Adjusting to changes in life is something that every student has faced at some point. Transition from high school life into college can be quite shocking. For many of our readers, particularly for new freshmen, this past quarter provided them a great opportunity to “experience” Ohio State.

For some students it may have been more difficult than for others to adapt to changes and a new life. Any life change, whether positive or negative, produces stress. People’s responses to leaving home can include such pleasant feelings as happiness, excitement, and anticipation. At the same time, students may also react with confusion, worry, and feelings of sadness and loneliness. These are typical reactions and part of a significant transition to life at college that all of you have experienced first hand. Regardless of which group you relate to, there are certain things you can do to make your experience even better. Below are some tips to help you make a successful adjustment and continue your college life with the right attitude.

Involve Yourself—Identify and become an active member of a campus organization of your interest. At Ohio State you will find a wide range of social, academic, service-oriented, and religious organizations through which you can meet and collaborate with others with common interests or goals. Experts tell us that making a contribution in others’ lives has longer lasting positive effects (e.g., general sense of wellbeing) than rewarding yourself with things such as a new music CD or watching the latest movie. For a list of Latin@ organizations, check ¿Qué Pasa, OSU?’s website at http://quepasa.osu.edu.

Establish a Social Convoy—We all know that having friends enriches our lives and makes our challenges easier to face. When you think back on memorable experiences, they most likely involved friends. Make new friends and create lifelong memories.
Use Your Wisdom—When feeling overwhelmed, whether it be because of your transition to college life, academic demands, or a combination of multiple factors, rely on your previous successes as “templates” to face your new challenges. Ask yourself: How was I successful with similar challenges in the past? How did I feel, behave, or think then? How can I make use of these skills now?

Nurture Yourself—Attend to your social, emotional, physical, and psychological needs. Measure your success by maintaining a balance that allows you to meet your academic, social, and personal needs and interests. Exercise, dance, laugh with others, study hard, pray or meditate, maintain a healthy diet, and contribute to the well-being of others.

Get Organized—Be realistic when developing a schedule of daily activities. Include time for school demands, work (if any), sleep, relationships, and recreational activities. Start by setting small and measurable goals (e.g., I will write the first two paragraphs of my 5-page paper between 4 and 4:30 p.m. today; instead of, I will do some writing today) and creating “to do” lists and sticking to your plan.

Access Resources—Are you familiar with the Student Advocacy Center? How about the Counseling and Consultation Service? Multicultural Center? Wexner Center? RPAC? ... Not yet? ... What are you waiting for? Hundreds of friendly staff and faculty are ready to serve you and make a contribution in your college career. For more information on these offices and programs, see http://www.osu.edu.

Remember, if the going gets tough, consult a supportive professor, instructor, staff, or a bilingual counselor at Counseling and Consultation Service, (614) 292-5766 or visit its webpage at http://www.ccs.ohio-state.edu