Attending university is a time of excitement and change, but university life can also feel demanding and sometimes overwhelming. Students away from home for the first time may find they are homesick and miss the close support of their family and friends. International students may find it challenging to adjust to a new culture.

Encourage your student to:

• Establish a new routine
• Prioritize academic and personal needs
• Manage personal expectations
• Become more independent

While ups and downs are a normal and necessary experience, students may exhibit signs of distress as concerns accumulate. Warning signs that may indicate your student could benefit from help:

• Isolation from family or friends
• Dependence on others
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Behaviours that are out of character

Getting started after Orientation Week will help eliminate issues of falling behind, even at the beginning. It is important for students to understand how quickly the learning begins, and the necessity of attending class, doing readings, and keeping up with assignments.

Encourage your student to set regular homework times, to create summaries and to do practice questions. Looking at the big picture and understanding concepts rather than memorizing will help students apply the information needed.

• Be supportive and encouraging. Show concern and try to understand their struggles as you are a safe place for them to go. Often uninterrupted listening will help your student feel cared about and more confident about what to do.
• Encourage their independence by letting them learn to cope with the new environment, experience the situation at their own pace, and take responsibility for their own education.
• Ask your student about their experiences. Check in regularly but accept that you may not be told every detail about their life. Remind them that change can often feel stressful because the outcome is unknown, but they are not alone.
• Encourage your student to seek out support services.

• Remind them that there is still time to do well on the final exam.
• It is common amongst students to discuss how the exam went. Negative comments can result in an increase in anxiety and a tendency to second guess their own ability. Remind your student they should wait to receive their mark before jumping to conclusions.
• If your student did not do well on the exam, encourage your student to speak with their professor or to reach out to an Academic Advisor or Counsellor by booking an appointment on the Commerce Portal.

• Encourage your student to make an appointment with an Academic Advisor to discuss his/her options. Appointments can be made on the Commerce Portal.
• Remind your student that it is common for students to change their minds and reassure them that there may be other options. It is better to address their concerns earlier!
• Allow your student to make mistakes and choices even if it is not your desired result.
• Encourage your student to visit the Fields of Studies website for tips, suggestions, resources and ideas to help them decide.

• It may be a result of your student feeling out of place because they are used to being at the top of their class and now they are surrounded by peers with a similar experience.
• It could be because they are experiencing a 10-20% drop in grades in comparison to high school which is common for first year students. This can be very stressful.
• They may be worried that they will disappoint you (the parent). Feelings of guilt and shame are common. If your student is having some difficulty adjusting, they may not be comfortable sharing this with you.
• Provide encouragement and have honest conversations about the concern. Try opening the dialogue with general questions around their experience and focus on allowing your student to take the lead and feel listened to.
• Encourage your student to meet with an Academic Advisor in the Commerce Office to discuss their concerns and/or meet with their professors to get feedback on assignments, projects and exams.
• Suggest that your student meet with a Learning Strategies Advisor in Student Academic Success Services.
• Remind your student that you support them. Believe that your student will succeed – and tell them.

Suggest that they speak with their Don who can help students learn to let go of small things, express their concern on troublesome issues, and seek cooperation on solving the key issues.

• Suggest that they treat school as a full-time job and schedule in their “work hours” so they can plan to have enough time for each class. It is also important to schedule in social and personal time as well.
• Encourage them to set goals and priorities. Not all assignments are equal and they may find some courses more difficult and require more time.
• Suggest that they consider making a weekly schedule with daily to-do lists, writing down all due dates and necessary readings in their planner or on their calendar.
• Encourage them to create and revise a study schedule for midterms and final exams.
• Suggest that they reduce distractions such as phones when studying.
• Suggest that they plan short breaks (10 – 15 minutes) and use a work/reward system to help with motivation.
• Help them realize that no one can do everything and that they should pay attention to what helps them feel fulfilled and happy while creating priorities.