You’ve finally finished high school and you are looking forward to the next big stage in your life as you get ready to study. It’s exciting, full of possibilities, and yet it is also scary and worrying. You are at a very important crossroad in your life and it can be difficult to know how to navigate it. While no one can tell you exactly what you should do, here are some tips to help you make it through this awkward time.
Have Fun
As scary as it is, you should embrace the changes. Life is an adventure and there are so many possibilities. Your outlook on life and studying matters and it will determine whether you succeed or fail.
Make Friends
Don’t be afraid to make friends as soon as you get to campus. Many people will be in exactly the same position as you. Everyone is hoping to make a friend as soon as they can and the key to your success is having the right people around you to help you achieve your goals. Joining a club or a society is a good way to meet people and make new friends.
Hold onto old friends
It’s important to hold on to your friends from high school but don’t hold on too tightly. It’s important to make new friends too. Hanging on to old friends and not making new ones can lead to problems adjusting.
Don’t Be Afraid
Your lecturers and the teaching assistants are there to help you. Studying is difficult, so it is important to ask for help. Asking for help doesn’t make it seem like you can’t do it or that you are a bad student. They are there to help you.
Lean On Your Family For Support
Your biggest and most important source of support is your family. They can give you advice and motivation and they can keep you focussed when you need it. Talking to your family can also help to stop or prevent depression. Depression is very common among students in their first year.
Be Confident
Just as you shouldn’t be scared to ask your lecturers for help, don’t be scared to ask questions in class or to speak up. Be confident to speak to the other students. Instead of being scared of what people might think or say, think about all the good things that can come from the situation.
Dealing With Overprotective Parents
While it is good to ask your parents for help, some parents can be overprotective. Overprotective parenting, also known as “Helicopter Parenting” is when parents try to help and solve all problems their children may have instead of letting them learn to face challenges themselves at times. If you feel that your parents are being too overprotective, don’t yell or scream at them or fight with them. Sit down with them and have a calm discussion where you explain how you feel, what you would like and then work out how to carry on from there. You don’t want to push them away. Instead, work together with them to find a solution that will work for everyone.
Don’t Keep Secrets
You might not want to admit certain things such as failures or problems to your parents, but don’t hide things from them. You might think that keeping it from them is better, but keeping secrets leads to even bigger problems later on and it has been proven that keeping secrets like that can lead to severe depression. Keeping secrets from your parents is simply not worth it.
While no one can give you a surefire answer on how to handle everything, we hope that these eight tips will be useful and will help you to navigate these difficult and confusing months that lie ahead.