Pre-College Anxiety

Marian
Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:33:25 +0000

Sometimes actually doing something helps.

Perhaps you could make a list of the things that you need to do before you leave and of the things that you are concerned about, and then make an effort to address as many of these things as possible.

For example:


Do you need to fill out health forms? Will this require a doctor’s appointment? If it will, you need to make that appointment and work with your parents to figure out how you’re going to get to the appointment (if you don’t have your own transportation).
What shopping do you need to do before you leave? Did your college provide a list of what to bring and what not to bring? What’s on the list that you don’t have?
Are you worried about living with a roommate? There are plenty of threads on CC and articles on the Internet with good advice about this situation, and if you have older friends who have lived with roommates, they may be able to provide advice. (If your parents went to college, they might have useful stories to tell, too.)
Are you worried about how you will handle non-routine situations at college – such as suddenly needing money that you didn’t anticipate needing, getting sick during the semester, or having your travel plans derailed by bad weather? You can get advice on how to handle these things from various threads on CC and from your college’s Web site, and your parents may have some ideas, too.
Are you concerned about making good choices of courses for your first semester? Your college’s Web site can be a big help with this. There is probably some good general advice for incoming freshmen, as well as information on how you can obtain more specific advice for your particular situation during or before Orientation.


What you’re feeling is perfectly natural, but driving other people nuts because of it is not a desirable way to respond. Making practical plans may work better.