10 ways an occupational therapist can help a college student

You got into your dream school. Picked the perfect roommate. Designed your most awesome living space. Joined a club or two. Have an ideal schedule. Made a bunch of new friends at orientation.

All or none of these might be true. For many college students, especially during the first semesters, navigating life as a more independent adult may be quite different from what was expected. You anticipated the room decor, your first classes, and maybe even the activities you wanted to do. After only a couple of weeks, you might be wondering if you should drop that class, change your major, or possibly head home for a weekend or perhaps longer. Your perfect roommate is starting to get on your nerves, your laundry is piling up, and you can't seem to get everything done for your classes. Your professor seems scary and unapproachable. You can't seem to concentrate, and managing your time is more challenging than you thought it would be.

Your first step? Every campus has programs designed to help you through all of this that work for MOST students. You are not the only one feeling this way. At the same time, if you don't figure it all out, you might find yourself at risk for not making it through the year-- or even the semester. Find those programs (they are usually located in student success or student services, may be a class you take called College 101 or FYE.) Ask for a peer mentor, a tutor, or an advisor to direct you to resources provided by the university.

But what if you tried all of those resources that work for everyone else and you STILL feel lost? An occupational therapist might be just the perfect person to help you.

Occupational therapists are experts in making what might feel inaccessible attainable. Sessions can be anywhere you need them to be-- in your residence hall, study spaces, classroom, rec center, health center... even with your professor or counselor. We go where you are and figure out why things are not working, diving deep into factors like environment, experience, development, and resources. We then devise a plan forward with you. Because we work together, you always know what you are working on and track your own progress. Plans can be tweaked to make them more effective. Because your plan is individualized to your personality, experiences, skills, needs, and vision for yourself, moving forward should be motivating and active. It does not have to take terribly long to see progress or even achieve your goals and move on. Many students find relief in just a few sessions.

What might you address with an occupational therapist? Anything you want to do, need to do, or are required to do. We bridge the gap between where you are currently and find a way to get you where you need to be. To get you started, here are ten common ways an occupational therapist can help.

1. Residence Halls: How to figure out what to pack and what to leave at home. Learning to live with a roommate, self-advocacy, organizational skills, sensory processing through room organization strategies, social competence, self-care, health and wellness, time management, regular eating schedules, and communication.

2. Scheduling: Finding it challenging to get to bed at a decent hour? Wake up in the morning? Self-limit video games? Eat on a regular basis? Juggle contact with family and friends back home with everything you need to do now?Working on time management/organizational skills includes establishing regular routines, planning for future events, and may encompass courses, social, and self-care as well as strategies for how to get there.

3. Study Skills/Strategies: Dreading that all too common group project? Not sure how to concentrate with so many distractions in the new environment? Group work is more and more prevalent in college and in the modern workplace. Learning skills related to working with others fosters self-advocacy, organizational competence, group dynamics, and boundary setting. Concentration is a lot more complex than you might think. An occupational therapist might be able to figure out what is getting in the way between you and your studies.

4. Packing for Class: Can't stay awake for the whole class? Having trouble paying attention? Feeling anxious in the classroom? Tuning out? Feeling distracted? Creating your own sensory kit can be a game changer. It starts with understanding why you are having trouble keeping up with what is happening. Occupational therapists understand the sensory system and how it can work for/against us.

5. Adjustment to busy, social and independent campus: Identification of challenges and expectations, personal needs, referral needs, classroom behavior expectations, education opportunities, advocacy, anxiety management and sensory strategies.

6. Social Life: College life is about new friendships, relationships, and social activities. Safety awareness, bullying prevention, learning to navigate college social scene and choices, friendships, developing interests, wellness, reading body language, impact of alcohol on body, healthy lifestyles, dealing with stress and peer pressure.

7. Transition/Independence: New environments and contexts call for different responses and routines. Independence is not completely automatic/intuitive and can take time. Conversation skills and reading body language, manners, social strategies in small groups, entertaining others, dating, sexuality, self-advocacy, exploring areas of interest and navigating new groups.

8. Meeting Skills: Dreading that meeting with your professor after missing class or not doing well on an exam? Self-advocacy, knowing what to expect and what is reasonable, knowing how to talk about yourself with people who impact you (professors, staff, classmates, and friends), classroom etiquette, job interviews, flexibility, negotiation, taking responsibility for your own actions, and modes of communication that fit the circumstance.

9. "Adulting": Running out of money and struggling with budget? Laundry piling up or all turning the same color? Living on snack foods because you don't know how to navigate your kitchen? Personal and shared spaces looking and smelling like a disaster area? Not sure how to handle some aspects of self-care in a shared space? "Adulting" often means unexpected challenges that you might not know how to do yet. This can be surprisingly anxiety provoking. If the resources on campus don't address your needs and questions, an occupational therapist can help you "adult" like a pro.

10. Deal with anxiety that gets in your way: do exams make you so anxious you can't concentrate? Are you easily overwhelmed with the expectations of college/career? Anxiety is a part of life, and learning to manage it so it does not take over is important. Occupational therapists can work with you alone or in collaboration with another professional like a counselor or coach. Need to practice not being anxious in places you associate with anxiety? Your occupational therapist may be able to go right to the place- in person or virtually, providing you with strategies to self-regulate and function across environments where you study, live, and work.

    This is just the beginning of what an occupational therapist can provide for you as you transition into adulthood. as for what you need and let an occupational therapist help you find your next steps. If your campus does not have one available, there is likely one in your community who can help.