Back to Campus: Building Confidence, Connection, Resilience Back to Campus: Building Confidence, Connection, Resilience
Aug 17, 2026
Written by: Caitlyn Harris
The start of a new academic year brings a mix of emotions, whether students are leaving home for the first time, returning to campus housing, or transitioning to off-campus living.
“Excitement and fear often show up at the same time,” explains Dr. Karen Manotas, a clinical psychiatrist at Huntsman Mental Health Institute. “Students are looking forward to independence, but they're also thinking, ‘Wait, I have to figure out laundry and bills and how to make friends without the structure I've always had?’ Both feelings can be true at once.”
KEY POINTS
College transitions are challenging but normal
Small routines and healthy habits can make a big difference
Support is available
Why Transition Feels So Challenging
For many students, moving away from home or into an off-campus apartment introduces a new challenge: learning to create their own structure when the familiar routines of home or campus life are no longer built in. Feeling homesick, uncertain, lonely, and excited is a normal part of the adjustment process.
An unsettled feeling is common; it's normal, and it's part of what growth looks like during a transition like this one.
Dr. Manotas said, “Some feel a real loss when they leave behind their routines and the people who knew them well. Others feel relief at getting to step away from who they were in high school. Most feel some mix of all of it. That unsettled feeling is common; it's normal, and it's part of what growth looks like during a transition like this one.”
Creating Your Personal College Toolkit
Christina Kelly Lecluyse, Clinical Social Worker and Associate Director of Programming & Outreach at the University of Utah Counseling Center, stressed that building a personal toolkit can help students manage the uncertainty and stress that often come with major transitions. This can include things such as:
Time management
Organization
Stress management
Mindfulness
Coping with anxiety
Sleep hygiene
Building self-care habits
The Counseling Center offers several workshops and skill-building opportunities to help students navigate the challenges of college life. Mental Coaching for Success is a four-week workshop focused on time management, organization, focus, and overcoming procrastination. This fall, the Counseling Center is also launching Taming Stress as a self-paced Canvas course, giving students flexible access to tools for stress management, emotional awareness, and mindfulness. For those who prefer more personalized support, one-on-one Skills Sessions allow students to work directly with trained clinicians or therapists. Together, these resources offer flexible, accessible ways for students to build practical skills and support their well-being. Lecluyse also emphasized that Counseling Center services are free for students and that students do not need to worry about being placed on a waiting list to access care.
Six Simple Ways to Feel More Grounded
Dr. Manotas offered these practical tips to make college transitions easier:
Bring small routines with you. A favorite mug, a weekly call home, whatever helps you feel settled.
Find three or four places that become yours before you move in. A coffee shop, a spot in the library, a park.
Talk to someone before the anxiety builds. An RA, a counselor, a mentor. Reaching out early is not overreacting.
Expect the first four to six weeks to be harder than you think. That is not a sign you're failing.
Keep one thing consistent from home, whether that's a routine, a food, or a hobby, while everything else is new.
Schedule regular time with friends and family. The built-in social life you once had is no longer automatic, so it has to be planned.
Lecluyse also recommends planning ahead before stress builds, prioritizing healthy sleep habits, and being intentional about social media use. Strategies such as time blocking, creating a wind-down routine, and periodically curating or taking a break from social media can help students feel more balanced.
Tips for Parents and Families of Students
The transition to college can be an adjustment not only for students but also for parents and caregivers. Dr. Manotas offered these tips for parents and families:
Pay attention to your own anxiety so you're not handing it to your student.Be a steady place to land, but try not to rescue. Let them work out the small problems themselves. Set a consistent contact rhythm that works for both of you.Ask open questions like "What are you most looking forward to?" and "What feels scary?" so they have a safe place to think out loud. It also gives you an opening to help them plan for what's coming, like bills, roommates, or keeping up the house, if they want that help. Follow their lead rather than pushing.Share your own story of moving out if you have one. It helps them see that change is hard, survivable, and often exciting.
Growth Happens in the Discomfort
College transitions are rarely seamless, and experiencing challenges along the way does not mean a student is failing. Building routines, seeking connection, and taking advantage of available resources are all signs of strength. Students do not have to navigate this period alone. The Counseling Center is a great place to receive confidential support as you work through this time of transition.
You don’t have to be in crisis to seek our services. Just dealing with the day-to-day struggles of life is more than enough of a reason to seek out support from us.
“Some struggle does not mean something is wrong or that they weren't ready,” said Dr. Manotas. “Ordinary homesickness and adjustment periods are exactly what you'd expect during a change this big.”
mental health
huntsman mental health institute
