Surviving the Transition from High School to College
Maybe you’re really excited to start this new part of your life, to leave high school and all of its stress behind you, to have a fresh start. Or maybe you felt really comfortable in high school and worry about leaving that familiar environment behind. But most likely, you experience some combination of these, maybe more of one or the other at different times. In any case, it is a big transition and can come with lots to be both excited and anxious about.
Image of a circle with “feelings = facts” crossed out
One thing that can be helpful to remember is that feelings are not facts. So if you feel scared, or if you worry that something horrible will happen (like you will fail all your classes or never make any friends), that doesn’t mean this is true. Sometimes our feelings can be so strong that they feel “real”, like they are destined to be true. But that isn’t the case. You may be someone who struggles with self-doubt, and right now that is showing up as “predicting” negative outcomes for yourself. And maybe those predictions are true, and maybe they are not, but the point is that just because you think it doesn’t mean it is guaranteed to be true.
Sometimes it can be helpful to think about what is most likely to set you up for success in college, whatever that looks like for you. Would it be easier for you to make friends if you live on campus, or does living at home mean there is less stressful change to deal with? Will having a job help balance out your focus on academics, or is it better to just focus on classes for now? There are no right answers to these questions -- it is just what happens to make sense for you right now. And that of course can always change later. Maybe this year it’s better not to get a job, but next year it is something you will really enjoy. You can’t control everything about your college experience by any means, but there are likely some choices that you can make that can have some impact for you. Even if that’s just choosing your meal plan or which comforter you want in your dorm room.
“Keep your body healthy” with images of food, sleep, exercise, and showering.
You have likely been told about the importance of things like eating well, sleeping regularly, and getting some exercise, so I won’t focus on it here. I’ll only say that your mind lives in your brain, which is of course part of your body. And if your body isn’t getting its needs met, it will be harder for your mind to be okay too. So even though things like eating right and sleeping regularly may seem too basic to make a difference, try to do what you can to make sure that all of the simple things are about where they should be.
“You are doing great” against a pink background.
Finally, remember that you have faced a lot of stressful days in your life, and you have survived all of it. You likely will have at least some tough days at college (even if your overall experience is as awesome as I hope it will be), so it might be helpful to remember that you have made it through all of your bad days so far. You’re still here, so there is not one stressful day that you have not made it through in some way. You have a track record of 100% for making it through bad days, so there’s no reason to suspect that you won’t make it through your difficult college days too.
I truly hope that you have a great college experience, and that you are able to spend the rest of your summer in a fun and satisfying way.Below is a summary of everything we’ve talked about today:
