As your child transitions from home life to university, they will be faced with new academic pressures, including tight deadlines, a more self-driven study schedule, and the need to balance personal wellbeing with academic success.
University can be a challenging environment for many students, and the ability to manage time effectively, meet deadlines, and stay connected with family and peers is critical. While these tasks may seem daunting, parents can play an essential role in guiding their teens through these challenges and ensuring they have the right tools to succeed academically, while also maintaining their mental and physical health.
This post explores how parents can help their teens manage deadlines, develop effective study habits, and ensure they stay connected to their support networks to thrive during their university years. Additionally, we’ll discuss how parents can guide their teens to stay balanced and healthy during this transformative period.
1. The Importance of Teaching Time Management and Deadline Awareness
University life presents an entirely different challenge when it comes to time management compared to secondary school or college. With no one to enforce a strict schedule, students are left to manage their own time and meet academic deadlines independently. For many students, this transition is a difficult one. Without proper time management, teens may struggle with missed deadlines, academic stress, and poor performance.
As a parent, you can help your teen develop effective time management skills to avoid the negative impacts of procrastination and stress.
How you can help:
Help Them Break Down Tasks: Large assignments or projects can feel overwhelming, especially when there are distant deadlines. Encourage your teen to break these tasks down into smaller, more manageable steps. Help them create a timeline that includes all stages of the assignment—researching, drafting, revising, and finalising. By doing this, teens are less likely to procrastinate and will feel more in control of their workload.
Set a Study Schedule Together: One of the best ways to manage deadlines is by creating a study schedule that includes specific times for studying, completing assignments, and taking breaks. Help your teen organise their academic responsibilities by scheduling study blocks and ensuring time for relaxation and other personal commitments. Be sure to remind them that self-care and downtime are just as important as studying and completing assignments.
Use Digital Tools to Manage Deadlines: Today’s digital landscape offers a variety of tools that can help students stay on top of their responsibilities. Apps like Google Calendar, Todoist, or Trello allow students to track their assignments, set reminders, and organise their tasks efficiently. Encourage your teen to make use of these tools, ensuring they can easily monitor their deadlines and keep everything organised.
Introduce the Importance of Connectivity: Connectivity, especially digital connectivity, is a vital component of managing deadlines in today’s world. Students can connect with peers, tutors, and professors through online platforms and communication apps. Good connectivity, supported by reliable broadband, is essential for seamless communication and accessing resources without delays. It can also ensure they stay updated on changes to deadlines and class materials, helping them stay on top of their academic commitments.
2. The Role of Parents in Building Effective Study Habits
While deadlines and time management are critical, equally important is the way your teen approaches studying. Effective study habits can significantly impact their ability to meet deadlines and retain information. At university, studying becomes less about memorisation and more about understanding and application. Students need to find techniques that work best for them and that help them manage the demands of university coursework.
How you can help:
Create a Productive Study Environment: A quiet, comfortable, and distraction-free study environment is essential for effective studying. Help your teen find or create a space at home, in their dorm (student accommodation), or in a library where they can focus on their work. Ensure that this space is equipped with the tools they need, such as a comfortable chair, adequate lighting, a laptop or tablet, and reliable internet access.
Encourage Active Learning: Passive studying—simply reading notes—can be ineffective. Active learning techniques, such as summarising key points, creating flashcards, teaching the material to others, and solving practice problems, have been shown to improve retention and understanding. Encourage your teen to use these techniques to support their studies. For example, after reading a chapter, they could explain the material to you or a friend as though they were the teacher.
Promote Regular Study Sessions: Encourage your teen to space out their study sessions over the course of several days or weeks, rather than cramming the night before. Spaced repetition is a proven method for retaining long-term information and can reduce stress during exam periods. Using methods like the Pomodoro Technique—studying for 25 minutes followed by a 5-minute break—can also help boost focus and productivity.
Teach the Importance of Prioritisation: At university, students often face multiple assignments and exams. Teach your teen to prioritise their tasks based on deadlines and importance. Help them identify which assignments require the most time and which ones can be done more quickly. Effective prioritisation reduces the feeling of being overwhelmed and ensures that the most important tasks are completed first.
Encourage Group Study: Studying with friends can often make academic work feel less isolating and more manageable. Encourage your teen to use online study platforms, like Google Docs or Microsoft Teams, where they can collaborate with others. Whether it’s studying together through a Zoom call or exchanging ideas and notes via shared documents, fostering this kind of connectivity can improve learning and help students meet deadlines collaboratively.
3. Supporting Mental Health and Wellbeing During Study Time
Academic pressures, deadlines, and the transition to university life can take a toll on your teen’s mental and physical wellbeing. High levels of stress, burnout, and lack of sleep can directly affect their ability to study effectively and meet deadlines. Therefore, it’s vital to develop healthy habits that will allow your teen to do well both academically and personally.
How you can help:
Promote Regular Exercise: Physical activity is an effective way to reduce stress and boost mood. Encourage your teen to add regular exercise into their routine, whether it’s going for a walk, attending fitness classes, or participating in a sport. Exercise helps refresh the mind, promotes better sleep, and increases overall energy levels, all of which contribute to better academic performance.
Encourage Healthy Sleep Habits: Sleep is crucial for cognitive function and memory retention. Your teen may be tempted to stay up late studying or partying, but chronic sleep deprivation can impair their academic performance and mental health. Help your teen establish a healthy sleep routine by encouraging consistent bedtimes, limiting screen time before bed, and practicing relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing.
Encourage Stress Management Techniques: Stress is an inevitable part of university life, but managing it effectively is essential. Help your teen explore stress management techniques, such as deep breathing exercises, yoga, or journaling. Many teens also benefit from mindfulness practices and meditation apps (such as Headspace or Calm), which can help them relax and stay grounded during busy periods.
Be social: It’s important for students to stay socially connected, even when they are busy with assignments or studying. Encourage your teen to make time for social activities with friends or family, as socialising can reduce feelings of isolation and provide emotional support during stressful times. Zoom calls, social media, and instant messaging apps can help them stay in touch with friends and family back home.
Recognise the Signs of Burnout: University students often experience burnout when they take on too many commitments, neglect their wellbeing, or push themselves too hard to meet deadlines. Be on the lookout for signs of burnout, including fatigue, irritability, or withdrawal from social activities. Gently encourage your teen to take breaks and prioritise self-care. If they’re feeling overwhelmed, it may be a good time to take a step back, relax, and reorient themselves before returning to their academic tasks.
4. Connectivity and Its Role in Supporting Academic and Mental Health
In today’s world, students’ academic success and mental health are heavily influenced by their ability to stay connected with the right resources and support networks. Technology has provided students with unprecedented access to information, academic resources, and social connections. Encouraging your teen to use technology to stay connected can be a vital tool in balancing their academic work, deadlines, and overall wellbeing.
How you can help:
Use technology for the better: While technology can be a source of distraction, it also offers numerous academic benefits. Encourage your teen to use reliable online resources for studying, like digital libraries, research databases, and e-learning platforms. Staying connected with tutors or classmates through online communication tools such as email, forums, or apps like Slack can help them stay on top of coursework and meet deadlines.
Access to Professional Help: Many universities now offer online counseling services, which can be a crucial lifeline for students who may be struggling with mental health challenges. Encourage your teen to use these services if needed. Accessing them through video chats or messaging platforms can provide an immediate and non-initimidating way for them to talk to a professional and seek support.
Stay in Touch with Family and Friends: Lastly, staying connected with family and friends is essential for maintaining a support system. Encourage your teen to video call or message loved ones, as regular communication can help reduce feelings of isolation and stress.
As your teen navigates the challenges of university life, managing deadlines, developing effective study habits, and maintaining their wellbeing can often feel like an overwhelming balancing act. However, by developing good time management skills, helping them build productive study routines, and encouraging self-care practices, you can support them in making the most out of their university chapter!
Author - Linzi Nedoszytko, Virgin Media o2
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