College Health & Safety Checklist for Students and Families

​​​​By: Michael D. Colburn, MD, MEd, FAAP & Megan Moreno, MD, FAAP

Every year, millions of students across the U.S. get ready to start college. They may be figuring out class schedules, connecting with new classmates or roommates, gathering supplies, arranging transportation and completing countless other tasks. Amid all this preparation​, ​it is just as important to plan for their health, well-being and safety.  

For parents and families:

1. Support your student’s growing independence. Give your student increasing responsibility for managing their health, schedules, appointments, communication and decisions. Be available for guidance while giving them opportunities to solve problems and manage age-appropriate challenges themselves. This growing independence is important for all students, including those who continue living at home.

2. Make sure your college-bound adolescent has a health visit before college starts. Their pediatrician can be an important resource during this transition. In addition to reviewing recommended vaccines and preventive care, their pediatrician can help your adolescent build the skills to manage their own health and health care.

3. Give your adolescent opportunities to manage their own health care. Encourage them to schedule their own appointments, communicate directly with their pediatrician during visits and use their patient portal to ask questions and manage their care. If they run into difficulty, help them figure out the next step rather than automatically taking over.

It can also be helpful for adolescents to spend part of their health visit privately with their pediatrician. This one-on-one time gives them the opportunity to discuss questions or concerns about mental health, substance use, healthy relationships, sexual health and personal safety with the doctor.

4. Make sure your student has health insurance that meets their needs. Many young adults can remain on a parent’s health insurance plan until age 26, while colleges may require insurance or offer student health plans. Review options together, make sure your student can access their insurance information and check that the plan provides coverage where they will live and attend college.

5. Help your student plan for ongoing health needs. If your student has a chronic medical condition, mental health needs, takes prescription medication or needs accommodations, help them make a plan before college starts.

This might include continuing with current health care professionals, arranging medication refills or connecting with disability or accessibility services (accommodations for students with ADHD, for example). Your student should understand the plan and increasingly take responsibility for carrying it out.

6. Keep conversations about health, relationships and safety going. Talk openly about alcohol and other substances, relationships, sexual health, consent, personal safety and online safety. Discuss ways to reduce risk, recognize unsafe situations, look out for friends and get help when needed. Make it clear that your student can come to you with questions and problems.

7. Stay connected while allowing room for independence. Starting college can change family dynamics, even when a student continues living at home. Talk about expectations for privacy, schedules, household responsibilities, transportation, visitors and communication.

During the first few months of college, consider planning a regular check-in once or twice a week so busy schedules don’t get in the way of staying connected. Ask how your student is adjusting academically, socially and emotionally, while giving them space to manage challenges and make decisions more independently. Revisit these expectations as everyone adjusts.

8. Pay attention to your student’s well-being. Changes in mood, sleep, eating, substance use, relationships, school performance or changes in their usual behavior may signal that your student is struggling. Ask how they are doing, listen and encourage them to seek help early. Know what mental health, academic and basic-needs resources are available through their college and community.

Advice for young adults starting college:

Starting college is an exciting time. Along with thinking about classes, activities, transportation and living arrangements, prepare to take charge of your own health and health care.

Before you start college:

1. Schedule a health visit with your pediatrician. Make sure you are up to date on recommended vaccines and other preventive care. Depending on your age and health history, this may include vaccines that protect against meningococcal disease, HPV, pertussis, flu and COVID-19. Even if you’ve had these vaccines before, you may need another dose or booster. Use this visit to ask questions about your physical, mental and sexual health.

2. Know where and how you will get health care. Depending on where you live and attend school, you may continue seeing your pediatrician, use telehealth, receive care through a college health center, or establish care with another health care professional, such as an adolescent medicine specialist.

Where will you go if you are sick? What care is available at night or on weekends? Where is the nearest urgent care or emergency department? Have access to your health insurance information, know how to find doctors, clinics and pharmacies in your insurance network, and know whom to contact about coverage or a bill you don’t understand.

When it is time to transition to an adult health care professional, your pediatrician can help.

3. Know your health history and ongoing health needs. Know your medical conditions, allergies, medications and other important parts of your health history. If you have an ongoing medical or mental health condition, know how it affects you, what care you need and what to do if symptoms worsen.

Make sure you can access your patient portal, immunization record and other important health information. If you need accommodations, connect with your college’s disability or accessibility services early.

4. Understand your health care privacy and decide whom you want involved. Once you turn 18, you generally make your own health care decisions and control who can receive information about your care. If you want a parent, family member, or another trusted person involved, ask your pediatrician how to give permission to share information with them.

Also ask what options are available if you want someone to help with health care decisions if you cannot make them for yourself. In some emergencies, health care professionals may be able to share relevant information with people involved in your care if you cannot communicate your wishes.

If you use a parent’s health insurance, ask how communications such as an explanation of benefits (EOB) may affect your privacy​.

5. Know and manage your medications. Know each medication’s name and dose, why you take it, how to take it, and important side effects or interactions, including whether there are foods, drinks or other medications you should avoid. Know who will prescribe it, where you will fill it and how to get refills.

Store medications securely, especially controlled medications such as prescription stimulants. Never share prescription medications or take medications prescribed for someone else. Know what to do if your medication is lost or stolen.

6. Prepare for emergencies. Know how you will receive weather and emergency alerts. Keep basic supplies such as a flashlight and batteries, nonperishable food and water (to be kept strictly for emergencies), basic first aid supplies, and extra medication. Consider putting together an emergency kit for severe weather, power outages or other emergencies.

If you have a health condition that could require emergency help, make sure someone you trust knows the signs and what to do, for example, how to respond to a severe allergic reaction, seizure or low blood sugar.

Once college gets started:

1. Build routines that support your health. Aim for 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night, eat nutritious foods, stay physically active and make time to rest. Think about how studying, work, social activities, screen use and caffeine can affect your sleep. Plan regular meals and snacks whether you eat at home, pack food, use a dining plan or buy meals between classes.

If you are worried about having enough food, learn about food assistance through your college or community.

2. Set boundaries with the people you live with. Whether you live with roommates, friends, or family, talk early about sleep schedules, lights and noise, privacy, visitors, cleaning, shared belongings and common spaces.

When a problem comes up, talk about it before frustration builds. Choose a time when everyone is calm, explain the concern, listen to the other person’s perspective and work toward a solution. Revisit expectations as schedules and needs change.

3. Talk about new expectations with your family. College can bring new responsibilities and greater independence without changing where you live. Talk about privacy, household responsibilities, transportation, visitors, schedules, and communication. Identify places, such as a library, study room or other comfortable space, where you can study or have time to yourself.

4. Plan for safe, reliable transportation. Think about how you will get to classes, work, appointments, and activities. If you drive, consider parking, weather and fatigue. If you use public or campus transportation, know the schedules and after-hours options. Have a backup plan when possible.

5. Make informed choices about alcohol and other substances. You don’t need to drink alcohol or use cannabis or other substances to fit in. If you choose to use them, understand the risks, including interactions with medications. Don’t drive while impaired or ride with an impaired driver. Plan how you will get home, look out for your friends, and know when someone needs medical help.

6. Take care of your sexual health and relationships. Healthy relationships respect each person’s boundaries, choices, privacy and independence. You don’t need to be sexually active to fit in.

If you are sexually active, know where to get confidential sexual and reproductive health care, including contraception, STI testing and treatment, HIV prevention and emergency contraception.

Consent should be freely given, informed, and ongoing. A person who is too impaired by alcohol or other substances to make or communicate a decision about sexual activity cannot give consent.

7. Protect your safety online and in person. Think about what personal information, photos and location information you share and who can see them. Pay attention to privacy settings, location sharing, dating apps and group chats. Know what safety, advocacy and emergency resources are available through your college and community, and get help if you or someone else feels unsafe, threatened or harassed.

8. Build connections and know where to find support. Starting college can bring stress, loneliness, homesicknes, or feeling overwhelmed, even if you continue living at home or attend college in your home community.

Connect with people and activities that are meaningful to you. Know where to find mental health counseling, academic help, disability or accessibility services, food or financial assistanc, and housing or transportation support.

9. Ask for help early and pay attention to your mental health. Don’t wait until you are failing a class, in crisis or unable to manage a problem on your own. Reach out if you are struggling academically, financially, socially, physically or emotionally.

Feeling persistently sad or anxious, withdrawing from others, major changes in sleep or eating, increased substance use, missing classes or having trouble keeping up with daily responsibilities can signal that you need support. Know where to get routine mental health care and where to turn for urgent help​.