College is the time in your child’s life to learn who they are, what they want to be, and ultimately gain their independence. But having your child live under a roof other than your own is never an easy adjustment. We understand the constant worries – are they taking care of themselves? Are they making safe decisions?
Though you may not be able to physically be there for them every day, there are still ways you can help keep them safe and healthy. Share these tips with your student to lead them towards making the right choices:
- Get adequate sleep
- Whenever possible, try to fit in a full night’s rest. Most people need 7-9 hours to feel completely rested, so do your best to stick to a schedule.
- Most importantly – avoid all-nighters. They are scientifically proven to hinder a student’s performance and impair your abilities.
- Prevent illness as adequately as possible
- It sounds obvious, but studies have shown that simply washing your hands can help prevent a large number of illnesses. Viruses and diseases spread rapidly in college settings. Be sure to take the necessary steps to avoid getting sick, such as vaccinations and check-ups.
- Avoid sharing beverages, wear flip flops in dorm showers, and drink lots of fluids. If you do get sick, don’t force yourself to class. Notify your professors and get to a doctor as soon as possible.
- Don’t overwhelm yourself
- Adjusting to a college lifestyle can be difficult. Practice time management and schedule your week out according to what’s most important. Understand that you can’t do everything – if you feel overwhelmed, take a break.
- Don’t be scared to ask for help. Whether it’s from a friend, parent or tutor, the best thing you can do is reach out for assistance. If you allow yourself to get run down you’ll hinder your studies and experience.
- Keep these other quick tips in mind:
- Don’t drink and drive – more likely than not, colleges provide a safe driving system with an emergency number to call.
- Never walk alone. Call a friend to pick you up, or use the same emergency number to have a university employee shuttle you back to your dorm.
- Get regular physical activity. This will help keep your mind working and your body healthy. Even if it’s only 30 minutes a day, the benefits are endless.
- Most importantly, have fun. Get out there, join clubs, and meet new people.
Sharing these tips with your student is just one way to provide them with the knowledge they need to keep them safe. There are other measures that you can take as a parent, such as talking to your Soucy Insurance Agent about insuring your child and their belongings while they are away. Call us today at 762-2218 to see what more you can do to protect them.
Parents – if your student is planning to come home from college for Columbus Day Weekend, be sure to bring them to this year’s Autumnfest with endless festivities starting Saturday, October 11th at 10:00am through Monday, October 13th at 6:15pm. Autumnfest is a great way bring together local people and businesses and shows how proud we all are to be part of this community.
We look forward to seeing you Columbus Day Weekend at the World War II Memorial Park for this year’s Autumnfest celebration!
For a detailed event schedule please visit www.autumnfest.org.
