Before you leave home:
What to bring to orientation:
Layers (for temperature variations between the outdoors and indoors).
Walking shoes for campus tours in the afternoon.
An umbrella (for those mid-afternoon pop-up showers).
Basic topics for parents and families:
Your student will be going through significant changes during his/her freshman year of college, and each student and family experiences will be different.
- It is important for a parent or family member to have some direct conversations about lifestyle choices and social issues.
- Urge your student to access university support services as needed.
- Encourage your student to develop a greater level of independence.
- Educate your student to develop financial responsibility.
- Stay in touch, but not too much. It is important for more than one member of the family to communicate with the student via phone, e-mail, and/or text.
- Encourage your student to get involved on campus.
Some key questions to ask your student might include:
- How are your classes going?
- Do you have enough money to put gas in your car?
- Are you eating enough?
- How do you and your roommate get along?
- What do you like to do when your aren't in class?
- What's your favorite class?
- Who's your favorite professor?
- What do you like most about college?
- What has been the hardest part about college?