Academic, Social, and Emotional Transition to College
What sort of transitions should I expect? First of all, welcome to the Auburn family! For many students, the transition to college is also the transition of being on one’s own. This transition can be scary, but also very exciting. At Student Counseling Services, we are here to help you manage the transitions so that you can make the most out of this exciting time.
Common Changes that New Students Make New Environment: For some students, the Auburn campus is bigger than their entire home town; for others, it may be a lot smaller than home. The living arrangements change too. Someone who used to have his/her own bedroom now shares a suite with three roommates and has to adjust to differences in sleep schedules, cleanliness, and study habits. Also, there may or may not be more diversity in terms of people’s racial, ethnic, spiritual, and political backgrounds than one is used to seeing. A successful transition to the new environment is to respect everyone and get to know the people around you without
An Informational Guide for Auburn Students
making assumptions about what you think you do or do not know about them.
home while also maintaining independence.
Greater Personal Freedom: With greater freedom comes greater responsibility. New students may be paying their own bills, booking their own appointments, and cooking their own meals for the first time. Although there is a learning curve to doing these things well, there is also great satisfaction and reward in getting the job done.
New Academic Challenges: Coursework will be more challenging with less time for instructors to be available to assist you. The challenge of main-taining a certain GPA to keep a scholarship may be there. Students will have to become savvy in getting help for their academic concerns. Attending office hours, study groups, proactive communication with the instructor, and tutoring are just a few of the ways students seek out assistance.
Adding Own Structure: Before college, the entire school day is meticulously structured based on a lesson plan. In college, students create their own plans— even down to selecting their own major. Students choose their own extracurricular activities, which can be stressful (so many choices). Managing one’s time can become particularly tricky. How does someone prioritize one goal over another? For example, how much emphasis does one put on classes over social life? Changing Relationships: All of the relationships students have before they come to college inevitably change. Friends go to other universities. Romantic partners stay behind, creating a distance relationship. And of course, relationships with caregivers change. It can be tough to strike a good balance between juggling new friendships with old ones, and calling
Tips for having a great first year Be patient: You will learn your way around. It may take some time. There are people around to help you, so simply ask them when you need it. To ask about anything (yes, any possible question you may have), call the Foy Information Desk at 844.4244. Connect with other students: If you are in a residence hall, start with the RA on your floor. He/she is a great resource with knowledge of the university ... and right down the hallway!
Get involved: a list of student organizations can be found at https://fp. auburn.edu/stuorgs/orgSearch.aspx. The options range from spiritual to sports to gaming to fellowship groups. You could also start your own! Utilize: campus resources.
Places to Know For Academic Assistance Academic Support: 844.5972 Career Center: 844.4744 Learning Communities: 844.5721 Miller Writing Center: 844.7475
Student Counseling Services (SCS)
Office of Accessibility: 844.2096 For Transition Assistance
Learn how to handle change by managing emotion, developing problem-solving skills, achieving focus for your goals, and even learning more about yourself on the way. The service is free and confidential. We would be happy to help you navigate Auburn!
First Year Experience: 844.4900
Office Hours: 8 am - 5 pm Monday - Friday
Veterans and Transfer Students Office: 844.8167
Call 844.5123 to make an appointment www.auburn.edu/scs E-mail: scsinfo@auburn.edu
Greek Life: 844.4600 International Student Organization: 844.2353 Multicultural Center: 844.2976 Student Involvement: 844.4788
Women’s Resource Center: 844.4399 For Medical/Wellness Assistance Campus Recreation Center: 844.4470 AU Medical Clinic: 844.4416 Health Promotion & Wellness Services: 844.1528
The College Transition I feel like I’m trying out all of these different activities and nothing’s sticking... My classes just seem harder than they were in high school... I miss my family and friends back home... I’ve never had to structure my time on my own before... Ever since I got to Auburn, my emotions have been all over the place. I didn’t realize how much responsibility I’d have living on my own... People here seem different, not at all like me...
The material in this brochure was adapted from information provided by the University of Illinois Counseling Center, www.counselingcenter.illinois.edu/?page_id=139
Suite 2086 • AU Medical Clinic • 400 Lem Morrison Dr. • Auburn, AL 36849
P/ 334.844.5123
E/ scsinfo@auburn.edu
www.auburn.edu/scs Auburn University is an equal opportunity educational institution employer.