Going from high school and living at home to college and living in a dorm is a huge transition. Most college freshmen are excited and optimistic about their first year of college, but may not anticipate some of the challenges they'll face.
Juggling academic demands while making new friends and learning how to take care of oneself for the first time can be extremely stressful and takes a toll on your mental health. Going from a structured environment to one with more freedom is more challenging than most students anticipate, and it's only natural that mental health challenges often pop up during the first year of college.
So what can you do to make that all-important first year easier? Here are 5 ways to prepare for mental health struggles that may come up.
Before You Leave, Establish a Communication Network
It can be pretty lonely during the first few months at college. You'll be making new friends, but you might not feel comfortable leaning on people you just met if you encounter mental health challenges or just feel sad and insecure.
With that in mind, it's a good idea to establish a communication network of friends and family you can turn to when you need support or just need to talk. Stay in close contact with people at home and you'll always have support when you need it most.
Love Animals? An Emotional Support Animal Might Be The Way to Go
If you struggle with mental health concerns like social anxiety or depression and you love animals, an emotional support animal (ESA) might be beneficial as you go through college.
Owning an ESA involves some important responsibilities. Before you take one to school, be sure to check the documentation you'll need, understand where you can and can't take an emotional support animal, and make sure your ESA is well-behaved when you take it in public.
Leverage Student Health Services & University Resources
If you experience mental health challenges at school, it's important to seek out help as soon as possible. The first place you can turn? Your school's student health services and other resources.
Whether you're dealing with something as simple as sleep health issues or something as serious as suicidal thoughts, most schools have counselors on staff to support you and help you work through the problems you're experiencing.
It can be scary to ask for help, but student health services is a safe space where you can go to discuss any mental health issue you may be struggling with as a college student and get the resources you need to manage your life and self-care. Make sure you know how to reach your school's resources before you need them so that it's easy to make the call when you're feeling vulnerable.
Develop a Routine Before You Hit Campus
Total freedom can sound like a dream—but it can also be overwhelming. You might start out with good intentions, but it's easy to start slipping into bad habits when you're only accountable to yourself. Start off on the right foot and set yourself up for good mental and physical health by creating a routine before you move on campus.
Obviously, things will change somewhat as you meet people and get to know your school. But it's a good idea to plan out when you'll exercise, how much (and what) you'll eat at the dining hall, your class schedule, and what you'll do with your free time.
These are all important keys for staying mentally sharp and you'll be happier and healthier if you make time for each positive activity in advance.
Use Social Networks to Establish Friends or Peers Beforehand
You might feel lonely during your first year at college since you're not likely to be attending with any of your close friends. While you can't form those kinds of lasting bonds over the internet, getting to know people on social media who will be attending your school with you can be helpful for establishing a friend group right away and finding like-minded people on campus.
Not only will jump-starting a friend group online help to prevent loneliness, it will also help you to find a trusted group of people you can turn to if you're ever facing peer pressure, hazing, bullying, and other negative social challenges.
It's not always possible to prevent stress, overwhelm, loneliness, or other mental health issues during your freshman year. But if you take a few simple steps to prepare for them, you're likely to work through them and come home in the summer feeling energized and ready for year two.