How to Handle Moving Away from Your Support System for College

College is a new and exciting time in the life of an incoming freshman, but with all that excitement comes a whole flurry of various lifestyle changes. As a result, a new student can sometimes find themselves feeling overwhelmed, which could result in needing anxiety therapy or life transition counseling from a behavioral health services specialist. In order to make the transition a little easier, here are a couple of steps that new college students can take to make themselves more comfortable.

Make Sure The Move is Planned Out Beforehand

Packing at the absolute last minute is only going to add more stress to what is already an intense situation for many incoming students. Students should take the time to plan out the move beforehand, so they will feel less stressed out and less likely to need any kind of behavioral health services.

Take Inventory of Physical and Mental Health

While a student is adjusting to their new schedule, they should take the time to make note of their physical and mental health as time progresses. It is tempting to eat poorly, which can result in an unwanted weight gain and feelings of angst or isolation. If a student finds themselves in need of anxiety therapy or behavioral health services, further investigating life transition courses is a great way to allow for a further inventory of their mental and physical health. Life transition counseling is often available to those who need it in the form of courses that are open only to incoming freshmen.

Go Out and Make New Friends

It is important that an incoming student, the vast majority of whom are moving away from home for the first time, make new friends at their university. It is perfectly healthy to maintain connections with their support system back home, but a new support system must be implemented to ensure the student’s mental health and overall success. Activities they may want to consider include but are not limited to:

• Joining a club
• Joining an intramural sports team
• Volunteering on campus or within the community
• Starting an entirely new club on campus

These are all great ways to go out and get involved with members of their university, who are now a part of their new community. The majority of freshman will experience some variant of these feelings, so it will be easier for new students to relate to one another and help overcome these issues.

Failing to build a new support system could result in needing anxiety therapy, which should be provided by a professional who works in behavioral health services.

If a student finds themselves in need of mental health services and is based in the Chicago area, the thoughtful staff at Smith Psychotherapy Associates is always there to take their call. They can be reached at either their website or by phone at 847-824-8366.