Going away to college is a new and exciting time, full of possibilities, but it also can be jarring when the reality of leaving home and friends behind sinks in.
A recent survey for the JED Foundation’s First Year College Experience found that 60 percent of freshman wished they had more help emotionally preparing for college. Half said they were having a tough time making friends.
“There’s a difficulty connecting with people that they don’t have a shared history, especially when they come from small tight-knit communities and grew up with the same group of friends since grade school,” said Erika Martinez, a licensed clinical psychologist in Miami. “Humans tend to like things and others that feel ‘similar’ to ourselves. It can be very scary in a new place because nothing feels familiar.”
