The Foreign Service Journal, December 2022

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | DECEMBER 2022 79 and doctors as an additional way to man- age anxiety, depression, and stress. Recognize TCK Factors in Transition Some anxiety-provoking situations that may occur in the university transition hap- pen months before the semester starts. Changes in country, community, and cultural norms can spike anxiety, stress, and depression for TCKs who do not take the time to have closure with people they are connected to and with places they lived. Suggest your teen host and attend farewell parties, write thank-you letters to teachers and other significant commu- nity members who have been influential in their lives, and be intentional about revisiting important local landmarks. Work with your teen to define what will make them feel ready to move on to university. The first days after arrival on campus bring many moments of transition shock. A TCK can ask to attend pre-university programs designed for international students such as orientation and move- in mixers. At these, your teen can learn about the community and cultural norms as they begin to understand their new environment. Some universities, such as Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, have dedicated orientation sessions for TCK students to process their experiences living and settling into a new country and culture. When meeting new people, TCKs sometimes struggle to find a succinct way to say where they are from. This can be disorienting for them and also for their new peers at university who want to find connections and commonalities based on location. Keeping in mind cultural context and who is asking the question, it can be helpful for TCKs to have a concise answer like, “I have lived most of my life