Second Semester Challenges
The second semester is full of unique challenges. Your freshman’s experience this semester will in many ways be extremely different than his first semester experiences.
As you say goodbye yet again to your college freshman, know that this semester will be different. No longer is living in the dorms or facing college classes his main worry. He has more experience and challenges he may not even be aware of ahead.
Some of these challenges are more immediate, while others impact him further down the road of this semester. So what immediate and upcoming challenges face your freshman this second semester?
Immediate Challenges Facing Your Second Semester College Freshman
This limited list of challenges face most second semester freshmen as they return to a place that has become like a second home to them. Upon returning to college and throughout the semester, these two struggles are some of the most pressing challenges facing your freshman.
Overconfidence
With experience comes confidence—sometimes an overabundance of confidence. Your freshman learned he can face his challenges and solve his own problems. Even when he didn’t think he could, he learned to conquer the unconquerable.
Your freshman received a needed confidence boost, not because he necessarily thrived, but because he survived. He knows at least survival is possible now.
Sometimes, however, a college freshman can allow his past successes to give him a false sense of confidence—”I’m better than that now.” While you certainly hope his second semester is a better experience, your freshman needs to be wary he does not repeat the same mistakes.
As a parent, unfortunately you may not be able to do much to step in and help. Often the best thing to do in these situations is to take a step back and let your freshman learn through error. No matter how much you encourage him to be wary and work hard, he may not take these ideas to heart until he learns by making mistakes.
Carelessness
Along with a surplus of confidence comes the temptation to be careless. The details that might have overwhelmed your freshman last semester may barely register on your freshman’s radar.
While you don’t want a freshman that panics over small details, you don’t want one that doesn’t even notice the important details. You don’t want your overly conscientious student to flip-flop to being the exact opposite.
The reality is, however, that you can’t (shouldn’t) keep track of his schedules details and class assignments. You can encourage your freshman to purchase a planner, but (again) often the best thing you can do is let your freshman learn from making mistakes—without waiting to share an “I told you so.”
Upcoming challenges Facing Your Second Semester College Freshman
These challenges will face your freshman at certain points in the semester. He may not even register them as challenges a deadline approaches. These are some “heads-up” items that are good to keep on your radar as a college parent.
Spring break
Your freshman likely already has some ideas about what he wants to do over spring break. You likely have some ideas about his spring break too. Unfortunately his and your plans may not match.
Sometimes your freshman’s spring break plans do not include spending time with you or your family. While the temptation may be to feel hurt or take this desire to be away from home personally, know that is not your freshman’s intention. Your freshman is looking forward to this break from school, dorm life, cafeteria food, etc.
In the month leading up to spring break, consider initiating a conversation about this break. Ask your freshman what his plans are. Even if he is unsure of his plans, this is a good opportunity for you to share what you are comfortable with over this break. If you would like him to do or (probably more importantly) not do, please share these ideas sooner rather than later.
Summer break
Summer may feel far away, but you know that this semester will be over quickly. Before you know it, your freshman will be done with his first year of college and home again.
You know the reality of being on summer break means your freshman will need to find some way to spend his summer. While your thoughts may be more on preparing his room for his return, your freshman needs to start thinking about his future.
Below are some of the questions you may need to bring up sooner rather than later to your freshman:
Is your freshman interested in finding an internship? Getting an internship is difficult for students with only one year of college. Depending on your freshman’s desired career, your freshman may not be able to find good internships this late. (Ideally, freshman should think of applying for internships in November or December.)
Is your freshman looking for summer work? Summer work can be difficult to find outside of retail or the food service industry. If your freshman cannot find an internship, encourage him to look first for positions related to his career. Even if your freshman works a boring, entry-level position this summer, this work could look good on his resume.
Is your freshman wanting to take summer courses? If your freshman took a lighter academic load or needed to retake a course, he may need to take summer courses to graduate in four years from college. Encourage your freshman to think through his courses this semester strategically if he knows summer courses are inevitable.
Is your freshman looking for volunteer experiences? If your freshman has the freedom to use his summer in volunteer work, encourage him to think strategically. While volunteering for any good cause can actually look good on his resume, push him to think about how he can use his volunteer experience to help further his career.
Choice of College Major
If your freshman has not declared his college major yet or is considering switching majors, this decision will likely face him this semester. His academic advisor may encourage him to shadow professionals, take a concentrated course, or commit to a set of courses in a field.
Although this decision seems monumental and life-altering, the reality is that his major does not determine his future success. To your freshman, however, a college major seems like a one-way ticket to his future career.
As he approaches this decision, encourage him to get experience. Often your freshman won’t know what he wants to study without any actual hands-on experience. Below are some ideas on how he can gather some” real-life” experience before committing to a major:
Shadow a professional. While shadowing may seem like a waste of time, this experience may help your freshman eliminate options. While this prospect may seem daunting to your child, his college may be able to help him identify professionals and connect with those professionals.
Schedule an informational interview. Sometimes a concentrated discussion with a professional can provide enough clarity for your freshman to know if a field is a good fit for his skill set. Again, his college can likely connect him with alumni in the area who can help him take a step forward or in another direction.
Take a concentrated course. “Real-life” experience is often possible only after taking hours of required courses. Taking a course in a specific field can help your freshman determine if “he has what it takes” to be in a specific career.
Talk with a college professor in his potential field. College professors can be a wonderful resource when it comes to your freshman’s major. Encourage your freshman to connect with a professor who teaches courses in his major. This meeting may help provide needed clarity.
Talk with an upperclassman in his potential major. This likely is one of the easiest options for your freshman. Talking to someone who has somewhat learned the ropes of a specific major may help your freshman see if a specific major has potential for him.
Second semester isn’t a different league but more like a different position. Your freshman survived last semester, but this semester is a small step up accompanied with new challenges. You can help in small ways this semester too.
