New social settings, academic expectations and career decisions are among the many complexities that incoming college students have to navigate.
鈥淪tudents see these sensationalized messages about college,鈥� said Tim Bono, associate dean for assessment in student affairs and a lecturer in psychology at Washington University. 鈥�Unfortunately, that can set them up for disillusionment, when they inevitably have difficulty with a roommate or a class.鈥�
Bono鈥檚 new course Bearprints for Success aims to ease the transition into college by offering students practical tools for personal and academic success.
For incoming students who are away from their home states or countries, Bono said finding a sense of belonging and community can be challenging. It鈥檚 also foundational for well-being.
鈥淔rom a psychological perspective, arguably the single strongest predictor of well-being in our lives has to do with the sense of connection that we feel to other people,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen we were in lockdown for a period of time, we did not have as much opportunity to keep that skill sharpened 鈥� so we thought that a course that addresses that specifically could be useful for our students.鈥�
Course readings and discussions encourage students to discover their purpose, or the "why" behind their dreams and goals. That鈥檚 essential to maintaining resilience during inevitable adversities, Bono said.
By teaching students the importance of meaningful interactions and instilling proactive self-care habits like , Bono hopes the course will help students avoid burnout.
鈥淧art of what we want to do with this course is break open dialogue around mental health and in particular, some of the warning signs 鈥� that people can identify in themselves and in friends and roommates and others that they see on campus, along with an understanding of the resources that are available to them,鈥� he said.
Learn more about Tim Bono鈥檚 Bearprints for Success course and how it sets up incoming college students for success by listening to the full St. Louis on the Air conversation on , , , , or by clicking the play button below.
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