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As high school is coming to an end, it is incredibly exciting but also incredibly terrifying. For twelve years, I have gone to school with the same people, and for thirteen years I’ve gone to school in the same school district. My best friends have been my best friends since first grade which makes leaving them so frightening. However, having had the same friends for so long makes me curious about who I am going to meet when I go to college and who will be my new friends.
I am already counting down the days until I get to arrive at my dream school this fall, but the fear of being away from my parents, my brother, and the best group of friends a girl could ask for is making me equally as nervous as I am excited.
Does anyone have tips for how to handle the transition from high school to college?
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I totally get what you’re saying. It feels like such a relief to be done, but at the same time I haven’t processed the fact that like wow, it’s actually over. I’m definitely ready something new but change is scary. It’s the weirdest thing. Sometimes I feel like I’m scared for things to change and scared that they won’t. I know it sounds like a cliche but I think sometimes you really just have to go with the flow. Life happens and each challenge is a chance to grow more. And now is the time to take those chances
Hi Chloe!
College can be so much fun, and I am so happy to hear you are excited for it. You are so lucky to have such a great support system. I don’t believe that things always drastically change when you are at college, but it may require more effort to keep in touch. If you were comfortable doing so, you could simply just tell your family and friends how you are feeling about the transition. They most likely all feel similarly, as this effects everyone.
Emailing, skype, texting, etc will all be a great way to keep in touch. Maybe you could all agree on a set time to talk every week, to keep a routine going? I am in a long distance relationship [actually, we are moving in together next week, but that is a separate post] and we always talked around the same time every night. It helped us look forward to the special time together, and gave us a sense of normalcy during the transition.
You may also find that the distance give you a new appreciation for your family and friends. It certainly did for me! And you may be so busy enjoying your courses that you won’t be occupied with negative thoughts or loneliness.
Take Care, Michael
Hey Chloe!!
So, I have had the worst luck with transitions between schools… mostly because I was always in a hurry to get on with it, while never preparing for what I was heading into. It’s great that you’re thinking about what the transition is going to be like now!
What I’ve learned is that its all about having a sense of community. Going from a familiar environment with friends, family, and other supportive resources can really leave a void in our being. There are strategies that we can use to bridge that gap across contexts that will help us to feel connected right from the get go!
On the home front, I really like Michael’s suggestions about setting a routine (and it’s not just because his name is my name without the ‘a’… Hahaha). For me, I would write notes or find clever gifts that were either under $5 or free to mail to my friends and siblings. I would always appreciate that once in a while I would get something in the snail mail… Technology is great, but I LOVE getting things in the mail!!
Here are some suggestions I have for preparing to go to a new school:
1) Go to school early (if you can) and introduce yourself to your professors, and walk around to familiarize yourself with the campus.
2) Identify the student center and locate where you can find out about campus wide events, or sponsored activities.
3) Join a club right away that is involved with volunteering in the community and/or is in your area of study (like art club and psychology club 🙂 )
4) Get on Google Maps and look at the area around your campus. Is there a local coffee shop or some other niche spot to call your own and escape to when campus life becomes distracting? Avoid places that serve alcohol… It’s more about the caffeine to get through exams!!
5) Go meet a counselor from the counseling center so that you can have a go to person on campus that already knows your back story. Everything will be kept confidential, and you don’t have to get into too much detail. It’s reassuring knowing that you have someone whose there to support you when you maybe aren’t feeling your best.
GOOD LUCK!!!!! Please keep in touch – I am on Facebook as Michaela Fissel-Fryxell 🙂