Essential Executive Functioning Skills for College Success. In this episode of 'Professor on Your Side,' Dr. Johanna David -Tramantano discusses the critical importance of executive functioning skills for college students. These skills, which include planning, organization, focus, and time management, can make the difference between merely surviving college and thriving. Dr. Tramantano explores emerging research on how current digital habits are impacting students' executive functioning and offers practical advice for parents and students to develop these skills before college. With real-life examples, Dr. Tramantano emphasizes the transition challenges students face and provides five practical strategies to strengthen executive functioning skills— including using a single planner, breaking tasks into steps, establishing routines, developing time awareness, and gradually handing over responsibility to the student. The episode underscores the importance of these skills for academic and lifelong success.

Research cited int his episode:

Vohr, B. R. (2023). Less screen time, and more physical activity associated with executive function. The Journal of Pediatrics, 261.

Zeyrek, I., Tabara, M. F., & Çakan, M. (2024). Exploring the Relationship of Smartphone Addiction on Attention Deficit, Hyperactivity Symptoms, and Sleep Quality Among University Students: A Cross‐Sectional Study. Brain and Behavior, 14(11), e70137.