Listen to the college student's feelings. Unhappiness at college is often associated with simple loneliness and alienation. Encourage him to share his feelings. Show empathy and compassion as you listen, and refrain from judging or acting like you know better. Simply be there to listen and provide comfort.
Encourage the college student to look after her personal needs. In the midst of all the changes that college life offers, it can be easy to neglect the body and mind. Talk to her about eating regular, healthy meals, getting enough sleep every night and maintaining physical fitness. Without a healthy mind and body it can be difficult for a person to handle the challenges and opportunities of being in college.
Discuss self-confidence. One reason behind why many college students tend to feel unhappy is low self-esteem. When you are thrown into a new environment with countless other new faces and personalities, it can be all too easy to fall into the pitfall of thinking that you do not measure up and that everyone is judging you. Let the college student know that while these feelings are natural and many people face them, they are unproductive. Instead, tell the college student to focus on his most positive aspects rather than worry about his "flaws" and what other people think.
Offer your company. If a college student is unhappy, be there for her. Even if you live far away, let her know that you are always ready and willing to talk, whether on the telephone or through exchanging email messages. Tell her that she always has a support system in you and that she is never alone.
Speak about the value of recreational activities. Outlets can be very useful for dealing with feelings of unhappiness. One way that people can handle unhappiness and problems adjusting to college is by releasing stress through some type of activity or hobby, whether it's sewing or playing volleyball. No matter how busy a college student may be, there is always a little bit of time for hobbies and working on personal well-being.
Discuss patience. Making big life changes is hard. Sometimes all you need is to wait it out and see what happens. How a college student feels at the beginning of the semester is no indication of how she will feel at the end. Tell the student to give college a real chance. She may make the best friends of her life, join a lot of exciting new extracurricular activities or excel in her studies -- but none of that can come overnight.
Talk about solutions. If you feel like the student really needs to make a change, come up with a tangible strategy, such as transferring to a different school (perhaps closer to home or with different academic programs) or taking a temporary break away from formal education. Find out if the student needs a change in environment or is just having a hard time getting used to the college lifestyle. If it is the former, she may need to look into different college options. If it is the latter, all she may need is some support and time to see where college life takes her.