A roommate can deeply affect a student’s GPA and even the decisions that they make toward social options and peers. This nugget of wisdom was established by Bruce Sacerdote, a Professor of Economics at Dartmouth College. Prepping a child for college life isn’t just about getting the right sort of GPA or extracurricular application fodder. It is also about making sure that they are completely capable of being a decent person that a fellow college student can live with harmoniously. In all things, when it comes to preparing a child for adult life, it’s best to start early.
Build Respect and Responsibility
Respect for other people starts with learning how to respect one’s self; after all, if you can’t respect your own space, there’s no way that you’ll make room for other people. You can teach responsibility by trusting a child to care for their possessions as well as other things around the home. It can even build into being responsible for pets or siblings.
These lessons which start at the home are important building blocks for a decent person. College students bring more than just themselves to college; they come with precious tools that they need to succeed in their academics. If a student lacks respect and responsibility, they can find themselves mired in horrifying roommate situations that can bleed into their grades, their friend groups, and even later on toward their professional lives.
Chores, Chores, Chores!
The earlier you get your children involved with chores, the better their chances of building a “pitch-in” mindset that benefits their work ethic. This information is backed up by Julie Lythcott-Haims, the author of How To Raise an Adult. Common chores are taking out the garbage, making their own beds, doing the laundry, and even cooking a meal or two. All these enable a child to learn from the experience and give them the actual know-how to survive on their own. When they know how to take care of themselves, they will know right away what is not acceptable when it comes to other people. From there, that’s when your child’s analysis of the situation and their communication skills will come in.
Enhance Communication and Analysis Skills
People need to make use of verbal interactions to get their points across. As they grow, it is important that you teach your child to be able to express their thoughts in a cohesive and well thought out manner. Just because your child is in the right does not mean to say that they are capable of expressing their ideas in a non-abrasive manner. In smoothing out a prickly social situation, it’s not just the message but also the delivery that counts. As a parent, you need to teach your child how to handle verbal strife diplomatically.
College life is a very exciting and important era in a child’s life. For them to be able to make the most out of it and come out ready to tackle life, they need suitable help from you. Preparing them as early as their childhood years can arm them with the knowledge and ability to be great college roommates, with the ability to form long-lasting friendships.
