I don’t want to go back!
For one young woman, college was proving to be much more difficult than being at home. While away at college, she had to learn how to do her own laundry, cook her own meals, get herself places, maintain her cleanliness, and so much more, all of which she didn’t feel like she had to do while at home. Rather, her parents did that all for her for the first few weeks, assuming she needed a break from it all, but when they asked her to begin doing it again, she refused.
Instead of attempting to encourage their daughter to continue practicing independence, they just assumed she still needed more relaxation, but as time went on, she began losing her skills more and more. This then caused her to become overwhelmed simply by the idea of getting things done. Instead of actively cleaning her own space, keeping track of her appointments, and other adult activities, she began exhibiting avoidance behaviors. The young woman would lash out because she was unable to emotionally regulated because of all the stress even the idea of being independent gave her, and as they discussed her next year of college and when she would be going back at the end of the summer, she refused. She felt as if it was too much both emotionally and physically. She felt as if she didn’t have the time to do all her adult activates, such as grocery shopping, chores, and schoolwork while also finding time for herself and socializing, so she decided to bring up the idea of dropping out.
After realizing that their daughter had started losing all the skills she worked so hard to gain during the school year, they reached out to the College Life Skills Program for help. There, she utilized their Summer Intensive Program. There, she practiced maintaining her adult level skills as well as learn a few more to help her not only be prepared, but confident in her ability to go back to college and succeed.
College is a lot more than just education. It is getting yourself to class on time, completing assignments without people micromanaging your time, keeping your space clean and organized, keeping yourself hygienic, as well as self-advocating and managing important things like money, all independently. However, this can be extremely overwhelming and difficult, especially if you are not prepeared. One source explains how “Organizing notes, managing time, sticking to schedules and other essential skills, known as executive functions, are often areas of difficulty for neurodivergent students. Traditional colleges, with their emphasis on self-directed study, can add additional triggers and make these challenges worse,” (CLE, n.d.). However, despite these skills making it more difficult for neurodivergent students, they are skills they can lean and develop, and the College life Skills Program has the tools to help them do so.
At the College Life Skills Program, we provide Summer Intensive Programs. We additionally offer social, behavioral, educational, emotional, and executive functioning skills services children, teens, young adults, and their families, who may be Neurodivergent or not need for a happy and successful life in and out of school settings. Our team of professionals offers individualized and family coaching/counseling and social skills groups to help teach skills such as how to remain organized to ensure parents do not have to worry that their kids will be unable to make and maintain a functioning independent life on their own. So, if your child is struggling with skills like the ones listed above and much more, the SSGC is equipped with the tools to help.
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Dr. Eric J. Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D.C., is a Developmental and Behavioral Specialist who specializes in Autism, ADHD and related disorders. Dr. Nach is the founder of the Support for Students Growth Center and College Life Skills Program where he and his team of professional’s help develop the Emotional Maturity, Executive Functioning, Life Skill and Social Abilities of children, teens, young adults and college students and those high school students preparing for college.
Cle. (2025, February 12). Why neurodivergent students struggle in traditional college settings – and how CLE can help from day one – CLE: Choose your future. CLE. https://experiencecle.com/why-neurodivergent-students-struggle-in-traditional-college-settings-and-how-cle-can-help-from-day-one/#:~:text=Organizing%20notes%2C%20managing%20time%2C%20sticking,and%20make%20these%20challenges%20worse.
