University life coaching provides insights into the challenges each semester presents, allowing students to define and redefine priorities to achieve success.
Students, with the support of their parents, spend much of their young lives pursuing one goal – admission to a great university. Once admitted, the pressure eases briefly, but shortly it is time to create new goals and plan for future development. It is important to prepare students for the realities of university life beyond admissions brochures.
Wooing students to accept university offers is big business. Universities showcase their best, which may not be the everyday experience for all students. Further, our culture sends a strong message that “college is the best time of your life.” This might cause conflict for students who are not experiencing the best time of their lives. Setting realistic expectations, focusing on what matters, and discussing how to be resilient, from the start, is essential.
College provides students with both the independence and the responsibilities associated with living on their own. This experience also exposes students to a myriad of academic options and social distractions. Academically, major selection, internships, and participation in academic and recreational organizations are all important. In comparison to the high school roster, the options seem endless and the weight of these decisions feel far greater. Socially, students need to maintain good relations with roommates, create strong peer groups, and network to achieve future goals. All of these activities are mentally draining and are additions to the primary goal of academic excellence. Students may feel uncomfortable expressing concerns or missteps with their parents, who are so invested emotionally and financially in their success.
University life coaching, from an impartial adult, provides a safe space for students to share concerns without fear of disappointing anyone, gives students an opportunity to create a focused plan for success, and helps students maintain balance in their lives.
