The new you. With college comes some major changes in your life and yourself. As you learn new things and meet new people, your perspectives change, which is part of growing through experience. Your personal transformation might affect some of your relationships with old friends, your significant other or even your family members.
Hold up your end. Perhaps you live at home and just aren’t there as much anymore, or you’ve moved to your own space on campus. Either way, the new distance from family and old friends makes an emotional difference. Your pre-college relationships are sure to suffer strain if you don’t put effort into maintaining them. Keep in touch and spend some time with your old circle to let them know you still care.
Don’t become too full of yourself. You’re becoming more independent and discovering things about yourself that you didn’t know. Be conscious of how you’re changing and talk about it, but don’t pretend to have “outgrown” the old crowd. You can develop new preferences without invalidating the people who still maintain your old ones. Even if they’re sad that you’ve jumped off their bandwagon, give them a chance to get to know the new you.
See things through your family’s eyes. Your folks quite naturally worry about you when you’re on campus or hanging out with college friends. The fact that you’re now in college is still a new concept for them. Keep this in mind when you talk to them, and remember they worry because they care about you.
Staying together. It’s not inevitable that your move to college will affect your relationship with your significant other, but it’s not unlikely, either. If you feel it’s time to break up, do it calmly and compassionately – not impulsively or angrily. Explain your feelings and you’re more likely to get a mature response. If your partner reacts badly, take the high road and don’t respond in kind. You may also consider a trial separation. Who knows, your relationship could emerge from the college years even stronger than before.