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Do a quick Google search, and you'll find "independence" consistently listed as a top trait for successful adults and employees, and it's no coincidence. The journey from teenager to adult hinges on developing independence, which seamlessly translates into the workplace.
While there are many ways to foster independence in your child, college stands out as an ideal environment. Here, young adults are thrust into situations demanding self-reliance, preparing them for their future careers and adult life in general.
The high school transition
In high school, students receive a lot of support, both from parents and teachers. Both remind them of upcoming assignments, ensure they do their homework and stay on top of their schedules. Teachers form close connections with these students and provide them with a structured and personal learning experience. This constant supervision creates a safety net that many students rely on without even realizing it.
But college is a different ball game. It's much more impersonal. Freshmen might find themselves in a lecture hall with hundreds of other students, with professors who won't know their names unless they actively make an effort to stand out. There are no frequent reminders about deadlines, and professors typically have strict policies on late assignments and will give out zeroes without a second thought.
The responsibility to stay on track and meet academic requirements falls solely on college students' shoulders for the first time, which can be a jarring experience but helps them develop a new level of self-advocacy and independence.
Related: What the Ivy League is Looking For in the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
Social and emotional growth: Living independently
For the majority of students, college is their first significant experience living away from home. This newfound independence is both exciting and challenging, marking a critical stage in their personal development. Managing finances for the first time, possibly even juggling a part-time job to afford school, teaches valuable lessons in financial literacy, prioritization and the consequences of overspending.
College life is also rich with social opportunities, but it requires students to navigate complex social dynamics. Even for those who still live at home, college pushes them out of their comfort zones, away from the familiar faces they grew up with, and forces them to make new friends, join social groups and participate in extracurriculars. These interactions not only help them become more independent but are crucial for developing social skills, empathy and emotional intelligence. Even learning to live and interact with roommates, which often comes with its own challenges, as I'm sure we've all heard or lived through the horror stories, is a great experience for learning how to stand your ground and compromise.
Decision-making and responsibility
While the average adult makes 33,000 to 35,000 decisions a day—ranging from what to eat or wear to what to say and how—the average college student probably makes even more. College life is a constant exercise in decision-making, both big and small. Without parents to guide them through every choice, students must learn to navigate these decisions on their own. From choosing courses and extracurriculars to deciding whether to attend a frat party the night before an exam or skip that 8 am lecture, college students face countless choices daily. As parents, we naturally want to shield our children from making bad decisions, but experiencing the consequences of poor choices is critical to developing independence and better decision-making skills—you don't know how far the drop is until you fall!
The many challenges of college life, such as dealing with homesickness, stress, and occasional failures, build emotional resilience. Learning to cope with these issues independently while seeking support from friends, parents, even counselors, when necessary is a vital part of personal growth. This also translates well to the professional sphere; it's about having the confidence to work independently with the self-awareness and humility to ask for help when you're in over your head.
Beyond college and into the professional world
The independence and critical thinking skills developed in college prepare students for the professional world. Throughout the four years they spend at college where they are forced to become independent, and through trial and error, they hone their time management, problem-solving, decision-making, teamwork and interpersonal skills. They become independent thinkers, discover their true selves, and have a better grasp of how to navigate the rest of their adult lives. These students learn to approach everyday problems methodically and adapt to new and unexpected challenges, all of which are skills that translate well to any career field.
While a college degree doesn't guarantee your child career success or a job in their desired field, it does guarantee them significant personal growth and independence, which will undoubtedly shape their future.
Related: His College Side Hustle Made $70k Monthly, $1.9M Last Year
Conclusion
So, while fewer students believe in the worth of a college degree nowadays, it's perhaps the experience of college itself that we should focus on. The independence gained during college is a cornerstone of personal development, laying the foundation for a successful and self-reliant future. There is no other environment where students are given this level of freedom with so much room for trial and error. College is a place to experiment, to make mistakes, and to learn from them—a luxury not as easily afforded in the professional world, but one that significantly eases the transition into it.
