TRANSITIONING TO COLLEGE

Molly Casebere, LPC, NCCFreshman Transition Specialist & Counselor

High Point University

GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER

WHAT COMMON TRANSITION ISSUES DO YOU SEE WITH YOUR STUDENTS?

GETTING CONNECTED

Finding resources Disability support office Physical support Advisor and professors Counseling Center Student Life

Finding a mentor Making friends (not so easy!)

Friend group may change multiple times Encourage student to be self

CREATING STRUCTURE

Going from complete structure to no structure

Set up regular meetings with support resources

Set weekly schedule Go to class “school day” or “work day” Be sure to include social activities, free time,

meals, etc Time management and organization

HOMESICKNESS

Get out of room Make school more homelike

activities involved in room

Balancing “old life” with “new life” Mourning “old life” and accepting “new life” Setting boundaries with parents Fill student’s “bucket” They are not the only one feeling like this

SELF ADVOCACY

Student needs to take responsibility for their success (and failures)

Helping students without enabling them

MENTAL & EMOTIONAL HEALTH

Get student connected to counseling Legal implications if you don’t share this info? How to ensure they follow up with counseling?

Do students get accommodations if they aren’t treating illness/disorder? Behavior contracts?

A mental health diagnosis is not an excuse, it is a guide for treatment

MENTAL & EMOTIONAL HEALTH

Stay on medication during transition Counseling is support, not punishment Don’t wait until it’s too late

Mentally healthy students struggle with transitioning, so any complicating factors will make it that much more difficult

WHAT DO WE SEE IN THE COUNSELING CENTER?

EVERYTHING! Depression Anxiety Relationship issues Previous abuse Substance abuse/dependence Suicidal thoughts Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Psychotic Disorders Family issues

WHO DO WE SEE IN THE COUNSELING CENTER?

EVERYONE! High and low achieving students Campus leaders Athletes High and low SES “trouble makers” and “good students”

Some mental illness, but mostly mentally and emotionally healthy students struggling with some type of adjustment, grief, or developmental challenge

HOW TO RECOGNIZE WHEN A STUDENT IS STRUGGLING WITH TRANSITION

Not sleeping or eating normally Isolating self Not following through with commitments Not doing work they are capable of Ask professors or other university staff

members Share this information!

DISCUSSION

What struggles do you face as a professional in trying to help your students transition?

Questions?