Newsletter

First Year Newsletter - Transitioning Home After First Year

March 2023

Transitioning Home After First Year

As the academic year begins to wrap up, you may have mixed feelings about what to expect after exams are complete. Specifically, what is it going to be like having your student back home?

To help ease the transition, consider discussing any personal expectations and responsibilities that may have changed since last fall. Many students can find it confusing when they are encouraged to manage themselves independently while at university, only to be expected to adhere to the same guidelines they had in high school once they return home. In some cases, family rules may need to be renegotiated. Encourage open dialogue around each individual’s opinions and expectations, and what will work best for the family.

Some possible sources of conflict include curfews and bedtimes, chores, money, guests, changing or limited communication about where your student is going/when they will be back, different political ideas, and new career interests.

Sometimes families may be concerned that the values their student was raised with will be forgotten in the university experience. It can be challenging to watch your student explore new ways of thinking, believing, or acting, but these activities are important for your student’s development and sense of autonomy.

Emerging adults often see themselves both as separate from, and a part of, their family. Your student’s exposure to diverse ideas may inspire them to explore different philosophies, but individuals generally gravitate back to their core values as they mature. One advantage of experimenting is that your student will learn a great deal in the process, and even more through managing the outcomes of their decisions.