Transition to college
The journey through college has many ups and downs, but it’s all part of the process. College is a turning point for many, in that people change quite a lot. Perhaps it is the feeling of fresh, young adulthood in which you learn to self-regulate and manage the different aspects of your life from classes and commitments to personal relationships and well-being.
Nazifa Anis, ‘26, believes college can be challenging as many students adapt to their new academic and social environment.
“They learn independence…time management and being the best…versions (of themselves),” said Anis. “I have learned to…take more responsibility for my academic success. I have also grown in my ability to communicate with new people effectively and collaborate with others.”
“Throughout college, I’ve learned the extreme importance of balance and prioritizing my health. As someone who struggles with mental health issues and is very involved on campus, I’ve had to learn how to manage my time while setting boundaries and taking care of myself,” said Becca Hebron, ‘24.
She hopes to use this lesson professionally as a mental health clinician to emphasize the importance of taking care of themselves with her clients.
Seven core tasks of development
If we want our natural development process to be fruitful, there is research out there that shows us which aspects of our personal health we should be focusing on. According to an article on the framework of psychosocial development medically reviewed by the Scientific Advisory Board of “Psych Central”, there are seven tasks of college student development. These are types of changes that students often go through in college:
- Developing competence
- Managing emotions
- Becoming autonomous
- Establishing identity
- Freeing interpersonal relationships
- Clarifying purpose
- Developing integrity
According to Rita Landino, contributor of “Psych Central”, applying this framework to a student’s path throughout college may be able to help them make more sense of what is often a turbulent time in their life. Which can help provide them with a more secure sense of self after college.
By using these seven tasks as a guide and setting goals to achieve them, college students can advance to the next stage of their lives successfully and seamlessly. After college, people tend to stick to their old, learned habits, and life can be monotonous thereafter unless you make an active change.
Growth in college and beyond
While college students learn and develop rapidly during this period, growth continues to happen over an individual’s lifetime. An important part is realizing that mental health takes precedence over other aspects of life, such as work or school. It’s crucial to take care of oneself to help reach full potential without burning out.
According to Ronald Stolberg, clinical psychologist at Alliant International University, college is a time to examine who you want to be, what your values are and what kind of people you want to surround yourself with.
In short, the transition into college can be stressful for many students as they adapt to a new academic and social environment. But while college students develop their character and skills in this short period of time, growth continues to happen over one’s whole life. Therefore, learning to take care of oneself so that they can reach their highest potential is crucial to healthy development in college and beyond.
