay in Touch

Having a child leave the nest and fly off on their own to school is a big transition for everyone. For a child, it’s an exciting time of new beginnings but this massive change can also feel overwhelming at times. As parents, having a child depart for university can trigger a feeling of loss that needs to be handled gently.

Before your student departs, it’s a good idea to set up some new ways to communicate. Knowing that you are still there for them, when they need you, will be a comfort. You’ll feel better when you can see them on a video chat. It’s also a good idea to plan a visit during their first semester there.