What Should You Know Before Your Child Starts University?
Sending your child off to university is a proud and exciting moment, but also one that comes with many unknowns. As parents, we want to support their transition, but it’s easy to underestimate the emotional and practical challenges they’ll face.
1. Independence Requires More Than Just Confidence
University is often a young person’s first taste of full independence. But independence isn’t just freedom, it’s about time management, resilience, and building routines.
At Ashbourne, students benefit from structured days, personal tutors, and frequent assessments. When those systems fall away, students can feel a little lost. Encourage your child to plan their weeks, keep regular habits, and know when to reach out for help.
2. Early Struggles Are Normal
The first few weeks can be disorienting, even for capable, confident students. Academic expectations rise quickly. Social settings are unfamiliar. Even managing meals and laundry can be exhausting.
Many students don’t admit when they’re struggling. Let your child know it’s normal to feel unsettled. Reassure them that they’re not expected to feel at home immediately, and that most students take time to adjust.
3. Encourage Help-Seeking Behaviour
At Ashbourne, teachers and tutors actively check in with students. At university, support is still available, but students often have to initiate it.
Help your child feel confident contacting lecturers, accessing support services, or asking questions. Normalise asking for help as part of academic and emotional maturity.
4. Burnout Is Real
Many students feel pressure to do everything at once, join societies, attend events, stay on top of coursework, and manage a social life. But the initial excitement can quickly turn to exhaustion.
Help them understand that they can pace themselves. Remind them that saying no is healthy, and that a slower start often leads to better balance later.
5. Routines Make a Big Difference
At Ashbourne, the structure, particularly the half-termly mock weeks, provided consistency. At university, students need to recreate that rhythm on their own.
If your child is struggling, gently encourage them to set small weekly goals, build a study plan, or stick to regular sleep patterns. These basic routines can help everything else fall into place.
6.The Importance of Networking
One of the most valuable, yet often overlooked, aspects of university life is networking. While parents naturally focus on academic success, it’s the relationships students build along the way that can have a lasting impact on their careers. The classmates, professors, alumni, and even society peers your child connects with can open doors to opportunities that go far beyond the classroom.
Networking doesn’t mean being overly formal or strategic. At university, it’s about forming genuine connections, sharing ideas, joining societies, taking an interest in others’ work, and staying in touch. These relationships can later become professional contacts, mentors, or even lifelong friends. A supportive professor might provide an important reference, while a fellow student could be the link to an internship or future job.
Encouraging your child to see networking as part of their university experience can make a real difference. By being curious about people and willing to engage, they will not only feel more connected socially but also build a foundation of relationships that can support their academic journey and future career.
Ultimately
The transition to university is about more than academic ability. It’s about emotional independence, time management, and self-advocacy. Your child will make mistakes, and that’s part of the journey.
Ashbourne’s strong academic structure and supportive environment gives students a head start. But even so, the shift to university life brings surprises. With preparation, openness, and encouragement, your child can manage to settle into university well.
For more advice on how to support your child as they start they start university, you can read our post: ‘How to help your child settle into university’.
1. What are the biggest challenges students face when starting university?
New university students often struggle with independence, time management, and adapting to unstructured routines. The sudden shift from school systems to self-management can feel overwhelming at first.
2. How can I prepare my child for university independence?
Encourage them to practise essential skills like managing their time, cooking simple meals, and budgeting. Building routines before they leave can give them a sense of stability once they arrive.
3. Is it normal if my child struggles in the first weeks at university?
Yes, early struggles are completely normal. Academic demands, new social environments, and practical responsibilities often take time to adjust to, even for confident students.
4. How do I encourage my child to ask for help at university?
Normalise help-seeking by reminding them that lecturers, academic advisors, and wellbeing services exist to support students. Reassure your child that asking for help shows maturity, not weakness.