This is an exciting time of year for many recent high school grads who are heading off to college in the next few weeks. To help you and your family prepare we asked our partners in the Dean of Students Office at Johnson State College for their thoughts on creating a successful first year experience.
This is what they had to say!
Roommates: Friends or Foe?
Often, the area students are most nervous about when heading to college is dealing with roommates. Perhaps they’ve heard horror stories from friends or on social media. The fact is that most room situations work out just fine, and some roommates end up becoming lifelong friends. One should always remember to keep an open mind (and not let first impressions or social media impressions doom the relationship), keep a sense of perspective, and keep a sense of humor. If it truly isn’t working, every college has people who can help. Students should reach out early, before problems get out of hand, and genuinely work on the recommended steps offered by the college to make peace with your roommate.
Be Proud of Where You Are and Who You’re With
Commit, connect, and “be one” with your college campus, your residence hall, your student club or varsity sport. Show your campus spirit, embrace the community, and take pride in your surroundings. Your college is your home and your floor mates are your neighbors for the next 30 weeks. Think about what you need in your new home environment to feel comfortable. Think about who you need around you to be yourself, to feel welcomed and cared for and to be a part of the campus community. Determine what matters most to you and find a way to include those things into your day to day while at college.
Family Matters
Entering college is a transition for everyone—you, your parents, your siblings, your friends. Emotions will look like a roller coaster. This is normal. Your parents are remembering your first steps, your siblings are wondering whose responsibility it will be to take out the trash, and your friends are wondering if you will still be friends next time you meet. And you? Well, you are thinking about all those things, in addition to wondering if you will be able to handle the academic work, make new friends, find the laundry room, and get a campus job. Talk about what you are feeling with those around you. Acknowledge that this is a time of excitement with a little bit of fear mixed in—for all of you. Thank your family for helping you get to where you are today, and say “so long” to them quickly after you move into your residence hall…so you can start your new adventure and they can start deciding who will be taking out the trash…
Make it Happen—College Bucket List
You will be exposed to a variety of opportunities when you enter college. Student leadership, service learning, traveling broadly, clubs, athletics, the list goes on and on and on. Think about what you wish to accomplish outside of the academic world and start your bucket list early. Your college time will fly by quickly and the last thing you want is to look back at your time in college and realize that there was so much more that you could have done personally, professionally, developmentally. Let’s face it, a college education is expensive. So, get the biggest bang from your (or your parents buck) and take advantage of all it has to offer.
Take Care of Yourself and Your Peers
Whether you choose to engage in what is often referred to as a college “rite of passage” related to alcohol or drug use, keep these things in mind. Only you can decide when to, what to, and how much to. Do not let others make that decision for you. If you choose to, do so safely, know your limits and stick to them. Make a safety plan with your friends before heading out to that party. If you choose not to drink, own it and be proud of that decision—there are many of you out there! If someone close to you is struggling, say or do something. This goes for not only alcohol or drug use, but also when it comes to college relationships. There will be lots of opportunities for hookups, one-nighters, etc. Think about what you want your boundaries to be in sexual relationships and stick to them. Just because the opportunities present themselves, does not mean you need to let go of your boundaries or let your standards slip. Consent is a requirement in all relationships. Ask the question first and go from there. Protect yourself and protect each other.
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Many thanks to Michele Whitmore, Assistant Dean of Students and Jeff Bickford, Assistant Director of Residential Living for these insights. Collectively Michele and Jeff have over 30 years of student life experience.
Healthy Lamoille Valley partners with Johnson State College to offer the Alcohol.edu program to incoming freshman and transfer students. “Alcohol.edu incorporates the latest evidence- based prevention methods to create a highly personalized user experience that inspires students to reflect on and consider changing their drinking behaviors.” Since beginning this program in 2013 there has been a marked decrease in alcohol related incidents in the residence halls.
Published: 8/17/15