A little bit of stress can often act as a motivator, an encourager that helps a student to focus on a goal. However, when stress turns into distress, that’s when asking someone to come alongside your student for support may be needed. Working with Student Care and Assistance, students can process what they are experiencing and then work to create an action plan to help manage stressors. Those could be short term solutions (creating a study plan for the week or help navigating communication with faculty/staff) or may be longer term (seeking support from a therapist, health care provider, emergency services). Stressors could also be the result of unexpected situations (natural disasters, family emergencies, surgery). In crisis situations our team will work to get your student the professional care that they need and help them to navigate the other multiple in motion pieces of their lives so that they can be where they need to be.  No challenge is too small so don’t hesitate to reach out. 

Finding community on campus can be overwhelming and it is easy for students to not know where to start and revert to what they know and are comfortable with. Isolation can also be a result of challenges with your student’s mental health. It can be scary to be vulnerable with others and ask people to do the same. Connection is an essential part of a students transition to college and Student Care and Assistance can help to encourage and take tangible steps with your student. Whether that is connection with a campus organization, study groups, affinity spaces, or wellness resources, let us help your student make Iowa a home. 

It is common for students to face struggles when transitioning to college. Time management, new schedules, and self-regulation may be difficult for some students to get used to. Student Care and Assistance can help students adjust by talking with them about their challenges and assist in finding resources, such as Academic Support and Retention. AS&R is your student’s destination for academic success initiatives such as tutoring, supplemental instruction, and supports for first-generation and transfer students. Your student doesn’t have to struggle alone; Student Care and Assistance can help.

Sometimes your student is ready to take on whatever comes their way but might struggle to ask for help. Independent students might be preparing for the next steps in their journey and making plans, such as their off campus living situation. Student Care and Assistance can help students who are considering off campus living by exploring off-campus housing options and planning for the necessities. We connect students to Student Legal Services for lease reviews and work with students to identify community and campus supports to make the transition off campus less daunting.

Illness, accidents, and injuries are inevitable. But Student Care and Assistance can take some of the stress off a student dealing with unexpected difficulties by assisting in communication with student’s faculty as well as identifying resources that can ease the transition back to campus. If your student is facing unexpected illness, accidents, or injuries, consider encouraging them to connect with our office.