More Ways to Support Wellness and Success

Important Health Conversations to Have With Your Student

By CollegiateParent

In college, probably for the first time, your student will be wholly responsible for taking care of their own physical and emotional wellbeing.

For that reason, the most important health conversations you can have with them are ones where you encourage them to make wellness a priority in their daily lives, to familiarize themselves with health support resources on campus, and to always feel comfortable reaching out to you when they have a concern or just need a little advice.

Revisit health-related topics each and every time you see or chat with your student.

1st Make sure they know how health insurance works.

Go over their coverage (whether they’re signed up for the school’s health plan or are still covered by your family insurance plan) and how and where to access services. Will they use the campus health center for all their needs, or go there just for the easy/free stuff (flu shots, treatment for minor illnesses like colds) and see a provider or specialist in the local community?

2nd Review the resources that are available on campus.

They’ll receive a lot of information at orientation and during move-in/welcome week, but it can be overwhelming. If you look at the website, you’ll be able to nudge them to explore what’s offered at the student health clinic and counseling/ mental health center. Your student will find online informational materials, classes and workshops, and drop-in support groups related to pretty much every wellness issue under the sun:

• Nutrition and body positivity • Sexual health, gender identity, relationships • Alcohol education

• Stress and anxiety management • Conflict resolution skills

Don’t forget about religious and spiritual life opportunities, and fitness classes and recreational facilities at the campus gym.

3rd Go over what to do if they get sick.

Your student should have a first aid kit with a thermometer and basic overthe-counter remedies for self-care. Talk through some possible scenarios, ranging from how to treat a cold to how to know if it’s something more serious like the flu. Remind them that if symptoms (sore throat, fever, vomiting, headache, etc.) linger for days without improvement, they should definitely visit the campus health center — but they don’t have to suffer in silence if they just want to get checked out and have their mind put at ease.

Since colleges are bound by a federal law called FERPA (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), which governs the privacy of student educational and treatment records, you won’t know if or when your student visits the campus health and counseling clinics. It’s up to your student to decide whether to share information with you, which is something else the two of you can discuss early on.

Talk to your student about responsible drinking.

Most families have strict rules about drinking in high school, but in college an “abstinence only” policy may not be practical. National surveys show that 9 out of 10 college students experiment with alcohol, 7 out of 10 drink regularly, and 3 out of 10 will be problem drinkers.

This doesn’t mean parents should feel helpless. Instead, by being proactive and talking regularly with your student about the campus party scene, their experiences with alcohol and what it means to drink responsibly, you can continue to have a positive influence.

Educating your student about responsible drinking isn’t the same as encouraging or endorsing underage drinking. Instead, when you teach your student about how alcohol works in the body, the importance of protecting their cup and sticking with friends at parties, and how to recognize when it’s time to exit a situation or call for help, you’re emphasizing health, safety and self-advocacy.

These conversations require that you know your facts, be honest and open-minded, and most of all, be ready to listen. Read the complete article: collegiateparent.com/wellness/talk-about-responsible-drinking.

Supporting Mental Health

A Checklist for Families By Stephanie Pinder-Amaker, Ph.D. and Active Minds

Awareness and open lines of communication — with family members, professors/instructors, coaches and friends — can go a long way toward making sure no student struggles alone. Check out these tips on how to empower and support your new college student.

Prepare your student.

It’s very likely that your student, or one of their roommates or friends, will experience a mental health issue while at college. Prepare your student by talking about mental health on a regular basis. Review together what campus resources are available if they’re ever in a position to help a friend. By maintaining a dialogue, you’ll help them feel comfortable coming to you with questions and problems without fear of being judged.

Scope out services and have a plan.

All students, but particularly those who have already experienced mental health issues, should have a plan in place in case things get too difficult to handle. Call or make an appointment with the campus mental health or counseling center to learn what services are available.

If your student is already in the care of a psychiatrist or psychologist, make plans to continue that care with a clinician close to campus. (The campus mental health center may keep a list of convenient off-campus providers who work well with students.) Your student should have regular check-ins with a professional to monitor any changes. They can also preregister with the Accessible Education Center to access helpful accommodations.

Stay in touch.

Make time for regular conversations in addition to texting your student. It’s easier to hear in their voice when something is bothering them. Facetime and Skype can be even better. Keep an eye out for symptoms of depression (including sadness), anxiety, hopelessness, irritability, restlessness, sleep difficulties, loss of appetite, suicidal thoughts, unexplained aches and pains, and tearfulness. A sudden drop in academic performance can be another sign that support is needed.

Check in about self-care.

The importance of a healthy diet, adequate sleep and regular exercise can’t be overstated, particularly as they relate to overall mental health. Help your student connect self-care with emotional stability — ask them how they feel when they eat well or when they sleep poorly.

Forget stigma.

If your student is experiencing mental health issues, prioritize getting help over the fear of tarnishing their transcript or reputation. Some students will need time off from school to recover and get back on track. Each college has its own policy about granting medical leave — you can contact the Dean of Students office to find out the procedure for taking a temporary leave of absence.

Allow mistakes.

Perfection is not a realistic goal and it’s important to let your student know that you support them no matter what. Mistakes and failure are an unavoidable part of life and we can learn from them. A perfect GPA isn’t worth it if it comes at the expense of your student’s emotional well-being.

If you feel your student needs immediate help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text “BRAVE” to 741-741 for free 24/7 confidential support.

Choosing a Major

6 Tips for Guiding Your Student

By Amy Baldwin, Ed.D.

Every parent wants their student to find their “calling” and click with a major that will help pave the way to a career. Students want that, too! But the process of declaring a major can be scary as well as exhilarating. “Am I making the right choice?” they wonder anxiously. “Will I be able to find a job after graduation?” And then there is the classic question from well-meaning family and friends. “What are you going to do with that?”

For students whose majors are clear pathways to careers (think nursing, or accounting), the last question can be answered easily. However, for undecided students worried not only about choosing the “right” major but also about how their degree will prepare them for employment someday, the question can increase their self-doubt. And with self-doubt comes even more anxiety.

Luckily, there are stress-reducing ways to support and guide students who are at this juncture.

Relax.

No need to make this experience more traumatic than it already is. Remember that it’s normal for the journey from major to career to twist and turn. Make an effort to keep things in perspective and you’ll be able to share this attitude with your student.

Have them reflect on their past to figure out their future.

One of the best strategies to use with college students is to encourage them to reflect on what they liked when they were younger, what they did in their spare time for fun, and what activities they participated in and why. Their past holds clues about the kinds of majors that might interest them. For example, someone who counseled their friends through difficult times may find themselves interested in psychology or social work. An athlete might gravitate to sports management…or sports medicine.

Encourage them to focus on what they want to learn, not what sounds good.

The best way to erase self-doubt is to find a subject they like and that will help them build transferable skills. Ask what kinds of classes interest them the most and which classes challenge them to think and grow. Their answers should give them an idea of what they want to spend several years studying. A student who says they want to major in business “so my parents will leave me alone” is not a student who will be happy for long with their choice.

Suggest they compare degree plans and course descriptions.

Reading through the college’s course catalog is another way to narrow their choices. (The course catalog and degree requirements can be found on the school’s website.) If your student is choosing between economics and education, for example, suggest they read through the degree requirements (is there an internship requirement? a foreign language requirement?) to see which plan appeals to them more. Have them browse the course descriptions as well. They will spend a lot of time in their major courses and should be intrigued by the topics that await them in that department.

Remind them to speak regularly with an academic advisor and also a career counselor.

The academic advisor will help them navigate the process of completing a degree, and the career counselor can help them develop a plan to translate what they’re learning to workplace needs. Meeting with both throughout college can keep your student on track and help them make any needed adjustments along the way.

Suggest they interview recent college graduates.

Some of the best advice about college majors comes from recent graduates. New graduates are likely to tell your student that in general the skills they acquired in college (e.g., critical thinking, written communication, appreciation for diversity) are more important than the content knowledge they gained from their major. At the very least, their advice may lower the pressure to make a “right choice.”

What if my student wants to change their major?

Students change majors for a variety of reasons and it is perfectly normal. In some surveys as many as 80% of students have switched majors at least once.*

But it can still be worrisome to parents, who wonder if their student will be able to graduate on time. In addition to discussing what led them to this new direction (was it a single fabulous course or professor? a new career goal?), here are a few questions you can ask to help your studentmake the best decision:

• How many additional courses do you • What other requirements does the

need to take? The earlier the change new degree plan include? Some is made, the less likely your student will degree plans require internships or need to take lots of additional courses. practicums that must be taken into • Will you need to take more credit hours per term or take summer classes to stay on track? In some cases, an additional course per term or a couple of classes during the summer may be all consideration. As always when working toward a degree, your student should consult with an academic advisor to ensure they are completing required courses in the right sequence. that’s needed to graduate in four years.

Keep an Eye on the Budget

By Suzanne Shaffer and CollegiateParent

One of the biggest challenges outside the classroom for students adjusting to college life is learning to manage money.

They’re suddenly responsible for paying for all sorts of things on their own, from textbooks and groceries to laundry (you hope) and maybe an occasional haircut. With the convenience of buying and ordering stuff with a smartphone or debit card, it can be easy to let little purchases add up to a financial headache. The parent’s role? Help your student make a budget and keep an eye on the money going in and out of their bank account. Printable budget worksheets are easy to find online, including on your bank’s website, and there are many good smartphone budgeting apps, too — Mint is a favorite.

The Fall Term Spending Money Budget

If you didn’t do this before the start of the school year, take time now to make a list with your student of their likely flexible/ recreational expenses (everything besides tuition, room, board and student fees — although if they’ll contribute to these, put them in the budget as well).

Flexible expenses can include:

† Textbooks † Clothing † Electronics and school supplies † Toiletries and other personal items † Dorm furnishings † Laundry money † Food/drink outside of the meal plan † Entertainment † Local travel (bus pass, Uber trips) † Recreational travel and trips home † Sorority/fraternity or club dues

Next, estimate how much each item will be and agree on who’s paying for what, taking your student’s income into consideration. Their income will come from their savings, any earnings from a campus job (if they will work), and possibly an allowance from you. Make it a goal for your student to maintain a certain level of savings.

Be sure to discuss how peer pressure can cause students to overspend. Your student may need to say no sometimes to an activity or purchase that a roommate or friend doesn’t think twice about. On this subject, be clear up front about what will happen if your student doesn’t stay within their budget (in case they assume you’ll automatically bail them out).

Fall term will involve some experimentation. Your student may find it easy to stay within their budget or end up running short each month. Over winter break, you can look back together at the experience and help them revise their budget for spring term based on what they learned.

The Perks of Campus Employment

A great way to balance income and spending is to get a campus job. College students who work part-time during the school year get better grades than those who don’t,* probably because they need to be more focused, organized and conscientious about budgeting time for study. Finding a job in the local community is always an option, but on-campus positions have special advantages. The hours are usually flexible, and supervisors will accommodate your student’s schedule. Student employees meet more of their fellow students as well as more faculty members, administrators and staff — a great network for career mentorship, professional references and all-around support.

If federal work study is part of your student’s financial aid package, they can research and apply for available workstudy positions, but there are usually plenty of campus jobs to go around for any student who wants one. Departments that hire students may include the admissions and alumni offices, recreation center, library, dining facilities, bookstore, museums and art galleries, language and computer labs, and performance spaces.

*A comprehensive study published by NASPA, “First-Year Students’ Employment, Engagement, and Academic Achievement: Untangling the Relationship Between Work and Grades” by G.R. Pike, G.D. Kuh and R.C. Massa-McKinley, is often cited and its findings have held up over time.

Parent Perspective

If your student is offered work study, it’s worth doing even as an incoming freshman. Work-study jobs provide useful job application and interview practice. I was impressed by how many offcampus options there were. My daughter ended up being offered several positions and was able to pick one at a non-profit closely allied to her interests. She has gained enormously in skills and confidence. That internship looks likely to lead to a summer job this year. All in all, a great experience!

Building Career-Ready Skills

The Importance of Internships in College

By Ianni Le and Suzanne Shaffer

Many students start college unsure about what kind of career they want and the best path to get there. While coursework can help them figure this out, internships are also key. Students discover what they love through their classes, but there’s nothing like real-world experience to clarify what they’re looking for in a job.

Prospective employers value internship experience, and internships often lead to an offer for a full-time position. With all the competition for jobs after graduation, your student can’t afford to ignore the importance of internships!

How Do Internships Work and Where Do Students Find Them?

The purpose of an internship is to provide a meaningful learning opportunity for the student. Internships may be paid or unpaid and the student may or may not receive academic credit for them. Sometimes an internship connects very directly with a student’s college coursework.

The company or organization also benefits because they can supplement their workforce with students, some of whom will eventually become permanent hires. Though internships may require the student to perform what might seem like menial tasks, those tasks help the student gather information about the job and/or industry — and are a practical reminder that we all start out on the ground floor.

The campus career center is a primary source for locating internships; companies that love to hire students from the school will actively recruit through job/career fairs and online listings. The career center can also help your student with internshiprelated tasks: resumes, cover letters and interview tips. Professors are another source for internship leads — just one more reason for your student to cultivate meaningful relationships with professors.

Handshake is an excellent website that specializes in helping college students find internships. Your student can also check online internship databases like Internships.com, WayUp.com

and YouTern.com. Last but not least, encourage your student to get on LinkedIn and interact with their connections. (If they don’t have a LinkedIn account yet, now’s the time to create one!)

What I Learned from My Internships

in College – Ianni Le

1. My internships taught me about myself, and what I need to thrive in a work environment.

2. They helped me mature into someone who was prepared to enter the workforce, confident in my ability to stay professional in different situations and engage with colleagues and bosses. 3. Internships also taught me how to ask for help in a professional setting and that it was okay to lean on my team members when I needed to. 4. Internships prepared me for the job search. I took away real-life skills and built new perspectives on my field of study and my personal creativity which helped me become a competitive candidate for full-time jobs after graduation. 5. Internships allowed me to build my network, making it easy to turn to different people for advice further down the line. 6. Internships are fantastic practice for future job interviews!

Internships also offer these benefits:

• The opportunity to “try on” a career before applying for and accepting a

“real” job • A chance to identify areas where they may need to take additional classes related to their career interests before graduation • Higher starting salaries based on career-specific work experience

How Can Parents Help?

Your role is to serve as an advisor, offering guidance but allowing your student to take the lead. It’s appropriate to discuss their career and professional goals and proofread resumes and cover letters.

Don’t forget to think about your own personal connections. Maybe you know someone looking for an intern or working in your student’s field of interest that you can connect them with. Your student will appreciate the introduction even if you’re just helping them build their network.

You can also be a cheerleader when (not if) your student encounters disappointment while applying for internships. They may need to apply for 10 or 12 before landing one!

Rocking a Virtual Internship Tips from Handshake

1. Set goals and milestones with your manager 2. Communicate often

3. Be engaged on Zoom 4. Proactively learn from your team 5. Find a mentor inside the company 6. Connect with other interns

7. Take screen breaks