By Hongmarie Martinez, PsyD, Licensed Psychologist | Behavior Therapy Associates | Somerset, New Jersey
With summer winding down and the start of a new school year ahead, there can be a range of emotions that set in as you start to prepare for a new semester. Whether you’re a first-year student just beginning the college journey or a senior who is finishing up their last few semesters, starting a new school year can certainly stir up feelings of stress and anxiety along
with feelings of excitement about what’s to come. Regardless of where you are in your college trajectory, there are healthy mindsets, habits, and actionable steps that can be taken early on and throughout your semester to help promote your academic success and overall well-being. For first-year college students, it can be important to keep the following in mind as you start your first semester:
- Know your feelings are valid. It’s completely okay and normal to feel nervous or overwhelmed starting college. After all, you’re in a new environment with a variety of significant changes and unknowns occurring simultaneously in areas such as independence, social relationships, academics, identity, and career exploration. The anticipation of these new changes can also be thrilling for many. Going to college can be a major life transition, so it makes sense to feel big emotions – both unpleasant and positive ones. Remember, many of your peers are also likely feeling how you are too.
- Set realistic expectations for yourself. Taking into consideration the above, give yourself plenty of time to adjust and find your groove. Feeling homesick is normal, finding “your people” and social niche doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s okay if you and your roommate aren’t best friends. Getting yourself oriented to the campus and a new schedule/routine can also take time. Rather than putting pressure on yourself to have everything figured out right away, set manageable and realistic goals for yourself each day that will help you get acclimated.
- Be mindful of the social comparison trap. In the era of social media, it can be easy to go down the rabbit hole of social comparisons. For example, you might see one of your friends from home posting pictures on Instagram with their new college friends. That can make one start to think, “Why haven’t I made any friends yet? What’s wrong with me?” However, people can adjust to aspects of the college experience at different rates for a variety of reasons, and it doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong or are “behind” if someone else appears to be further along. Also, keep in mind that social media posts may only provide a brief snapshot rather than someone’s entire experience. For both first-year students and those returning to campus, the following tips may be helpful to
carry you into your semester: - Create an organizational system for yourself. Before the semester kicks off into high gear, orient yourself to your class schedule, syllabi, and deadlines for the semester. Identify what works for you to keep track of your daily schedule and due dates. Organizational systems can include an agenda planner, a whiteboard, or a calendar to name a few; some may prefer the traditional paper/pencil approach while others may opt to utilize their smart phones and have an electronic system such as through Google calendars. Post-its and the smartphone notification reminders and alarms can also be useful. It can be beneficial to record in advance your class schedule, upcoming assignments, and exam dates to help you plan out your days and weeks and stay on track.
- Create a routine and try to stay consistent with it. After you have a sense of what your academic schedule looks like for the semester, it can be helpful to identify where in your schedule you can fit in meeting your basic needs, such as eating your meals and sleeping. It can be easy to miss meals and quite tempting to stay up late in college, but being consistent with fueling your body with routine mealtimes and sleep schedules can do wonders for your mental and physical health and in turn, your academic performance. You may benefit from intentionally scheduling and having reminders for yourself with your eating and sleep routines as well.
- Locate your work space. Identify where you work best and are most likely to be productive – perhaps it’s a particular spot in the student center or maybe at the library. Are you someone who needs to be free of noise in their environment to maximize focus or do you work best in the company of others to help hold yourself accountable? Explore different settings to determine where you may thrive best. If possible, avoid working in your bed and restrict it to sleep!
- Get involved on campus. Many colleges and universities have an involvement fair at the start of every semester where you can learn about your school’s extracurricular activities, such as sports teams, clubs, and organizations to join. By getting involved, this can open the door to meeting new people, finding your community, and engaging in your interests. This may mean stepping outside of your comfort zone, but remember again, many of your peers are also in the same boat and looking to connect too.
- Find a balance. While it may be easier said than done, try your best to strike a balance of devoting time to your academics while also carving out leisure time, whatever that looks like for you. Making time for only one or the other may be detrimental to either your academic success or your mental health. Also, consider intentionally penciling in your leisure time on your “to-do” list or in your planner or calendar.
- Identify campus resources and support and don’t hesitate to use them. Become familiar with the types of academic supports your school offers, such as tutoring services, your dean/advisor’s office, and career services center. Becoming acquainted early on with the academic services offered may reduce some of the stress later if you need to utilize them. In addition, many college campuses have mental health counseling centers (some offer services free of charge). It can be helpful to locate ahead of time where these resources are as well.
Navigating college and adulthood can include a variety of stressors and mental health difficulties. Don’t hesitate to seek out your school’s services if you are in need of mental health support. When in doubt, you can search online and usually find many of these resources on your school’s website.
While starting your first semester of college or returning back to campus can be a lot to navigate and juggle, settling into the new semester can be made easier when these wellness mindsets and habits are implemented from the start. And remember, if you start to feel unsure of how to address your academics or mental health, you don’t have to figure it out all by yourself either.
If you need more individualized assistance, feel free to contact Behavior Therapy Associates.
Behavior Therapy Associates is proud to provide comprehensive services throughout New Jersey (including South, Central, and North Jersey) and Pennsylvania. We also provide telepsychology services under the Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT) to more than 25 states throughout the United States. Click here for to see if your state is included: https://psypact.site-ym.com/page/psypactmap
Hongmarie Martinez, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist in New Jersey and New York and a certified school psychologist in New Jersey. She works at Behavior Therapy Associates in Somerset, New Jersey. Dr. Martinez has the authority to practice interjurisdictional telepsychology (APIT) from the PSYPACT commission, allowing her to provide telepsychology to clients in many states. She can be reached at hmartinez@BehaviorTherapyAssociates.com and at www.BehaviorTherapyAssociates.com.
