As students prepare to start university this September, many families face new and sometimes unexpected challenges. Leaving home, losing daily structure, managing money, making friends from scratch and facing new academic standards can put a lot of pressure on a young person. Parents are often the first to notice shifts in mood, behaviour, or academic performance. Tim Panagos, Clinical Lead at The Edge Crete, stresses the need for open communication, early planning, and learning to recognise signs of stress, anxiety, substance use, and social isolation.

Parents can help by creating a calm environment for conversations about mental health and expectations. Practical steps include discussing campus resources, establishing check-in routines, and encouraging their child to build supportive peer networks. Addressing alcohol and drug risks before arrival — and agreeing on boundaries and emergency plans — can reduce harm and uncertainty.

Academic pressures

This can be a common source of strain for new students. Transitioning to college-level coursework often requires new study strategies and time management skills. Remind your child to use academic advising, tutoring centres, and counselling services if needed; seeking help is a strength, not a failure. Students are expected to study hard, achieve high grades, plan their futures, participate in extracurricular activities, and somehow still maintain a healthy social life. For many, it feels impossible to keep up. Fear of failure, disappointing parents, or falling behind others can create constant stress and self-criticism.

Social pressures

New students have to adapt to a new environment, meet lots of new people and start learning at a different academic level. Fitting in socially can be stressful; parents should validate feelings of loneliness and encourage engagement in clubs, groups, or sports to foster belonging. Encourage them to be proactive and friendly with the people in their dorm and on their university course; others will be feeling the same, and normalising this will help deal with the negativity they are experiencing.

Warning signs that a student is struggling:
persistent sadness
drastic changes in sleep or appetite
panic attacks
social withdrawal
substance use - drinking alcohol or using other substances to cope or fit in

What may start as experimentation can evolve into dependency, where a substance is needed more often and in larger amounts to feel normal. At this point, professional intervention is the safest and most effective way to regain control.

With preparation, clear communication, and knowledge of available resources, parents and students can navigate the move to university more confidently. Early conversations and agreed-upon supports help ensure wellbeing, safety, and academic success during this major life transition.

The Edge Crete is a facility designed exclusively for teens and young men aged 18-29, with a team of experts who treat substance misuse.