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The summer before starting college is a big time. Many students and families are pondering the question: “What steps can we take right now to help support being mentally healthy in college?” Here are four practical steps and two more philosophical steps to take right now to improve wellness and success in college:
1. Get all medical paperwork done in a timely manner. Sign off on HIPAA forms if everyone agrees, so families can be aware of students’ treatment if they want that extra support.
2. Don’t reinvent the wheel if current therapy is working. See if the practitioner is willing (or able, legally) to continue the treatment either in person or from a distance depending on the situation. Continue medication if it is working. College is not the time to experiment. The best time to taper off meds is a period of time that is less stressful, such as the summer, and should only be attempted with the blessing and monitoring of medical staff.
3. Find a new practitioner who is off-campus before starting school, if current therapy can’t be continued for whatever reason. This can take some time and effort but will help prevent a last-minute scramble. The on-campus counseling office is a good source for names of local practitioners who work well with college students. Set up pharmacy accounts before starting school. Some colleges are well equipped to act as the pharmacy for students, but will need appropriate paperwork. They are usually very clear about this on their health website.
4. Create a safety plan if there have been struggles with serious mental health issues or suicidal ideation in the past. Discuss and even write out personal red flags, such as changes in behavior or isolation, so that the students and families have a shared understanding. Setting up care resources on campus before classes (and stress) start is a reassuring step—so that students have a safety plan that is ready and actionable.
5. Adopt a growth mindset, which builds resilience and decreases stress. As the psychologist Carol S. Dweck describes it, people with a “fixed mindset” avoid challenges, give up in the face of obstacles, believe that effort is fruitless, ignore criticism, and are threatened by the success of others. Meanwhile, people with a “growth mindset” take the opposite approach:
- They embrace challenges.
- They persist when faced with obstacles.
- They believe that effort is what leads to mastery.
- They learn from criticism.
- They are inspired by the success of others.
6. Prioritize a variety of friendships and community building. Review your college’s website and become familiar with the student-led groups, affiliation groups (either identity or religion), and campus events and traditions. Though it is understandable to focus on studies and career success, it may end up backfiring if students are lonely. Both mental health and college success improve when we are connected and feel we belong.
It can be a challenge to approach the newness of college, but a little preparation will go a long way. Families may likely be having a parallel learning curve with getting used to a college student being away from home and gaining independence. Researcher and author Brené Brown calls this FFT “Effing First Time” to help cope with being a beginner. It helps to take the long view and know that being new at college won’t last forever.
