The SOVA Project is happy to feature this blog post written by one in our team of fantastic SOVA Ambassadors—these are young people who help create meaningful blog posts from adolescents’ perspectives. We hope you can use their post to start a conversation with your adolescent.
I was a freshman in college not too long ago. I was nervous but excited to embark in my new journey. I struggled my first semester due to academic factors such as classes and exams. The new environment was was another factor. New friends, moving away from home, not having my family around in just case I needed them to vent and pour my emotions to, who wouldn’t be terrified? Changing and incorporating new techniques into my life helped me balance my life significantly. Therefore, I will list a few tips that I have incorporated to make my experience a smooth transition.
Communicating with your support system
Adjusting to a new life event such as attending college for the first time could trigger anxiety and depression. Expressing your feelings to close friends you could trust or even calling one of your family members could help alleviate some of your worries. Another option is going to a college counselor. Most campuses offer free counseling for a set number of sessions or semesters.
Stress techniques in different situations
Doing meditation before a big exam, listening to soothing music such as lo-fi, jazz, etc while doing your homework are a couple of ways you could decrease some of your stress in pivotal scenarios.
Joining a club
How I coped with my social anxiety is that I knew that I was interested in fashion, and my major was fashion merchandising. I figured that it would be a great idea to join my college’s fashion club. This allowed for me to immerse myself with people with similar interests and this helped me to break out of my shell. Of course it was hard to communicate with my peers at first but gradually it became easier.
How many school transitions has your child experienced? Are there ones that were harder for them than others? How do you think you can support, or how have you supported your child, when they’ve started a new school?