Wesleyan College learning specialist offers tips for students starting college

Navigating the leap from high school to college can often be daunting for incoming freshmen. As they encounter hurdles, it's crucial for students to be aware of available support resources.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) –  Navigating the leap from high school to college can often be daunting for incoming freshmen. As they encounter hurdles, it’s crucial for students to be aware of available support resources.

“Here you’ll learn to be your own person, and you’ve gotta be responsible and be willing to grow up,” said Isabella Argudin, a first year student at Wesleyan College.

When she started in the spring, Isabella says setting priorities was the hardest part of the transition to college.

“Time management was a big deal,” she said. “Because of course you don’t have anyone else telling you what to do.”

That’s why Dr. Tera Reid-Olds emphasizes the importance of students advocating for themselves. As a Writing and Learning Specialist at Wesleyan, she helps incoming freshmen who don’t always have the support system necessary for success.

“Sometimes students come in unaware of what’s available to them, and that may be because they’re uncomfortable asking for help or there haven’t been resources in place in high school that they could have access to,” Dr. Reid-Olds said.

Orientation classes can provide new students with campus resources and help them develop skills like time management, critical thinking and study strategies to make the workload less stressful.

“We really want them to have a sense of agency, that they’re in control and that they can decide what’s going to be the best path for them to college success,” she said.

Dr. Reid-Olds encourages students who might be struggling to reach out to their professors and take advantage of campus doctors and counselors. She said teachers, advisors and tutors can all provide support to make the transition to college easier.

For Isabella Argudin, having a support system helped her find her voice.

“I’m 100% more confident than I was, and now I know that I’m capable of being here and being part of this community and giving something back,” Argudin said.

Dr. Reid-Olds recommends parents and teachers talk with students about their strengths and weaknesses and help them create their own schedule before heading off to college.