Getting your children ready for college is an exciting step – It’s the next part of their journey to further education! But, with all the excitement that surrounds going to college, there are bound to be nerves, with your children feeling more emotional as the time to go to college approaches.

The sooner you start getting prepared for college, the less stressful it will be as college approaches – although we are afraid we won’t be able to remove all the nerves, as this is very natural. Things to consider that will help your children include getting them to apply for their student loans, encouraging them to get involved with social groups (as this will help them make friends) and helping them with different independent skills, such as cooking, finances and managing deadlines.

Below, we have put together a guide on getting your children ready for college. Keep on reading to learn more and discover some simple tips and tricks.

Researching social groups

Joining social groups before or shortly after arriving on campus is one of the best ways for your children to make friends and settle in. By meeting people with similar interests as you, it’s easier to bond and create a friendship – especially when you are completely new. Most colleges will have an online platform which you can log into, which will share all their socials. A social could be anything from a sports team, to a reading group or a games hangout – at college, everyone is different, which makes it perfect for discovering new hobbies.

Helping with independent skills

As you can imagine, college encourages your children to be independent and do a lot of things on their own. Whether it’s cooking, looking after their finances, staying on top of deadlines or being clean, there are a lot of independent skills which they will suddenly be responsible for. The best thing to do before they go is to start preparing them for this. Spend some time teaching them easy recipes that they can follow, as well as helping them set up the right bank accounts – we are sure there will be plenty of times when they are asking to borrow money.

Exploring the area where their college is

If possible, spend a day or two staying in a hotel near their college and exploring the area. If they are moving away for college, this can be a good opportunity to explore their new home area together and get to know where is safe to go and the areas they should avoid. Familiarise yourself with shops nearby (especially the supermarkets) as well as transport routes, such as the bus stops and station. If you can’t stay in the area before they start, the second-best thing is to spend an evening on Google Maps, exploring the area together.

Stay connected (but give them space)

When college starts, it’s natural for you to want to get in touch with your children to see how they are doing – every parent does. The trick is to stay connected, but give them space at the same time. Staying connected helps your children feel supported, but it’s equally important to give them space to grow and become independent, plus they may find it annoying if you contact them too much. Depending on your relationship, try to set up a regular catch-up time, but don’t make it too strict, such as on a Sunday evening, where you can share how your week has been.

Staying healthy

Your overall health is very important as the healthier you are, the easier you are going to find studying, focusing and feeling positive. When at college, it’s important that your children’s health doesn’t deteriorate due to you not being there to support them. Encourage them to maintain a balanced diet, get regular exercise, and make time for rest. Remind them that self-care isn’t a luxury, it’s essential for both physical and mental wellbeing. If possible, it can be useful to register them with their local doctor as well as familiarise themselves with where the hospital is (in case of an emergency).

Organising finances early

We touched on finances above, under the independent skills section, but we think it’s important to dive into it more. Managing money is so important, especially when you go to college. Being independent, they will need to spend their money on food, drinks, sports, equipment, socialising and more.

Before they start, help them set up a student bank account and go through the essentials of budgeting – especially for things like food (otherwise they will be on the phone to you asking to borrow money). Encourage them to download an app which tracks their spending, as this can be very helpful, as well as putting budgeting spreadsheets together – spreadsheets are particularly useful as they will probably be using these a lot in college and later in life when they start working a full-time job. Don’t forget to check whether they’re eligible for bursaries, grants, or part-time work opportunities that could make college life more affordable. A lot of students work a part-time job while at college, as this helps with their independence.

Getting your children ready for college is a big step for both you and them. You are bound to be nervous for them, and of course, they will be nervous themselves (even if they deny that they are). By getting them prepared as soon as you can, you will be doing your bit to make that whole experience a little easier – even if they don’t realise it.  We hope your children have a great time at college. For a lot of people, college is one of the best times of their lives.

What things have you already started doing to prepare them for college? Which of the above tips do you think are most important? Is there anything missing in our guide on getting your children ready for college that you think we should be adding? Let us know in the comment box below. We look forward to hearing from you.

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