Bob and Sue Harvey spent nine years as resident fellows in a dormitory at Sanford and in their book Virtual Reality and The College Freshman, they write "The Freshman often faces an identity problem during the first semester." College is a more pressured environment than it used to be, in part because the academic gap between high school and college has increased. Many college freshmen have never had to make independent decisions about sex, drugs and alcohol. Most don't know how to manage their time or money. They often feel lonely and overwhelmed, resulting in anxiety and depression.
Nancy Corbin, director of clinical service for student-counseling (咨询) services at Iowa State University, says her office is seeing a significant increase in requests for counseling from freshmen who are having trouble making the adjustment to college life. She says older teenagers increasingly lack the skills to deal with personal problems that aren't easily defined or fixed. And they get homesick but have a hard time admitting it.
Parents and high schools can make things easier on freshmen by preparing them differently. For example, by teaching them to budget their hours and dollars. The Harveys think high schools should offer a college-life course. "Parents need to focus more on relationship and personal issues and less on how many sheets and towels to take," they say. Many homesick freshmen think they'll be regarded as failures if they come home before Thanksgiving. So parents can help by letting them know they're welcome to return if they feel the need. In the meantime, parents have to find new ways to keep in touch with their college kids. One of the best ways is e-mail. It's less unpleasant and less expensive than constant phone calls and is more likely to be answered than a handwritten letter.
