Finding your people in college isn't always easy. Keeping them? Sometimes that’s even trickier. On today's episode, we talk to our first expert guest, Professor Amy DiBernardo. She’s a licensed clinical social worker, an instructor at New York University and a former J.Crew junkie (emphasis on former). 

We chat about the 5 obstacles we see on campus that keep our clients stuck in a whole range of social situations:

1) Not knowing what to do (lack of skill)
2) Thoughts getting in the way (worry thoughts, “what if’s”)
3) Big emotions (being too dysregulated to communicate well)
4) Indecisiveness (can’t make a decision about what’s right)
5) Environment too powerful (people in power positions not cooperating)

We all open up about our than-professional moments in college. But good news, we all managed to push past “the regrets” to live another day. And so can you. 

As you listen this week, think about which obstacles sound the most familiar. We’ll be coming back with specific tips in the following few episodes. Use today’s chat as your guide to honing in on what future episode you want to listen to. 

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

Are you seeing dialectics everywhere now? It is Part 2. We are back hearing from more students about the common dialectics they experience during the college years. In this episode we speak with a freshman and senior in college and see the interplay between the discourses of "carpe diem" and "focus on your future".  They speak about how difficult it can be to navigate the social demands of college. 

Some common themes were: 
-struggling with feeling excluded and included at the same time, 
-making new friends while also maintaining past friendships, and 
-navigating a romantic break-up.  

We'll teach you how to listen to your intuition and make more mindful decisions. We explain how adopting a dialectical stance can open yourself up to the possibility of thinking and acting in more effective ways.  Listen for concrete tips based on some core principals from Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Try them out and tell us if they worked for you!

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

College is a time of extremes. Incredible freedom and intense pressure. Loving your independence and missing pieces of home. So many new people to meet, yes! And so many new people to meet, nooooo! 

In psych speak we call these extremes "dialectics," the idea that two seemingly opposite truths can be occurring at the same time. This is a big topic so we're breaking it down a bit. In this episode (Part 1), we talk to "K," a rising junior at a liberal arts college who describes some of the extremes she faces. 

We'll also share some of the most common dialectics people struggle with in college: 
1) I want to try new things, and I want to remember who I am. 
2) I'm excited to be here, and I'm terrified to be here. 
3) I should be living in the moment, and I should be preparing for my future. 
4) I need to push myself out of my comfort zone, and I need to stick to my core values. 
5) I need to go out and have a good time, and I need to take care of my body. 

Take a listen and see if you notice any of these dialectics in your life. In Part 2, which we'll air on September 23rd, we discuss some practical ways to bring more balance into your life when you find yourself too polarized on one extreme or the other. 

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

How many of you have heard that "college is the best 4 years of your life?" And sure, that can be true. But man it can throw you when the picture you had in your mind doesn't match what you deal with day-to-day. And it's lonely when you think you're the only one who's surprised by all the things college brings.

On today's episode, our guests share the expectations they had going into freshman year versus the realities they face now. We look at how "fortune telling" and going in with "expert mind" can set us up for disappointment, and we explain how cultivating a "beginner's mindset" can bring us a more balanced and healthy view of what to expect during these best years. 

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

College can be...Really social, and pretty lonely.
A time of amazing freedom, and a total pressure cooker.
The best years of your life, except when it's not.

We're Dr. Sarah Olivo and Dr. Liz Seidler, two clinical psychologists who've helped students navigate the highs and lows of college for over a decade. In this podcast, we listen to your stories and use them as our guide. Hear us give actionable advice to students just like you who are trying to balance work and fun, manage the pressures of school, and feel at home in the dorm. 

This podcast is a reminder that you're not alone. We all need a bit of help tuning out the noise, finding humor in the struggle, and doing the hard work of living the best years of your life.

Follow us for episode announcements: 
@collegeisfinepodcast on TikTok and Instagram

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner