They’ve packed the twin XL sheets, picked a major, and filled out the roommate questionnaire. Maybe you’ve walked the campus or cried in the Target parking lot. But before the car is fully loaded and the goodbye is said, there are some conversations that matter more than printer recommendations or meal plan debates.
These aren’t check-the-box lectures. They are open-door, real-life college preparation conversations your child will carry in their back pocket long after the first week of classes. They are invitations—for connection, for emotional safety, for planning ahead before everything is suddenly urgent.
1. Mental Health Is Health
Let them know that mental health in college students is a real, common, and treatable concern. Depression, anxiety, ADHD, sleep issues, and trauma often surface or intensify during the college years. Normalize getting help. Clarify that therapy, medication, and accommodations for mental health are not signs of failure—they are tools.
“If you’re struggling to sleep, feeling constantly overwhelmed, or not enjoying things that used to matter to you, let’s talk about where to go for help.”
Clinical note: Over 60% of students report feeling isolated; a third report depression that impairs functioning (Healthy Minds Study, 2023).
Resources: NIMH, Active Minds, campus counseling centers
2. Suicide Prevention and Substance Use: Make It Talkable
Silence increases risk. Talking about suicide prevention or substance misuse doesn’t cause it—it opens the door for help. Misused stimulants and binge drinking are common contributors to mental health crises. For neurodivergent students or those with trauma, risk is higher. A parent might say,
“If you or someone you know ever thinks about suicide, I want you to call me. Or text 988. You won’t get in trouble. We will figure it out together.”
Clinical story: A student went to the ER alone after a friend’s overdose—too scared to call their parents. That fear cost critical hours.
Resources: SAMHSA, JED Foundation, 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
3. Consent, Intimacy, and Boundaries in College Life
Talk about healthy college relationships—how to say no, how to check in, and how to recognize coercion. Emphasize that consent is ongoing and revocable. Boundaries may be harder to assert for trauma survivors and neurodivergent student support is especially important here. A parent might say,
“You deserve respect in every interaction. If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. You can always leave. You can always call.”
Resources: Love Is Respect, National Sexual Violence Resource Center
4. Navigating Medication and Medical Independence
If your student takes meds, talk about refills, alcohol interactions, and how to navigate medical systems in college. Make a list of prescriptions, dosages, and providers. A parent might say,
“What would you do if you missed a dose or ran out? Let’s walk through it while it’s easy.”
Clinical tip: Many students miss ADHD medication for weeks due to executive dysfunction. That’s not laziness—it’s a barrier.
5. Executive Functioning Support for College Students
Missed deadlines or laundry pileups aren’t personality flaws. They signal gaps in executive functioning skills. Talk openly about structure, planning, and using tools. A parent might say,
“If something gets off track, pause. Regroup. Ask for help.”
Clinical insight: High school success doesn’t always translate. College students with ADHD often need scaffolding.
Resources: College disability services, EF coaches, CHADD
6. Money, Budgeting, and Financial Boundaries
Be honest about what you can and can’t cover. Practice reviewing balances, setting spending limits, and responding to financial surprises. Parents, encourage partnership with your student with your student by saying,
“Let’s work out a plan that doesn’t leave either of us panicked by October.”
Avoiding the conversation doesn’t protect them—it prevents trust. Financial boundaries in college build resilience.
7. How to Ask for Academic Help
Normalize seeking academic support—from tutors, writing centers, or professors. Remind them that student wellbeing includes asking for support. As a parent, you can encourage your student by saying something like,
“Saying, ‘I’m struggling—can I come to office hours?’ is not a weakness. It’s exactly what they’re there for.”
Many students assume they must master everything alone. Remind them: support exists—and it’s part of success.
8. Friendship and Loneliness in College
Friendship is a mental health issue. Talk about how to make friends, how to walk away from toxic ones, and what to do when college loneliness hits. A parent might say,
“If you’re with people who make you feel worse about yourself, that’s not a friendship. It’s okay to leave.”
Clinical note: Loneliness predicts mental health decline more than stress does.
Sources: ACHA (2022), UCLA Loneliness Scale
9. Identity May Shift—And That’s Not a Crisis
College invites reinvention: new interests, beliefs, or identities. Don’t panic. Stay open. Stay in conversation. In your conversations about this, make sure your kid understands when you say,
“Who you are matters more to me than what path you take. I’m proud of you for asking hard questions.”
It’s normal to feel unsettled. Don’t make them carry your discomfort.
10. You Can Always Come Home
Whether literally or emotionally, your child needs to know their belonging is not performance-based. They are not loved for grades or perfection.To reinforce this, consider saying something like:
“There is nothing you could say that would make me stop wanting to know you. Nothing you could do that would make you unlovable.”
Counterintuitive truth: Kids who know they can come home… usually don’t need to. Safety reduces escape velocity.
Final Word: Be the Anchor in Their Transition
This isn’t about delivering perfect advice. It’s about planting language they’ll carry into the dorms, the late nights, and the first heartbreaks.
You are still their anchor—even as they set sail.
