August 20, 2024
During out annual Scholarship Summit, we asked college leaders for advice on how parents can better support their children as they go away to college for the first time. Here’s what they said.
Dr. Mari Ross-Alexander, associate vice president for Student Health and Well-Being at the University of South Carolina at Columbia, often hears that students want to be able to disconnect from social media, but they also don’t want to have FOMO, or Fear Of Missing Out.
This can be especially detrimental to incoming students surrounded by a new environment, experiences and people, she said. She suggested parents can help by acknowledging this reality and ensuring their children know it’s OK to not do everything.
“What we need from parents is to help us encourage them to figure out what to miss out on,” she said.
2. Create a script for the hard times, just in case
Write what you want to say to your child if they call you unexpectedly with a litany of complaints.
“They’re going to tell you everything is awful, their roommate sucks, professors don’t care and the food is just horrible – all the things,” Ross-Alexander said. “Don’t jump in your car and go try and pick up your child. They’re saying, ‘I need someone to hear how I’m feeling, and I need someone to talk me into staying.’”
Outlining what you want to say is important for redirecting your child back to resources on campus, she said.
3. Encourage students to seek help early
The idea of tutoring, especially early in the year, can be very daunting for students, said Rochelle Johnson, director of Multicultural Student Programs and Services at the College of Charleston.
“All of these college students are high achievers, but when you’re around students who perform just as well as you do or even better, the competition is tight,” she said. “You may have always been No. 1 in your high school, but when you deal with others, you may become No. 2, 3 or even 4.”
It’s important to encourage students to seek tutoring or academic enhancement sooner rather than later, she said.
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