4 Ways We Help Your Student Adjust to College

Your student is about to embark on a new journey – college! – and we are ready to help out with all of the challenges and adjustments that journey will bring.

Leaving home, finding new friends, tackling new and rigorous coursework – it all adds up to a lot of excitement but also a lot of changes. We know it’s a big step for young people, including your student, and we have plenty of resources in place to help our first-years find their way at Keene State.

Read on for four ways Keene State helps your student adjust to college life.

1. Academics: Whether your student needs help figuring out what to major in, finding a tutor for a specific subject, writing a research paper, or navigating the course catalog, we are ready to assist. Academic Advising, the Center for Research and Writing, the Math Center, and Aspire are great places to start.
2. Social life: For a student who is shy or just looking to find people with similar interests, Keene State has a myriad of clubs, service opportunities, and student organizations to take part in. Students can learn about all of the possibilities at the Student Activities Fair held early in the semester or at the Student Involvement office in the Student Center.
3. Health and Wellness: Our on-campus Wellness Center offers confidential counseling services for students. Dining services provides gluten-free foods, a vegan station, and food allergy management.
4. Living/Learning: Students who opt for a First-Year LLC, or Living/Learning Community, will find themselves surrounded by others with shared interests. LLC students take one class together and share a wing of the college’s newest dorm; through the LLCs, students can develop friendships and succeed academically.

Check out our Resources page for more ways Keene State helps students throughout their time at college.

You can help, too! Here are some suggestions from Brian Quigley, executive director of Keene State’s Wellness Center, on ways parents and guardians can support their student in navigating college life:

• Keep regular, positive contact – your student will appreciate your efforts to stay connected, whether by text, email, phone call, or care package.
• Encourage your student to connect with the college and the campus, and to take advantage of the resources offered. The most successful students are those who become part of college life and the campus community.
• Advise balance. Academics are a big part of college, but encourage your student to also schedule time for fun and for creative pursuits outside of studies.

College is a time of change for your student but also for your parenting relationship with your student, who is moving into adulthood. “The best approach is to figure it out as you go, be flexible, rely on open communication, and resolve conflicts in a collaborative fashion,” Quigley recommends.