Tuesday Thoughts

In this Issue:

• Reminder for new families about students uploading their immunizations and health forms
• Culture shock of college
• Weekly message for new families
• For those who cannot make the virtual New Student Reception tonight

Last night your Deacs might have gotten some Wake Alert messages about bad weather in the area. I am only 3 miles from campus and just got a bit of rain, but some of my colleagues a littler farther out of town got some very strong winds too.

Your Deacs might be wondering why they got the Wake Alert if they are home. The reason is we know some students are in summer school, others stay here for jobs or internships (but we don’t know they are in Winston), etc. and we don’t want to miss warning students if there is something they need to be aware of.

Most of today’s post is for our new families: some news, and a theory about college that might be helpful. (Even though I do this for a living, as a new parent, the second item was a helpful reminder for me!)

Reminder for new families about students uploading their immunizations and health forms

I was in a meeting with our Student Health Service this morning and they tell me there is still a sizeable number of incoming students who have not completed all of their health information and immunization forms in the Student Health Portal. All these forms are due on July 1st.

Some of our students are not entering the dates of each immunization in the applicable online form. They can’t just upload a PDF of their immunization record; they have to input dates of individual shots in the form.

Please ask your student to log in to the Student Health Portal and ensure they do not have any pending forms, and to check their Secure messages for any immunizations or other things they could be missing.

I’ve gotten a few questions about having trouble getting to those forms. Please remind your students that they need to be logged in to their WFU Google account to access the Student Health Portal, and it is recommended that students use a computer (and not their phone) when using the Student Health Portal.

It is very important that they get these forms done on time. There are some negative downstream impacts to non-compliance that they want to avoid – so thank you for anything you can do to get them focused on these important health forms.

Culture shock of college

I was reading an article the other day from a website dealing with college parenting, and they mentioned the W-Curve Model and the culture shock of college. They linked to this explanation from the Mayo Clinic:

“The W-Curve Model was first proposed in 1963 to explain adjustment to culture shock. Starting college is a culture shock for many young people. It is often the first time students are away from home for an extended period.

Freshman year is known for new experiences, but it also presents various challenges. Each new college student’s experience is unique. Parents should be aware of the predictable adjustment pattern to help students navigate difficult times.

The five stages of the W-Curve Model explain students’ level of comfort, satisfaction and effectiveness during each stage: 

1. Honeymoon: The excitement stage

Often starting before students arrive at college, the honeymoon stage is full of excitement, stimulation and curiosity. There’s increased enthusiasm to meet new people, and many cultural differences are intriguing.

Students desire independence and tend to lack homesickness during the first few days or weeks of college. New students are bombarded with events and activities, keeping the excitement level high.

2. Culture Shock: Reality sets in

At this stage, students may start to compare their expectations of college with reality. The differences that felt new and exciting start to feel isolating and overwhelming.

Students may feel lost and confused, noticing that the excitement of living on their own has worn off. Often, students will compare their experiences to others, finding that academic demands are more complex than anticipated.

Feeling homesick may lead students to wish to return home more often.

3. Initial Adjustment: Settling into the demands of college life

College gets better as students begin to manage experiences from culture shock. This can include making friends outside of their initial connections, developing a routine, gaining confidence in academic and social abilities, and finding one’s roommate less bothersome.

This is when students start to reconnect to what they like about themselves and the new culture of college.

4. Mental Isolation: Comparing home and college

After students go home during an academic break, they may not feel as comfortable at home as they used to. Students may feel distressed at changes or events at home during their absence. This leads them to feel unsure about where they belong and miss the comfort that home used to provide. Beliefs and values are challenged as students attempt to find their place in the world.

At this time, peer conflicts may increase, and students may have a more tough time with roommates. Students in dating relationships that started in high school may have an increasingly hard time after seeing their partner during a break.

5. Acceptance and Integration: Finally, balance emerges

Students develop stronger ties to fellow students and faculty, get more involved in campus life, and understand how to succeed academically. Students often start referring to campus as their home and feel like a part of the culture. Roommate issues are addressed, and dependence on hometown connections begins to lessen. Students start to feel like an old hand at living the college life.

Making the first year of college a success

The first year at college is not always easy. Being aware of the predictable adjustment pattern can make the transition less intimidating. If college is too overwhelming, help is always available, whether it’s talking to a friend, family member, resident adviser, professor or a mental health professional. Understanding the W-Curve Model can help family members support their student’s success in college.”

The college communications website I was looking at included this picture, for those who prefer a graphical representation of the W Curve (click to enlarge):

As I’ve told y’all, I just was at NC State Orientation for new students with my ’27 Wolfpack. The school did a fantastic job getting us oriented – but we were tired and overwhelmed. There were some student panelists who spoke to the parent and family sessions, and one of the things they mentioned was how hard the first few weeks of college were – because they expected it to be joy and fun all the time, but they were deep in the first downward portion of the W curve experiencing culture shock.

I share this to you because – at least for me – in the moment when my beloved kiddo is upset, it is hard for me to think rationally and remember to be calm. My hope is that by talking about this W Curve now, and sharing that that dip or letdown is likely to happen to my kid as well as yours, we can both be prepared when that time comes, and most importantly to know that it will pass and they will go on the upswing again. And also to share that the college adjustment takes a lot of time: we’re talking months, not weeks, even the first semester, sometimes even the first whole year. And that is normal! So don’t worry if it is week 2 and your Deac isn’t all sweetness and light. That comes with time and effort 🙂

Weekly message for new families

We have this week’s edition of our message to new families, which you can read here.

For those who cannot make the virtual New Student Reception tonight

In case you can’t make it to the Virtual New Student Reception tonight, we will be posting the recording on our New Student Receptions website as soon as it is ready (likely within 1-3 days, so check back there.)