Give your college bound teen the link to CDC’s webpage (College Health and Safety), which addresses these and other issues:
There are all kinds of tests in college–beyond those you take for a grade.
- Social and sexual pressures.
- The temptation of readily available alcohol, drugs, and unhealthy food.
- The challenge of getting enough sleep.
- Stress from trying to balance classes, friends, homework, jobs, athletics, and leadership positions.
One way you can do this is to have them add it to the contacts list in their phone.
Worried that you’ve forgotten something? This checklist is a useful reminder:
- Make a plan – what do they do if they get sick?
- Make a contract – if you’re paying, what are your requirements? Have your teen sign consent for you to get grade reports
- Nuts and bolts – do they know how to do laundry?
- What supports did they have in High School that will disappear?
- Do they need to register with the Office of Students with Disabilities?
- Create a budget together; identify who is responsible for which expenses
- How will they choose classes? Plan their schedule?
- What should they do if they feel homesick?
Make time for family fun:
Cook together their favorite recipes, especially the easy ones that they can reproduce in their dorm’s kitchen to wow their roommates. Make index card copies of the recipes and an online version that you can send to them later in the year.
Sit down together to make a photobook online and order 2 copies, one for you at home and one to send with them to college.
Make plans to check something off of your child’s bucket list before they leave for school. If the whole family can participate, even better.
