ANN ARBOR—After their first mid-term exams in October, thousands of U.S. college freshmen get a big shock. They discover they may not be quite as bright as they believed they were or that others are just as bright. They also realize that college—and roommates—are going to be considerably more demanding than they had expected. In some instances, anxiety, depression and self-doubt set in and make it even harder for freshmen to function.

Ironically, college freshmen are the least likely of all students to come for psychological counseling or short-term therapy.

“Most freshmen just need to learn time management and study skills,” says Jerome D. Dowis, associate director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at the University of Michigan. But some are dealing with more complicated issues and could benefit from short-term counseling with an “in-house” college therapist. Others, in some instances, could benefit from referral for long-term counseling, he adds.

Why don’t they come for help? “Most freshmen find it very hard to imagine using counseling services when their expectations for the college experience were so high and so filled with excitement. Even those who had problems in high school think that all those problems will just disappear when they land in college,” Dowis explains.

Freshmen feel enormous pressure to be independent, he adds, so they often don’t consider seeking the help that—accepted at the right moment—could move them down the road to genuine independence more quickly and easily.

Beyond grades, college freshmen are coping with a whole range of issues that come with the territory: relationship problems with parents, friends, and significant others; parental divorces; identity crises; and culture shock (particularly for rural, international and minority students).

Also, many students encounter “roommate shock.” A surprising number of college freshmen, who generally come from middle- or upper-class families, have never shared a bedroom with another person. “The lack of privacy and need to negotiate living issues can be stressful for freshmen who are not used to such conditions,” Dowis notes.

Counseling and Psychological Services at Michigan range from individual counseling sessions and group counseling to couples and marital counseling. Through CAPS, students also can obtain after-hours telephone crisis counseling and consultation through the SOS Community Crisis Telephone Hotline, which operates 24- hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year (313-76-GUIDE). Furthermore, if there is a need, CAPS refers students for more extended counseling with other campus or community resources when required.

“We believe in accessibility and availability here,” Dowis notes. “Consequently, we have fewer full-fledged crises than we might otherwise. And when students do need crisis intervention, they can get a counseling session here within an hour.”

CAPS’ group counseling sessions often have a specific focus. Some of the group titles in the past have included Graduate African American Women; African American Undergraduate Male Dialogue; Dissertation Support; Stress Management; Gay Men’s Support/Therapy; and Learning Disabilities Support.

CAPS also offers a number of workshops on issues such as test anxiety reduction, stress management, understanding eating disorders, assertiveness training and relating to others.

For a variety of reasons, freshmen often don’t share their fears and traumas with their parents, Dowis adds, so parents should ask about their children’s exams and their new lives, and reassure their children that they can survive, learn to study, manage their time and still have some fun.

Parents also should encourage their sons and daughters to get some counseling if their anxiety or depression persists longer that two weeks. A stitch in time saves nine.

U-M News and Information ServicesUniversity of Michigan