In the next few weeks, thousands of teenagers will set off cheerfully for university. Unfortunately for some, the shine soon wears off. Every year, thousands of students fail to complete their first year. On some courses at some institutions, up to 20 per cent will withdraw before June and there are very few university departments that will not lose anyone. Nigel Martin, principal of Durham’s Trevelyan College, said, "Rea-sons will vary but some youngsters decide very quickly, sometimes within 24 hours of arriving at the university, that they have made a false move. Some students go home for Christmas and decide not to return for their second term." Others simply fail to thrive. Pride, inertia or an unwillingness to disappoint their parents may keep them from talking about any difficulty, but they stop handing in coursework or going to lectures.