Congratulations, High School Grads!! 🏫
How have you celebrated your accomplishment?
You and your guardians deserve a moment to acknowledge this wonderful milestone. Congratulations!!
You are not alone in celebrating this monumentous occasion: around the country and globe.
Welcome to the new world of more independence, responsibilities, and young adulthood!
Although, we are excited for you we also know the challenges we faced and the challenges you’ll need to overcome during your next transition. With excitement and anxiety, we are here to help you make the most of your post high school graduation and life into young adulthood.
This article will provide an overview of the universal challenges we see facing young adults after high school, and we want you to be informed and have a few strategies to help you navigate through it with confidence.
Ready to dive in?
Understanding the common challenges
What do you feel is the most common challenges when transition post-high school?
There is NO right or wrong answer – the priorities and challenges you outlined are important and needs specific attention.
Don’t worry, we have you covered. If you don’t see them below, email me sim@balancedatlast.com
As you advanced through high school, you started taking on more responsibilities about your future. I’m sure you received the question, “what do you want to do?” “What’s your major?” “You need to be a [profession]” from an well-intentioned adult.
You navigated through those questions, maybe started wondering about them yourself, felt overwhelmed by the choices you’re having to make, maybe you are feeling anxious about making the right/wrong decision. Or maybe you have a clear vision of your future and the steps needed to achieve your goals. Or maybe, you’re feeling paralyzed by these options, inputs, and aren’t able to make a step forward. Or maybe, you’re focusing on the balance sheet, pro/con list, to make the best decision you need to make for your future.
OR worse, this article is making you concerned.
Don’t worry, we have you covered.
No matter how you’re feeling now, i want you to be aware that you’re in a great space and you’ll navigate through this – this is a part of the journey and challenge. Yet, we have you covered.
Let’s focus on your journey to college:
Have you ever wondered what makes college life so different from high school?
College often involves a faster academic pace and higher expectations (Smith, 2020). This can be a tough transition because the demands are higher, and the classes are more intense, some lasting 3 hours per class 2-3x per week. You’re getting a LOT of information in a short amount of time, and professors are demanding more self-learning methods.
For example, each professor has different teaching methodologies, some might be self-teach, where you have to teach yourself, some might be lectures that’s outside the book/chapter yet you’re suppose to have read the book/chapter and the lecture is supplemental, etc.
Thus, comes one of the first challenge:
Academic Preparedness
We have high confidence that you’ll do great in college. There’s no doubt about it, but there is a challenge of understanding the academic rigor, styles, campus life style, etc. that make the first couple of semesters more difficult.
Most students will see a drop in the GPA during their freshman year of college, and that’s mostly attributed to the following skills in need of attention:
- Time Management
- Social Integration
- Emotional Wellbeing
- Financial Literacy
I’m confident you have all these skills, but when you’re in a more independent environment, you’ll recognize you have to level up these skills, and that can cause challenges that you might not be unfamiliar. Sadly, due to this unfamiliarity most students see their GPA drop in the first year of college, which aids in self-defeating thoughts, “I can’t do this”, “this is too hard”, “I’m a bad student”, etc.
Your academic preparedness is an indicator of how well you’re adjusting and leveling up your skills. Similar to when you enter the workforce, you have to demonstrate those and additional skills so the employer understand you’re ready for additional responsibilities. College is an indicator of how you’ve developed these executive functioning skills.
* Now, while I’m generalizing in this blog. I know some of you might have additional challenges that may make it more difficult to level up or even recognizing that you’re life circumstances forced you to develop these skills ahead of your peers. Please note, this is not one size fits all, but a representations of a strong majority.
Time Management
” Once you have mastered time, you will understand how true it is that most people overestimate what they can accomplish in a year – and underestimate what they can achieve in a decade! ” – Anthony Robbins
If your academic performance is the indicator, your ability to manage time is your fuel to keep moving forward and getting as much done as possible.
You already have a time management skill, how well is it working for you?
I say this with confidence because you’ve met your deadlines, you’ve arrived on time, you’ve done many things during the past year that says you can and you know how to manage your time.
BUT – there is a big difference between managing time and being managed to getting things done.
Personally, I hated time management. I thought it was a waste of time to figure out how to manage time because the world and schedules are always flexible so why be rigid to the time when anything can/could happen. YET, every time I used the following methods, I was better, more prepared, confident, comfortable, and engaged. WHY?
It’s simple really, when I started recognizing how much time I needed to complete tasks, when my energy was getting low, and how to figure out my energy/time, I was more efficient and I didn’t have to wait around for the “right time”. Essentially, I hacked my brain to get things done faster and I enjoyed my social and leisure time more.
Developing a structured schedule that includes dedicated time for studying, attending classes, and social activities can make a big difference (Miller, 2022). There are countless apps and content out there to help you become better at time management. Don’t waste your time or energy.
Here are three things you can do that will forever change how you engage with time:
- Weekly Review and Planning
- Time Blocking
- Eisenhower Matrix
Time Management: Weekly Review and Planning
All I want you to do is block off 60 minutes on your Sunday evening, and another block of 30 minutes for your Friday afternoon.
On Sunday, I want you to put down ALL of your “to do” thoughts on a paper, computer, app, etc. This should take you less than 15 minutes. Then, I want you to group as many items together as possible.
For example, laundry, cooking, groceries, cleaning, etc. all of those goes into the choirs group. Studying, exams, homework, etc. goes into another group, etc. This should take you less than 5 minutes.
At this time, you’ve completed 20 minutes out of your 60 minutes. Pause here for a moment, and let’s talk about the next two things you can do to help with your time management.
Time Management: Time Blocking
Time blocking is where you block of a large amount of time on your calendar. Ideally, 2 hours, maximum 4-hour block is best. So, in a given day, you should have 8-12 time blocks total; eight hours (2 or 4 blocks) are dedicated to sleep. You don’t have to do the math, I got you covered.
The remaining 16 hours (6 – 8 blocks) are dedicated to whatever you want.
Well, there will be a few blocks for classes, social life, choirs, etc. (Remember the Groups from Weekly Review and Plan?) This is where those groups come in – once you created your groups from the “to do” list, the grouping will help you manage your time better. On Sunday, this should take you 20 minutes to complete, leaving you with another 20 minutes for Eisenhower Matrix.
Pro tip* Keep at least 6 hours of your day for recovery, rest, socializing, gaming, self-care, etc.
Pro tip* DO NOT overbook your time. When you start, you may struggle to gauge how many time blocks you need for each activity.
For example, I thought grocery shopping only takes me 1 hour, but going and coming back, plus putting everything it it’s place takes me about 2-3 hours.
This is why we keep 30 minutes on Friday afternoon to reflect back on the week to account for how many blocks were spent on each group of activities.
Now, lets focus on the last and one of the MOST important skills to develop.
Time Management: Eisenhower Matrix
Eisenhower Matrix is a way to prioritize your time and resources so you get the most out of your time. Prioritizing the groups of tasks weekly will help you manage your time better, reduce your stress and schedule conflict, and aid in your academic preparedness.
Let’s take a closer look at each Quadrants:
Q1 – This is the most important and urgent item that require your attention (ex. Homework, food, finances, etc.)
Q2 – This is important but you have time (ex. project, extra-curricular programs)
Q3 – This isn’t important but it needs to get done (ex. choirs)
Q4 – This is something that should be minimized (ex. unhealthy habits, procrastination)
The aim is to use 20 minutes on Sunday to prioritize the groups, and each items within the groups. (This becomes easier after the 3rd round)
That way you can schedule Q1s on Monday, maybe Tuesday, Q2s on Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday, Q3s on Thursday / Friday, Q4s on the weekends (or don’t do it). Once everything is within it’s Quadrant, start Time blocking.
On Friday, while you’re looking at your schedule and tasks, you’ll know if your priorities shifted, if your time block were accurate.
Reminder* Do NOT Over prioritize. Q1 should only be 10% of your groups – During exam season, that might change but majority of the time Q1 shouldn’t be more than 20%.
Reminder* Give yourself 6 hours each day for recovery, decompression.
Social Integration
Now that we have your time management (fuel) figured out, let’s talk about one of the crucial college experience: Social Integration.
So far, in most of your education you grew up with your peers for years at a time, might have taken most of the same classes with same teachers. But, when you move toward college university setting, that changes. Drastically.
We are social people – we want to belong with a group, we crave to engage with people. Yes, technology has made it easier to connect online and from half way around the world. But, social integration is crucial for your well being because this offers you opportunities to connect with people from a diverse background, make life-long friends, and establish your social skills. Another skill that you’ll level up during these transformative years.
Meeting new people can be both thrilling and intimidating. Thankfully, your college will give you plenty of opportunities to connect with people with similar interests.
Be proactive, and start engaging with campus activities. Do you have a particular interest? I’m sure that’s a club for that, or easy steps to creating a club. Get engaged now that you have an extra few hours a day, focus on giving your time to 1-2 particular groups.
Do remember, building meaningful connections takes time and patience. Stay open to relationships and new friendships.
Why does this become a challenge?
When do we don’t have a community, we start relying on our past coping skills and community which keeps us from fully integrating into the new life and environment. This is a leveling up space where after your college graduation, you may be asked to go to a different town, city, or state. This can be a very stressful if you’ve been a homebody. You need to put yourself out there and learn how to integrate with your new community.
Now, with it comes rejection – our fear of not being accepted. Adjusting to a new social environment and potentially feeling homesick are common experiences (Johnson, 2019), and so is finding your space and your people. Rejection isn’t personal – it’s a misalignment of priorities.
That is easier said than accepted, and in practice it can hurt. It’s all part of the journey, and it’s perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed at first, so focus on your emotional well-being.
Emotional Well-Being
Feeling overwhelmed or homesick?
Having trouble sleeping? Feeling anxious?
Worried about your class and curriculum?
The emotional roller coaster of the first semester is perfectly normal (Garcia, 2021). That doesn’t make it easier, but you can recognize that your mental health and emotional wellbeing is crucial for your success in college. It’s important to take care of your emotional health just as much as your academic and social life.
Engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation, whether it’s joining a club, taking a yoga class, or simply enjoying a quiet moment with a good book.
- Dedicate time each week for self-care activities
- Schedule regular check-ins with a friend or family member
- Explore and utilize campus resources, like counseling services or wellness workshops
Remember, seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Find comfort in routines that ground you, and don’t hesitate to reach out to others who might be feeling the same way.
Sharing your experiences can create bonds and make the transition feel less daunting.
Lastly, keep an open mind and embrace the growth that comes with this transition. Each challenge is an opportunity to learn more about yourself and the world around you. You’re embarking on an incredible journey, and with resilience and curiosity, you’ll find your stride in no time.
Financial Literacy
Last but not least, finances. We don’t dive deep into this right now – but understanding your financial aid package and creating a budget to manage your expenses effectively is crucial for your college success.
Do you feel prepared to handle your finances responsibly?
Learning about spending and saving habits can help you avoid financial stress and focus on enjoying your college experience. Here are some tips to get you started on the path to financial literacy:
- Create a Realistic Budget:
Begin by listing your income sources, such as financial aid, part-time jobs, or family support. Then, categorize your expenses into essentials like tuition, housing, food, and transportation, and non-essentials like entertainment and dining out. Track your spending to ensure you stay within your budget (use the spreadsheet below). - Utilize Financial Tools:
Consider using budgeting apps or spreadsheets to keep track of your finances. These tools can help you monitor your spending patterns and make adjustments as needed. Here’s a Google Sheet version that can get you started. - Understand Credit and Loans:
Credit cards are a great way to leverage debt for personal growth, but right now – it’s important to establish credit to help yourself in the future. The rule: Pay off your credit card every month. If you can’t afford to pay it off, you can’t afford to buy it. Accumulating debt for can cost you $$$ and set you back years. - Seek Advice and Resources:
Many colleges offer financial literacy workshops or have financial advisors available to students. Don’t hesitate to reach out for guidance on managing your finances. - Plan for Emergencies:
Set aside a small emergency fund for unexpected expenses. Even a modest amount can provide peace of mind and prevent financial setbacks.
By adopting these practices, you’ll not only manage your current financial situation but also lay the groundwork for a stable financial future.
This is another skill level you’ll have to learn – and it’s challenging when everyone seems to be having fun and you’re being fiscally responsible. Budget yourself non-essential funds (around 10%) so you’re having fun while focusing on the skills needed to succeed in college and beyond.
Overcoming the High School to College challenges require you to develop and level up already established skills. The faster you’re able to adapt the easier it’ll be – but it’s not always about the speed in which you adapt and level up.
Focus on your primary skills of time management, social integration, emotional wellness, and financial consciousness. Once you’ve developed these skills, you’ll be a far better off in focusing on why you’re in college, Academia.
Now, take a breath.
Trust yourself.
You got this.
We are in your corner and ready to help.
You have a strong mind and a great support system. Asking for help is a sign of power – let others support your success.
Embrace your adventure and make the most of every opportunity!
Sources:
Smith, J. (2020). College Academic Expectations: A Comprehensive Overview. Education Press.
Johnson, L. (2019). Adjusting to College Life: A Student’s Guide. University Publications.
Brown, A. (2021). Preparing for College: A High School Senior’s Guide. Scholar Books.
Miller, R. (2022). Effective Time Management for College Students. Timewise Publishing.
Lee, S. (2020). Social Integration in College: Tips for New Students. Campus Life Journal.
Garcia, M. (2021). Coping with Homesickness in College. Student Health & Wellness.
Adams, P. (2023). Financial Literacy for College Students: A Practical Guide. Money Matters Press.
