Counseling for difficult life transitions with Empower Counseling: 3 tips for transitioning from High School to College.
Life transitions are periods of life in which we deal with great change. It is easy to stumble during these important times in life if you are not prepared.
There are so many aspects of change when transitioning between high school and college.
In high school you follow the rules you were instructed to follow by your parents or care givers, teachers, and others. By the time high school is over, most of us are absolutely excited about playing by our own rules. But be careful what you wish for. Yes, making your own rules can be exciting but it can also be nerve racking and create a great deal of anxiety.
In high school, your schedule was dictated by others for the most part. School from 8:00-3:00, then activities and homework, not necessarily in that order. In college, you are in charge of your schedule, and that can be on of the most difficult transitions of all….time management.
In high school, you lived under your parents’, or caregivers’ roof. They knew your comings and goings and where you were going to be, most or all of the time. That gave your parents, or caregivers, a certain amount of solace, and decreased their levels of anxiety-knowing where you were and who you were with. Now, in college, they do not know where you are and what you are doing, unless you are living at home or they an app on which you share your location.
These are only a few of the things in your life that change drastically when you leave high school and enter college.
Here are 3 tips for making a smooth transition from high school to college:
Counseling for difficult life transitions with Empower counseling: Tip #1: Be Clear About What You Value
When you begin creating your own rules for your life, how do you start? Start with what is important to you in life, what you value. If you become clear on what is important to you in life, and about your college experience, let that be your guide in establishing your own rules to live by. If you find yourself lost, and without a compass to find your way, reach out to Empower Counseling. We specialize in helping new college students like you find your way.
Tip #2: Manage Your Time Wisely
So this is another area in which it helps to be super clear on what you value. If you know exactly what you value, you know how you want to spend your time. If you know how you want to spend your time, then the next step is allocating your time accordingly. Good time management is integral to have a successful college experience. If you fall behind, it will create more stress and anxiety than you will know what to do with.
Tip #3: Create new Boundaries with your family members
This can be a tough one, especially if you happen to be the oldest of your parents’ children. Having your child go off to college can be especially traumatic for parents and caregivers. They might want to hold on too tight. They might want more connection, conversation, and say so over what you do than you want. Establishing boundaries in your relationships will also be key to having a smooth transition from high school to college.
If you are struggling in your transition from high school to college, reach out to Empower Counseling. Our male and female counselors are trained in Acceptance Commitment Therapy- a proven effective method for successful life transitions. Our counselors will help you gain clarity about what is important to you, help you with tools for successful time management, and the creation of comfortable boundaries with family members.
We also specialize in ACT for anxiety and depression for colleges students, teens, young adults and professionals. Call Empower today to set up your appointment 205-730-6570