This semester looks different at almost every college in the nation. As each school attempts to find ways to educate their students in the midst of a pandemic, there are students studying fully on campus, fully at home, studying in hybrid modes and just about everything in between. Some schools are already well into their semester, some haven’t yet begun their year yet, and many have had to pivot from their original plans.
All of this means that your student has already had to adapt and adjust to new ways of doing college. Whether your student is a brand-new first-year student or a veteran sophomore, junior or senior, the approach to college this year is a first for everyone.
As a parent, you worry first about whether your student will remain healthy, but you may also worry about how your student will fare with all of these new ways of learning. We all want our students to succeed.
If your student is studying remotely this semester, they don’t have access to the usual on-campus ways of finding support and contacting professors. But even those students who are on campus may find restricted in-person contact with services and faculty.
We’d like to offer a collection of articles that share tips and suggestions for you to discuss with your student. Whether your student is a new college student or a returner, help them think about what they can do, however they find themselves learning this semester, to assure that they are doing their best work and making the most of this new learning environment.
Start by reminding your student of their ability to adapt and pivot to new situations.
Going with the Flow: Why Students’ Ability to Adapt Matters
15 Tips to Help You and Your Student Cope with Change
Help your student acknowledge and cope with potential stress and a range of emotions.
Talking to Your College Student About Stress
Help Your College Student Cope with Stress
Is Your Student ”Present” at College?
How Does Your College Student Feel? Four Keys to Emotional Intelligence
Lost in Transition: In the Midst of COVID Worries, Student Still Need to Adjust
Help your student lay the foundation for making the most of the semester
Does Your College Student Know How to Advocate for What They Need?
Helping Your Student with Goal Setting — and Action Plans
Help Your Student Make Good Study Habits Stick
Managing Time, Managing Self: College Student Challenge — Part 1
Managing Time, Managing Self: College Student Challenge — Part 2
Talk to your student about making wise academic choices
7 Actions Your Student Should Take Now to Make This the Best Semester Ever
Helping Your Student Increase Their Chances of Success
9 Poor Decisions You Hope Your College Student Will Avoid
Is Your College Student Spending Enough Time Studying?
How Doing One Thing Might Help Your College Student
Remind your student that they don’t need to do this alone. Help them think about working with others.
Why You Should Encourage Your Student to Use Their College E-mail
Tutoring Can Help Your College Student Succeed: 12 Reasons to Start Early
The Delicate Balance of Support and Self-Reliance
In ”normal” times, students make mistakes and get help, they interact naturally with faculty members and other students, and they learn success through many of these interactions. This year, your student may need a bit more guidance from you. Of course, we need to be careful not to hover, but offer some suggestions and then let your student take it from there.
You, and your student, and all of us will get through this.
