3. Basic things students should know BEFORE getting to school
- Laundry - including getting stains out and steaming or ironing clothes.
- Time management - they should have a calendar/planner (physical or digital) and actually know how to plan out their assignments and add in their work schedule as well as any other important items. While it can be a lot of work up front to input all assignments, projects and exams as well as plan out when they will work on each assignment it is a HUGE time and stress saver in the end.
- Nutrition - including hydration. The freshman 15 (pounds) is a real thing as is brain fog and overwhelm. Getting good nutrition is so important to help them be successful at college, but unless we have taught them, they won’t know! Also drinking enough water (and not just coffee or caffeinated beverages) is important for them to feel good and be able to think clearly.
- Basic budgeting - most students won’t need to buy food, since they will be on campus, but it’s important for them to know how to manage their money. If they have a job, they need to know how to manage their money, so they don’t spend everything that comes in, and not have money to buy their books, pay for snacks or gas, or pay tuition. You would be surprised how little college students know about finances. This is why credit card companies prey on college students.
4. Make the goodbye short and sweet, especially the first year
Drawing out the goodbye can make things harder on Mom and Dad as well as the student. The goal is for them to have a great start to the year, so leaving them with a short goodbye that doesn’t dissolve in tears (if possible) is important. Save the tears for the drive home.
5. Cover them in prayerLeaving our kids on their own is a scary thing, and it can feel overwhelming. Leaving them in God’s hands and praying for them will help not only their transition, but yours as well. This is why we raise them - to go out on their own and make their way in the world. God will take care of them. He is much better at this than we are, and we don’t need to worry (I have to remind myself of this almost daily).
6. Plan visits
If you live close enough, plan the next time you will visit, or they will visit you. That often makes the goodbyes easier. Because of the distance, we don’t get to see our kids until they fly home at Christmas, so we plan to facetime on a regular basis.
7. Car necessities
If they have a car on campus, make sure they have an air compressor and jumper cables or battery powered jump starter, basic tools and know how to check the oil, tire pressure and can fill the washer fluid. Also, they should know how to contact the towing service for their insurance (if they have towing), in case they break down.
College is such an exciting time and a big transition for both students and parents. It can feel overwhelming, but my hope is that these tips can help make the transition easier. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it does give you a starting point. Please leave me a comment below of other things you would add to my list.
0 Comments