College isn’t supposed to be perfect. Here are 5 things I wish every student knew

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After years of caring for college students as a physician, plus raising two of my own, I have learned that many things that derail the college experience are surprisingly predictable. Most are preventable — or at least fixable — if students know what to expect.

While these are five things I wish every college student knew before setting foot on campus, it’s not too late for your student to find this advice useful.

Many students immediately assume they chose the wrong school when they are feeling anxious and missing home. After years of hearing that college will be “the best years of your life,” students are often shocked to find themselves sitting alone in their dorm room, sad, lonely, struggling in class, sleeping poorly, feeling exhausted and perhaps hating the food.

They are often convinced their struggles mean they are disappointing their family, especially if they are attending their dream school or if they are a first-generation college student.

On top of feeling like a failure, they need only glance at social media to see that clearly all their friends are having the time of their lives, though I know that is the highlight reel effect. Young adults typically prioritize sharing their social media-worthy successes, rather than their challenges.

Homesickness is common, along with broader challenges of connection and adjustment. Roughly 60% of students feel a lack of companionship, left out or isolated at least some of the time, according to the Spring 2026 American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment , or ACHA-NCHA, survey, which includes data from more than 44,000 undergraduates at 86 institutions. Encouragingly, though, 71% of students felt they belonged at their university, suggesting that despite loneliness or possibly homesickness, most students are also adjusting to college life.

In my experience, the students who struggle the most often live close enough to run home for Sunday dinner, do their laundry or attend a sibling’s event, especially on the weekends. For many students, frequent trips home make it more difficult to build a life on campus.

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The students who are thousands of miles from home don’t have that choice, so they typically attend more university events, find new study spots around campus or simply hang out in the dorm laundry room, giving them proximity to others in the same boat, which leads to connections.

Staying on campus only works, however, if you leave your dorm room . Sitting on your bed scrolling through social media or playing games with virtual friends won’t cure homesickness either.

My advice is to develop roots. Start with trying three completely unrelated clubs to join — perhaps a service organization, a board game club, your major’s academic club or an intramural sport. If you weren’t a high school athlete and are worried about the level of competition, look for fun alternative sports such as cornhole or something totally unique like canoe battleship (such as sink or swim at Texas A&M University ).

The point is to pursue at least three activities that spark your interests and start connecting with others who appreciate the same things. Many early college friendships or clubs are like temporary tattoos — try them out and see whether they are the right fit for you, without the worry of a lifelong commitment.

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A tired brain makes everything worse. Emotions can rage out of control. Learning, processing and retention of new information are impaired. Focus and problem-solving decline. Then you bomb a quiz or a test and trigger a cycle of test anxiety.

Dorms may be the worst setting for quality sleep. They are loud, bright, hot and smelly, and never mind that you had to add other people in your bedroom. Control what you can. Block out light with a sleep mask; use headband-style headphones and guided meditations to buffer sound; and place a fan near your bed to cool your sleeping space and add white noise. Most importantly, communicate early with your roommate about sleep schedules, expectations and respect for each other’s privacy.

The most common mistake that I see college students making is not staying up too late; it’s having an inconsistent wake-up time. If you have early classes two days, but sleep till noon the other days, you are disrupting your body’s circadian rhythm, which reduces your sleep quality and increases daytime fatigue.

Instead, prioritize getting up at the same time each day, adding in a short early afternoon nap if needed. Obviously, total sleep quantity matters, too. If you choose to study or party till 2 a.m., make sure that you’re able to sleep till 10 a.m.

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College isn’t necessarily harder than high school, but it’s different. Students who excelled in essay exams in their Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses may discover that college exams lean more on multiple choice or best answer format, which often requires a different skill set and study strategy.

How to adapt to that change? Prioritize meeting every professor within the first two weeks of school by going to their office hours and simply introducing yourself. Doing so will not only connect you with the professor and likely increase your personal investment in class lectures but will also significantly improve your comfort level asking them for help later in the semester.

Please don’t be that student who shows up during finals week begging for extra credit because you need a better grade. The professor likely has no idea who you are because you never went to office hours and barely showed up for class.

If you develop class performance or test anxiety that is causing your brain to go blank despite solid preparation, talk with your campus counseling center or student health services.

Anxiety is increasingly affecting academic performance, with nearly 30% of students noting that anxiety negatively impacted performance in a class or delayed progress towards their degree, according to Spring 2026 ACHA-NCHA data. Fortunately, there are many practical techniques you can learn to help you break the cycle of panic, starting with simple measured breathing exercises.

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Not everyone drinks, but alcohol affects nearly everyone. The sober student carries the extra pressure of deciding when it’s time to help for their drunken friend, and they may even get stuck paying the car share driver extra because their friend vomited during the ride.

When to get that friend help is the most common question I get around alcohol. You should be able to fully wake up someone who is intoxicated and sleeping. If you are shaking their shoulders and loudly calling their name and there is minimal or no response, consider that person unconscious and call 911. Blood alcohol levels rise for nearly an hour after the last drink, so remember that a drunken and arousable friend can still become unconscious later. Never leave them to sleep it off. Please go back and check on them.

Alcohol impairs your judgment — you know that. Realize, however, that this impaired judgment means you may decide to drink more than you planned or make sexual decisions that sober you would not have chosen. Not remembering the night does not mean you won’t have consequences. Drunken hookups rarely involve protection for sexually transmitted infections or pregnancy, and I see far too often how these consequences can totally derail your college plan. Those STIs can often cause disproportionate emotional fallout that damages students’ self-worth, strains their mental health or hinders their academic success.

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Whether it’s a sore throat, anxiety, depression or academic trouble, do not wait until you are in crisis to seek help. Problems are generally easier to address and treat in the earlier stages, though students often hesitate to prioritize being evaluated because they think their situation isn’t bad enough to see a doctor, therapist or professor.

One practical tip: Student counseling, health and academic success centers are rarely busy the first few weeks but often have long waits by midterms. I frequently remind students that part of their tuition includes many of these resources — they are prepaid, not free.

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If you take any prescription medications, schedule an appointment right away to get established with a doctor and learn to navigate the system when you aren’t ill or injured. Head to the academic success center early, if only to update your resume, learn about career networking platforms or get feedback on your first paper.

The college students who thrive and succeed don’t typically ace every exam, pick the perfect friends and magically escape the freshman flu. These students stumble as much as others, but they learn when, where and how to seek help — and don’t hesitate to act on it.

Dr. Jill Grimes is the author of “ The Ultimate College Student Health Handbook : Your Guide for Everything From Hangovers to Homesickness.” Grimes has more than 30 years’ experience in private practice and academic medicine, and shares her medical wisdom on social media platforms as Jill Grimes, MD, the College Doc.

Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN’s Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being.

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多年来，我作为一名医生照顾大学生，加上自己养育了两个孩子，我发现许多影响大学生活的事情其实都出奇地容易预测。如果学生知道会发生什么，大多数问题都可以避免，或者至少可以解决。

虽然我希望每位大学生在踏入校园之前就知道这五件事，但对于你的孩子来说，现在发现这些建议有用也为时不晚。

许多学生在感到焦虑和想家时，会立刻觉得自己选错了学校。多年来，他们一直被灌输“大学是人生中最美好的时光”的观念，但当他们真正踏入大学校园，却往往震惊地发现自己独自一人坐在宿舍里，感到悲伤、孤独，上课吃力，睡眠质量差，精疲力竭，甚至可能讨厌学校的伙食。

他们常常认为自己的挣扎意味着让家人失望了，尤其是当他们就读于梦寐以求的大学或者他们是家中第一代大学生时。

除了觉得自己很失败之外，他们只需要瞥一眼社交媒体，就能看到所有朋友都过得无比精彩，尽管我知道那只是“精彩瞬间”效应。年轻人通常更倾向于分享那些值得在社交媒体上炫耀的成功时刻，而不是他们遇到的挑战。

思乡之情十分普遍，此外，融入群体和适应环境也面临着诸多挑战。根据美国大学健康协会-全国大学健康评估（ACHA-NCHA）2026年春季调查，约60%的学生感到缺乏友谊，或在某些时候感到被排斥或孤立。该调查收集了来自86所院校超过44000名本科生的数据。不过，令人欣慰的是，71%的学生感到自己融入了大学生活，这表明尽管存在孤独感或思乡之情，大多数学生仍在努力适应大学生活。

根据我的经验，那些在校园里最挣扎的学生往往住得离学校很近，他们可以随时回家吃周日晚餐、洗衣服或参加兄弟姐妹的活动，尤其是在周末。对很多学生来说，频繁回家反而让他们更难在校园里建立起自己的生活。

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离家千里之外的学生没有这样的选择，所以他们通常会参加更多的大学活动，在校园周围寻找新的学习场所，或者只是在宿舍洗衣房里闲逛，这让他们有机会接触到其他处境相同的人，从而建立联系。

然而，待在校园里只有离开宿舍才有效。坐在床上刷社交媒体或和虚拟朋友玩游戏也无法治愈思乡之情。

我的建议是先扎根于某个圈子。不妨先尝试加入三个完全不相关的社团——比如服务组织、桌游俱乐部、专业相关的学术社团或者校内体育队。如果你高中时不是运动员，担心竞技水平不够高，可以找一些有趣的另类运动，比如投掷沙包，或者一些非常独特的项目，比如独木舟战舰游戏（例如德州农工大学的“沉浮游戏”）。

关键在于至少参与三项能激发你兴趣的活动，并开始结识与你志同道合的人。大学早期的许多友谊或社团就像临时纹身——不妨一试，看看是否适合自己，不必担心终身承诺。

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疲惫的大脑会让一切变得更糟。情绪会失控，学习、处理和记忆新信息的能力都会下降，注意力集中和解决问题的能力也会降低。然后，你就会在测验或考试中失利，从而引发考试焦虑的恶性循环。

宿舍可能是最不利于睡眠质量的地方。那里嘈杂、光线刺眼、闷热难耐，而且气味难闻，更别提你还得和别人挤在同一个房间里。所以，尽量控制你能控制的因素。用眼罩遮光；戴上头戴式耳机，配合冥想引导来降低噪音；在床边放个风扇，既能给睡眠环境降温，又能制造一些白噪音。最重要的是，要尽早和室友沟通好作息时间、彼此的期望以及尊重对方隐私的原则。

我发现大学生最常犯的错误不是熬夜太晚，而是作息不规律。如果你两天早上有课，其他几天睡到中午，就会扰乱身体的昼夜节律，降低睡眠质量，加剧白天的疲劳感。

相反，你应该优先考虑每天在同一时间起床，如果需要的话，可以在午后小睡一会儿。当然，总睡眠时间也很重要。如果你选择学习或聚会到凌晨2点，那就确保你能睡到上午10点。

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大学不一定比高中难，但确实有所不同。在大学先修课程（AP）或国际文凭课程（IB）的论文考试中表现优异的学生可能会发现，大学考试更侧重于选择题或最佳答案形式，这通常需要不同的技能和学习策略。

如何适应这种变化？在开学后的前两周内，务必优先与每位教授见面，在他们的办公时间去拜访并进行自我介绍。这样做不仅能让你与教授建立联系，提高你对课堂的投入度，还能显著提升你在学期后期向他们寻求帮助时的自信心。

请不要在期末考试周跑来求加分，就为了提高成绩。教授很可能根本不知道你是谁，因为你从不去答疑，上课也经常旷课。

如果你出现课堂表现或考试焦虑，导致你即使做了充分准备也无法集中精力，请与学校咨询中心或学生健康服务部门联系。

焦虑对学业成绩的影响日益加剧。根据美国大学健康协会 (ACHA) 和美国大学健康协会 (NCHA) 2026 年春季的数据，近 30% 的学生表示焦虑对他们的课堂表现产生了负面影响，或延缓了他们完成学业的进程。幸运的是，有很多实用的技巧可以帮助你打破恐慌的恶性循环，首先可以从简单的呼吸练习开始。

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抗抑郁药与大学生活的风险组合

并非人人都会喝酒，但酒精几乎会影响到所有人。清醒的学生要承担额外的压力，决定何时应该帮助喝醉的朋友，他们甚至可能因为朋友在车上呕吐而不得不额外支付拼车司机费用。

关于酒精，我最常被问到的问题就是：什么时候该帮助醉酒的朋友？一般来说，你应该能够完全唤醒一个醉酒后睡着的人。如果你摇晃他们的肩膀并大声呼喊他们的名字，但他们几乎没有反应，或者完全没有反应，那就说明他们已经失去意识，请拨打911。血液酒精浓度在最后一杯酒后还会持续升高近一个小时，所以请记住，即使朋友喝醉了，但仍然有可能在之后失去意识。千万不要让他们独自睡着，一定要回去看看他们。

酒精会损害你的判断力——这一点你心知肚明。然而，你要明白，这种判断力受损意味着你可能会喝得比计划的更多，或者做出清醒时绝对不会选择的性行为。不记得当晚发生了什么并不意味着你不会承担后果。酒后一夜情很少会采取保护措施来预防性传播感染或怀孕，而我经常看到这些后果如何彻底打乱你的大学计划。这些性传播感染往往会造成不成比例的情感创伤，损害学生的自尊心，影响他们的心理健康，甚至阻碍他们的学业成功。

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家长们对学生吸毒行为的认知盲区

无论是喉咙痛、焦虑、抑郁还是学业困难，都不要等到危机爆发才寻求帮助。问题通常在早期阶段更容易解决和治疗，但学生们常常因为觉得自己的情况还没严重到需要去看医生、心理咨询师或教授而犹豫不决，不愿优先接受评估。

一个实用建议：学生咨询中心、健康中心和学业辅导中心在开学头几周通常不太忙，但到了期中考试时往往需要长时间排队。我经常提醒学生，他们的学费里包含了这些资源——这些服务是预付费的，并非免费。

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你的孩子即将上大学吗？这里有5个管理心理健康的建议。

如果您正在服用任何处方药，请立即预约就诊，以便与医生建立联系，并在您健康时了解如何使用医疗系统。尽早前往学术成功中心，即使只是为了更新简历、了解职业人脉平台或获得关于您第一篇论文的反馈。

那些在大学里茁壮成长、取得成功的学生，通常不会每次考试都拿高分，不会结交完美的朋友，也不会神奇地躲过新生综合症。这些学生也会像其他人一样遇到挫折，但他们会学会何时、何地以及如何寻求帮助——并且毫不犹豫地采取行动。

吉尔·格莱姆斯博士是《终极大学生健康手册：从宿醉到思乡，你的健康指南》一书的作者。格莱姆斯博士在私人诊所和学术医学领域拥有超过 30 年的经验，并在社交媒体平台上以“大学医生吉尔·格莱姆斯医学博士”的身份分享她的医学智慧。

每周精选健康生活小贴士，助您轻松享受美好生活。订阅 CNN 的“生活更美好”电子报，获取提升幸福感的资讯和实用工具。