With Freshers Week approaching in late September, it’s a time of change for students and their parents and families alike. It can feel exciting, but any type of change has the ability trigger anxiety, uncertainty, and stress, but of course it can also lead to feelings of relief, optimism, and personal growth.
Advice for parents
To support parents across the area our Change Talks Team has provided a video containing top tips to share with your teenage children ahead of Freshers Week. Please share this link so your children can benefit and get advice from the tips.
We know it can be a challenging time when young people leave home to go to university, and some parents may feel a sense of grief, loneliness or a loss of purpose. This is a natural psychological response to a significant life transition and can often involve sadness and anxiety about a child's wellbeing and the parent's own shifted identity.
To cope, parents are encouraged to acknowledge their feelings, rediscover personal interests, maintain connections with their children, and seek support from friends, and family.
Our NHS Talking Therapies Service is available to provide support should you need it, and if you live in East Lancashire our East Lancashire Child and Adolescent Service runs regular drop ins for young people and/or parents worried about their children.
Advice for young people
If you’re starting university, the big difference between life at school and college and life at uni, is the element of independence, especially if you move away from home. You’ll be meeting new people and making friends, and you can learn a lot from these new people in your life, from recipes to study skills. For some top tips listen to Dave from Change Talks who shares hints to help you enjoy and make the most of Freshers Week while staying safe at the same time.
Remember: if you’re worried about someone in crisis or if you are experiencing significant emotional or mental health distress, call 111 and select the mental health option. The service offers advice and support 24 hours a day if you are experiencing worry, anxiety or fear that you can't control, considering harming yourself, hearing voices or seeing things, or even finding yourself withdrawing from your friends or family. Support is always available and talking helps.
