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Conversation Starters
Conversation Starters Now that you have started to think about how you will communicate with your student once they enter Rutgers, here are some conversation starters that will help pave the way for some thoughtful dialogue regarding things they are experiencing and learning in their new college environment.
Beginning of the Semester: • When you think about starting college, what makes you most nervous? • How are you making connections with your roommates? • What classes seem most interesting to you? • What do you hope to get involved with this semester?
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Middle of the semester:
• How do you feel about the amount of time we’ve spent communicating and visiting so far? • Tell me about some of your successes so far. • Tell me about a fun event you attended on campus. • What are additional ways I can provide support to you? • How are you adjusting to college life? • How are you managing your finances? • Have you considered studying abroad? What programs or countries interest you? • Have you thought about starting a part-time job on campus? What jobs interest you? • How is studying different now that you are at Rutgers from high school/ previous college? • When it was time to take a test, who did you study with? • When do you register for classes next semester? Have you made an appointment with your academic advisor?
• What has been your biggest challenge so far? • What organizations have you joined? What interested you most about these groups?
• How have you balanced classes and campus involvement?
End of the semester: • What are you most proud of this semester? • What was the highlight of your semester? • How did you stay organized this semester? Is there something you’d like to do differently next semester? • What projects, jobs or involvement opportunities have you done lately that you might be able to add to your resume? • Did you cross any items off of your RUcket List? (RUcket List = Bucket List that starts with an “R” for Rutgers)
New semester: • Do you have any new stressors that are different from the previous semester? How are you managing stress?
