Parents at Lake State

New Student Issues

Students preparing to dive into college for the first time may have a lot of things on their minds this summer, such as:

• Feeling sad about leaving established friends and family at home
• Concern about issues of “belonging” and finding a comfortable place on campus
• Excitement coupled with anxiety about making a fresh start
• Worry about academics being “hard” and beyond their abilities
• Thinking about what type of first impression they’ll make
• Concern about roommates and housing (if living on campus)
• Wondering what to pack and what to leave at home since space will be limited
• Possibly transitioning into a long-distance relationship or deciding to end a current relationship
• Financial worries—wondering if they’ll be able to make enough during the summer and also how much they’ll need to work once school begins
• What to expect during orientation and what questions to ask so they’ll be prepared for the fall semester