Graduating high school and moving onto post-secondary education is a huge milestone full of new experiences; meeting new people, making new friends, and starting a brand new routine.
Transitioning to College and University life can include moving into a residence, a shift that can be an exciting experience. It can also cause a great deal of anxiety.
Below we offer a few tips and tricks that can help make the transition to dorm life that much smoother. Wondering what those tips are? Keep on reading!
1) Social Life and Schoolwork Balance
When living on your own for the first time, you are faced with many new responsibilities, which can be overwhelming.
On the one hand, you want to stay on top of your work. But at the same time you want to make new friends and feel like part of this new and exciting dorm community.
The key is to maintain a strong social life and schoolwork balance. Once you get a better understanding of your new schedule, you can plan activities accordingly.
2) A Good Sleep Schedule
Some people can take longer than others to get used to a new routine, a new bed, and a new environment.
Studies show that young adults should be getting 8 hours of sleep every night. Getting a good nights sleep is one of the best things you can do for your mood, mind, and mental health.
3) Attend Classes and Stay On top of School Work
Most schoolwork is done outside of class. As such, it is important to stay on top of your assignments and readings. Simply attending your classes is not enough.
4) Stay Active!
An active and healthy body feeds an active and healthy mind. And many schools provide free or extremely discounted gym memberships. This gives you the perfect opportunity to stay active and make new friends at the same time.
Working out even a few times a week can increase your energy, mood, and physical health.
We hope you find these suggestions helpful. Do you have any additional tips? Let us know in the comments section.
Alter, Stuckler & Associates are a team of registered psychologists and a social worker that provide compassionate psychological care. We have provided service to individuals, couples and families from Thornhill, Markham, Vaughan and throughout the Greater Toronto Area for more than 30 years. Have a question for our team? Contact us today.
