The big day is finally here, it’s time to send your young adult to college. As a parent, it can be a stressful time. You want to ensure that all your parenting skills from the 18 years you’ve raised them will play out in the right ways. However, it’s important to remember that their brain is still developing and you should set them up for success as much as you can before and as they attend university. If you’re scrambling for what needs to be done or processed before they go, look no further for some of the best tips and suggestions so your daughter one can succeed in college.
Choosing A Roomate
One of the first major steps you can help them with is to choose a good roommate. I mean after all, this is the person they will be spending the most time around and sharing a room with. It is important that their morals align with your daughter and it’s someone they can get along with on a daily basis. Remember, that they don’t have to be their best friend, they simply have to be able to live with them in college. One of the best ways to support them in choosing a roommate is to not be forceful or over-exert your suggestions. It is best to give your honest opinion and present advice they can then take and make their own decision with.
Keeping Their Health A Priority
You will want to ensure your daughter has a doctor or OB-GYN setup for her future in college. Most colleges have an on-campus doctor that comes with university fees. This doctor should be able to take care of most general health issues. However, once your daughter turns 21 she may want to look into a gynecologist to obtain regular pap smears and check for cervical health. Since you’ll be away, it will now be your daughters responsibility to take care of their own health and visit the doctor if any issues arise. It may be helpful to visit the on-campus doctor with them when they are moving in!
Staying Safe
Unfortunately, the truth is that women are easily targeted more than men. Consider buying your daughter some pepper spray for their safety. Otherwise, remind them that if it is dark and late at night they should get someone to walk them home. There are campus police and security that should also be able to walk or drive them home if they don’t have anyone else in sight. Knowing their route home and following precautions is so important!
Controlled Drinking
With college comes partying and drinking. As much as you don’t want your daughter drinking at all, it’s inevitable that they will be in college at some point. They should know their limits and understand the consequences that can happen if they go beyond that limit. If they get too drunk and don’t remember their actions, it can lead to some devastation the next day. Drinking is okay if they understand all this and can practice it safely in social settings.
Finding Like-Minded Friends
As a young woman, it is so important to find like-minded friends to stick around. With family further away, creating your own community of friends and support is extremely crucial to a happy college life. Friends can be there to listen, help you, and share fun activities with. During college, having good friends for your daughter is critical! Tell her to remain authentic to herself and she will surely find friends like her, that could potentially be friends for life!
Take Time To Visit Family
It’s certain that you and your family will miss your college student. Try to plan some time for her to visit home and spend some family time throughout the year. People get busy and family time can get away from them. You can try planning a fun family vacation or special event when everyone is together again. The good thing is that your daughter will get holidays off based on the school schedule and most likely summers too– therefore, planning family time during these seasons is best!
