THE POST-BHS TRANSITION: WHAT SENIOR PARENTS NEED TO KNOW

Whether heading off to college or staying close to home for a gap year or to work,
students’ transition from high school life is a big change. On April 16, the Senior PTO and B-PEN presented a special evening featuring guest speaker Dr. Anjini Virmani.

Three former Peer Leaders shared via video their experiences going from BHS to college, reassuring that the transition could be fairly smooth for those whose parents
trusted them, as BHS prepares students well. Students will be understandably excited
and anxious, but Peer Leaders recommended students go out of their comfort zone to
get to know a lot of people and find a sense of place in the community, join clubs to
cultivate friend groups, find things they enjoy doing, and ask for help if they need it.
Prevention/Intervention Social Worker Abby Dean talked about the importance of
preparing teens for the transition while parents prepare for letting them go as they
begin the next phase of adulthood, finding the balance between freedom and trust. She stressed the importance of making sure kids know how to get along with roommates, have basic skills (cooking, laundry, financial literacy) and suggested making a plan for how much to be in touch after they leave home, recommending Heather Barnett’s article “15 life skills every kid should know before they leave for college,” as well as Brennan Barnard’s “Top Ten College Transition Tips for Parents.”

​The evening’s main focus was a presentation by Dr Anjini Virmani. (An Internal
medicine physician practicing at Atrius Health since 1998 with a focus on college health, innovative care, and teaching, she also served as Associate Dean of Health, Wellness and Counseling and the Medical Director of the Health Center at Bentley University and is currently the Internal Medicine Chief of Clinical Coverage department at Atrius. Her children are BHS graduates.)

Dr. Virmani’s main points are outlined in the materials linked below and include
important information about dealing with college student medical needs away from
home, including insurance issues, HIPAA health privacy guidelines, and a “medical tool kit.” She encouraged parents to have important health conversations around values, relationships, substances, etc., and to make sure their kids are taking ownership of their own health needs, including their exact medications and plans for refills. She also stressed the importance of students studying out of state being aware of differences in women’s health laws (i.e., birth control is legal, but some college health centers may not prescribe and Plan B may not be available in some states) and marijuana laws, which still vary state to state. While COVID is less worrisome, measles cases are increasing – make sure vaccinations are up to date.

RESOURCES
Dr. Virmani’s Medical Tool Kit for Students
Dr. Virmani’s Medical Tool Kit for Parents
What Every Kid Needs to Know Before Leaving Home
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