Freshman Year Transition: Tips for Students and Families’ College Journey

Sending your child off to college is a milestone filled with pride and excitement but also anxiety. Whether you’re a parent letting go or a student stepping into independence, this transition brings emotional highs and lows. As a licensed therapist who has worked almost 20 years with college students I understand the complexity of this season. As both a licensed therapist and a mom who sent her own children to college, I understand the complexity of this season. So, let’s talk about how families and students can navigate the freshman year in a way that supports mental, emotional, and academic wellness.

1. Normalize the Nerves

For students: It’s okay to feel nervous, homesick, or overwhelmed during the first few weeks. College is a major life shift. Give yourself grace to adjust.

For families: Reassure your child that these feelings are normal, not signs of failure or weakness. Listen more than you fix.

2. Plan for Mental Wellness, Not Just Academic Success

College life is stressful. High expectations, new social settings, and being away from your support system takes a toll. Encourage (and normalize) the use of on-campus counseling services, peer support groups, and wellness resources. Add mental health check-ins to the same list as class schedules and financial aid deadlines.

3. Don’t Underestimate Life Skills

Freshmen who thrive aren’t only academically prepared, they’re life prepared. Make sure your student knows how to:

• Do laundry
• Avoid common distractions
• Manage a budget (yes, including that meal plan and DoorDash addiction!)
• Set boundaries with roommates and friends
• Advocate for themselves with professors and advisors

Parents, now is the time to coach, not control. The goal is empowerment, not perfection.

4. Establish a Communication Rhythm

Will you talk daily? Weekly? Text only? Set clear expectations on how you’ll stay in touch. Students need space to grow, and parents need to know their child is okay. Find a rhythm that works for both of you.

5. Support Without Smothering

College is about becoming a responsible adult. It’s tempting to jump in when things feel hard but resist the urge to “fix” everything. Mistakes equal growth. Encourage resilience. Listen without judgment. Let your child learn true responsibility.

6. Get Familiar with Campus Resources

Students should know:

• Where the health center is
• How to contact campus safety
• Where to go for tutoring or academic help
• Who their advisor is and how to schedule a meeting

Knowing where to turn in a time of need before a crisis hits is empowering.

7. Honor the Emotional Rollercoaster

This is a season of change for both students and families. You may feel joy, grief, pride, and fear sometimes all in the same day. That’s normal. Let yourself feel it all.

8. Create a Support Network for You and Them

Students: Try to get involved. Attend orientation events, join a student organization, or be welcoming by greeting everyone you see.

Parents: Connect with other college parents, a therapist, or supportive friends. This is a transition for you, too.

Final Thoughts…

Freshman year isn’t about knowing everything. It’s about learning, adjusting, stumbling, and rising. Whether you're a student or parent, take it one step at a time. Breathe. Grow. And know that you’re not alone on the journey.

Let this be a foundation, not a finish line. Here’s to new beginnings, stronger roots, and the beautiful mess of becoming.