Counseling for College Students: Everything You Need To Know!
College is an exciting time. You’re tasting a sense of freedom and independence for the first time. It’s a time to grow and develop outside of the environment you grew up in. However, many college students experience a sense of “culture shock” when they enter campus life. They are adjusting to roommates, increasing school work, changes in academic performance, new friendships, relationships, and so much more. If you’re an international student, that may come as a double "cultural shock". You’re becoming accustomed to college and the US for the first time perhaps. This can cumulatively take a toll on your mental health and leave you struggling to move forward. At Repose Therapy, we see the magnitude of the many challenges you face. Whether you’re at NYU, Columbia, FIT, Sarah Lawerence, Barnard, SVA, Julliard, or Yeshiva, online therapy is a great place to start to get that extra support.
Common Stressors College Students and International Students Face
Addiction
Realizing one’s Queerness
Questions around gender identity
Money management
Body image issues
Anxiety
Depression
Imposter Syndrome
Performance Anxiety
Creating boundaries
Time management
Impact of Being a College Student
This is in a sense your first taste of independence. However, students are often surprised by the increased workload, lack of guidance, complications of living with a stranger, and the temptations of new experiences. The truth is no one prepares you for the high pressures college puts on you and how to navigate your health. Many students pull all-nighters, experiment with alcohol, and struggle to adjust. This can lead to problems with sleep, difficulty in crafting meaningful relationships, and figuring out who you are in this new environment. However, college is also a place to grow and discover yourself. You may develop lifelong friendships or discover a hidden talent. Opportunity is around every corner.
Impact of Being an International College Student
The truth is being a new student in a new country is a whole new experience and stressor. Change is complicated for everyone but particularly for folks who have this added stressor. Despite some universities offering support for international students, the scope of support offered is often limited. Living away from home and missing connection with family is a stressor that adds to the already complex nature of being in a new space. The stress of acculturation is also a unique experience that international students don’t get much support over. The US, while diverse, does a poor job supporting different cultures and experiences. Therefore international students have an increased amount of stress because they must also integrate to a new countries standards much faster. This can lead to isolation and an increased sense of feeling homesick. That's why our therapists place such a high emphasis on inclusion and diversity in our therapy practice. We offer international online therapy and South Asian Therapy. See how we can support you!
Academic Stress
Academic stress is completely natural when you’re beginning school. We would like to think that high school prepares students for the real college experience. However, it doesn’t. Many students go into college expecting to be top of the class, but end up dealing with performance anxiety, adjusting to each professor’s new demands, and trying to manage other areas of their health. College can be stressful. And it is important not to let academic pressures get the better of you.
You may feel isolated in this experience. I mean everyone else seems to have a handle over it. Right? Truth be told there is probably not a single college student who hasn’t felt some degree of academic stress. The pressure to be at the top of the class, to get the attention of the professors, and to get good recommendation letters is a stressor in and of itself. On top of managing yourself and your scholarships, or work.
Dating Anxiety
Dating is an interesting journey in college. The pandemic has changed how we interact romantically with people. Dating apps are everywhere and college involves new contacts. Here is the thing, taking the first step to begin dating is frightening. For example, you may be considering the fear of making a good first impression, making yourself seem interesting, navigating conversations, planning the date, and everything in between may keep you from reaching out. Additionally, just putting yourself out there not knowing if you will be accepted or rejected can increase anxiety. Perhaps, you're an individual who is used to doing everything yourself. This may have created walls and barriers that you need help with. So whether you’re new to dating, coming fresh out of a relationship, or have been struggling with convincing yourself to get out there, dating anxiety can hold you back from meeting a person that can complement your already established lifestyle. However, it is possible to find peace in this new journey.
Peer Related Stress
College is challenging when there are so many new things to learn and try. Many students come to college and are exposed to the partying lifestyle, alcohol, all-nighters, and so on. Students may feel the pull to fit in and experiment with these activities to be a part of the crowd. However, this can have a massive impact on how they perform at school.
Let’s Talk About Travel and Post College Stress
After-school life is something that brings stress to college students. Some students know exactly where they are going next. A job, back home, or to grad school. However many individuals leave with a sense of isolation, loss, and confusion. You’re now an adult. You should have it all together. Right? The truth is life after school looks different for everyone. This can add stress to students because when they do not feel like they have it “figured out”, they may wonder what was the point. Was all of this stress and hard work worth it?
Many students also worry about returning home. For students in the US, the uncertainty means they may have to return home. This means that they’ll be back with family and worried about every getting out or readjusting to their parent’s standards. For international students, the change of visa status weighs heavily on them. Will they be approved to come back to the US during breaks, will they be able to enter the US again if they go back to school, or will they be able to find work after school ends. School prepares you for where you are currently and not always for where you're going. Often students feel unprepared about the next steps. It’s weird how after being in the microcosm of the university for four years, you are thrown into the real world and expected to function. Many students are faced with the disappointment of job availability, pay, taking care of themselves for the first time, and so on.
The importance of working with an online therapist who understands
At Repose Therapy, we meet with college students from all walks of life because we know how challenging college transitions are and what life after school can be like. We have clinicians who are multilingual, multicultural, immigrants, queer, POC/BIPOC. It’s important for us that you feel heard and seen in the therapeutic space because this may be the one hour per week where you’re able to focus on yourself. Therefore, we are there to be with you and equip you with tools that matter. Whether that means alerting you to government resources for international students or teaching helpful time management techniques, we can support you!
How We Can Help You Thrive in College, Returning Home, and After School is Done?
Not only is college a great place to gain important memories, but you’re getting a chance to understand who you are. It’s a place for growth and new challenges. The college has so many good opportunities and if you’re being held back by the stress of a new transition, then it’s time to get you started in therapy. Repose clinicians have extensive experience in working with college students. We work with students in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Plus we can also cater to international students.
Know that you matter, no matter where you are coming from. Our team of highly skilled clinicians receives rigorous training and supervision to make sure you have the best support. We offer a variety of modalities to make sure you’re getting the best help possible. Plus, our multidisciplinary team is built on a shared ethos of being trauma-informed. For you to be heard, we know that there may be trauma that impacts your mental health, therefore, we remain aware so we can provide the individualized support you need session to session.
Our Unique Approach to Counseling for College Students at Repose
A big part of our therapy approach is our focus on holistic wellness. This matters because we are more than our minds. We are fully functioning individuals. Therefore taking care of health and wellness from all dimensions of wellness matters. We have a studio integration that offers services such as art therapy and dance movement, yoga therapy, somatic experiencing, and more. Sometimes when we are experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, or trauma, it can be deeply rooted in our body. Rather than ignoring these issues and doing regular psychotherapy, we can integrate creativity and movement into your practice so you can understand your body and work through whatever is held in your body. If you’re unsure whether this would be helpful to you, talk to our client care specialist. We can help you understand what makes sense for you. Plus know that if you’re interested in our studio services, you don’t need to be a dancer, yogi, or artist. We will guide you the whole way through.
CONNECT WITH US to learn more about therapy for young adults.