Why Students Melt in Summer and How to Stop It Before It Starts

1. Summer Melt Isn’t Just a Logistics Problem

You can send as many welcome emails as you want. But they don’t answer the real questions on students’ minds:
- Will I make friends?
- Will I belong?
- Will I be okay?

These aren’t academic questions. They’re emotional ones. And when they go unanswered, doubt creeps in. A student who feels unsure, unseen, or unsupported in the months leading up to arrival is far more likely to disengage or not show up at all.

We’ve heard this across institutions. And we’ve seen what happens when students are left to sit in that silence.

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2. Belonging Starts Before the First Day

In recent live sessions co-hosted with Gladys Mungai from Mohawk College and Ken Withers, we talked about students journey, what is important before arrival and how being well connect before resulted in summer melt reduction and yield improvement, but most impoartnat into students satisfaction.

Students told us they want to connect before they arrive to ask questions without fear, to find others like themselves, and to know they’re not alone. Even introverts open up when they’re given a safe, student-led space.

That early sense of connection doesn’t just ease anxiety - it builds momentum. It helps students walk into Orientation already feeling part of something, instead of feeling like they’re starting from scratch.

And institutions benefit too. When peer-led conversations increase, staff pressure decreases. It’s not magic - it’s just smart community design. (or  It’s not magic - its a right structure and right time)

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3. Connection Over the Summer, Without the Burnout

By summer, many teams are running on empty. Pre-arrival engagement often falls down the list, not because it’s unimportant, but because there’s no capacity left to manage it.

Goin’ changes that. Our student-led spaces are fully managed, moderated, and activated by our team, allowing institutions to focus on other initiatives. Students connect, share, and support one another organically, while staff regain valuable time to focus on what matters most.

And while we take care of engagement behind the scenes, universities still have full visibility and control. The result? No daily check-ins. No inbox overload. No repetitive inquiries. Just a thriving, safe, tailored community where real friendships start forming before Day One (or before setting foot on a campus).

The impact goes beyond fewer questions. It appears in stories, such as the one about the student who landed in Canada and already had dinner plans with new friends from Goin’. These aren’t just casual chats. They are reasons to show up, settle in, and stay.

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4. Reimagining Summer Engagement

What if summer didn’t have to be a pause in student support? What if it became the launchpad?

Across partners like the University of Toronto, Mohawk, Humber, Sheridan, Algonquin, and the University of Fraser Valley, we’re seeing the power of starting early. When students have a place to belong from the moment they accept their offer, the journey ahead becomes clearer and far more exciting.

Institutions don’t need to carry the entire weight of engagement. They just need to enable it.

Let’s not wait for Orientation to make students feel welcome.

If you’re considering ways to reduce melt, lighten staff load, and provide students with the emotional support they deserve, we’re here to help.

Schedule a conversation or watch the demo to see how student-led communities can transform the summer experience. ( Live Session/ Book meeting link )