Many students hear the word “counseling” and assume they know what their college’s counseling services office or department is all about. Yes, the college counseling services office encourages students to give their overall well-being the attention it deserves. However, there are a variety of personal and academic services provided by your college’s counseling center. Here are six things the counseling office may be able to help you with:

Stress Management

College isn’t always easy. Many students have a lot on their plates, including school, work, family responsibilities, and taking care of others (like children or elderly parents). Your college’s counseling staff are there to help, whether you want to speak regularly with a therapist or want to explore strategies for managing anxiety and stress. They can serve as a resource to put you in contact with licensed psychologists/psychiatrists in your area as well.

Getting Through a Crisis

If you experience a traumatic event or lose a loved one or friend, don’t wait to get help. At FRCC, we have crisis counselors and mental health counselors available for students dealing with serious crises. These professionals can help you develop coping strategies and get access to professional and self-help resources, should you need them.

Academic Advising

Often, a college’s counseling office has a dotted or direct line to academic advising. Academic advisors can help you outline your academic plan, make schedule changes, and ensure you’re on track for graduation (and up to speed on graduation requirements).

Exploring Careers

The reason you’re in college is to define your future. When you need support, your college counseling office’s career advisors are there. It’s very common for students to go to college without an exact idea of what they want to do. Check out this office’s resources to help you zone in on your interests and skills and research careers that match them.

Getting Real-World Experience

As you define the steps you want to take to reach your goals, it’s important to think about how you’ll build your academic and professional résumé. FRCC’s Career Success Center will help you explore career possibilities and make a college plan, but they’re also there to help you identify ways to gain experience—through internships, volunteer opportunities, and more.

Being Successful as a New College Student

Academic assistance might be available through counseling or a different office (at FRCC, our campuses each have their own Student Success/Academic Success Centers that provide access to tutoring help and support for developing study, test-taking, and time-management skills). If adjusting to college life is proving challenging, look for support like the Westminster Campus TRIO program for first-generation and low-income students. TRIO offers career/academic advising, individualized coaching, and financial literacy education.

As always, our advice is to take advantage of the many (free!) resources available to you as a college student. Whether you need guidance choosing a major or seek support during a difficult time, there are people to help. Use them! Explore FRCC’s Advising and Counseling services.

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