We hope your sons and daughters have already shared with you some of their favorite experiences from New Student Orientation and their first week of classes. The campus is indeed filled with a new level of energy and excitement.
Your sons and daughters may now be discovering firsthand that college work is not just greater in volume than high school work; it’s more intellectually demanding. Doing more work, more independently, is stressful.
This awareness comes as students are also encountering a variety of other new pressures and experiences. Students who were at the top of their class in high school, the captain of their sports team, the lead in their school plays, or the soloist for musical performances may find that they are facing real competition for the first time. For some students, these first weeks can lead to questions of identity and concerns about where they "fit in" on campus.
Talk together about your student’s academic priorities, study environment, and healthy ways of dealing with stress through exercise or relaxation techniques. Discuss ways to determine how they are coping with new demands and potential concerns about their skills in comparison to their peers. If the demands are so great that your son or daughter needs special support, encourage them to seek out professors, academic advisors, or coaches for guidance.
All of these adjustments take time, but most students will succeed and find their niche with the right resources and support system.
We hope your students are having a good experience so far, but please know we have many wonderful resources in place including the following:
- Career & Counseling Center: 402.465.2224
- Cooper Center for Academic Resources: 402.465.2326
- Residential Education: 402.465.2161
- Student Health: 402.465.2375
- Student Life Office: 402.465.2154