How to Navigate the Start of the School Year

The start of a new academic year can be both exciting and challenging for students. The top challenges include: time management, social challenges, sleep, and stress. Here are some tips to help support your student in these areas:

1. Encourage your student to know their limits and set realistic expectations regarding their academics and co-curricular activities. Encourage your student to decide what matters most and what matters least, and then to prioritize and adjust their daily schedule accordingly.
2. Making new friends and establishing connections to build community is important. However, too much social interaction can become a distraction and too little can lead a student to feel isolated. Encourage your student to seek balance and set appropriate boundaries by choosing a combination of campus involvement along with quiet time to rest and rejuvenate.
3. Many students sacrifice sleep for a combination of study and social time.Without proper sleep, students may become susceptible to physical and emotional health challenges. Encourage your student to learn about the importance of sleep and healthy sleep habits. Hint: There are free handouts in the Counseling and Consultation Services (CCS) office in Clare Hall to guide them in developing these!
4. Check in with your student regularly about how they are feeling and their overall level of stress. Encourage them to seek out support resources on campus that can assist them with managing stress. Hint: Professionally trained counselors in CCS are available to support students, help them learn healthy coping mechanisms and get them back on track as quickly as possible.

We are here to help your students navigate their journey at Marian—tell them to stop by Counseling and Consultation Services office in Clare Hall anytime!