If you are sending a child off to college, whether for the first time or the seventh, here are some items to keep in mind as they leave.
10. Check out the College Parents Association Web site. This national membership association is dedicated to helping parents prepare and put their children through college easily, economically, and safely. You’ll find you are not alone.
9. Remember that there is a lot of partying and rampant alcohol abuse in many colleges. The best way to gauge what is happening at your child’s school is to find out what the atmosphere and culture are on campus. Ask other students you come across during a tour or during move in. And ask professors and residence hall advisers.
8. Don’t call your son or daughter on a Friday or Saturday night‑‑they won’t be home! And, depending on their class schedule, rule out that Thursday night call as well. (By the way, calling before noon on Saturday and Sunday is just as bad an idea!) If you must have constant contact, try sending e‑mail or an animated greeting card instead.
7. Learn two things ASAP: Your child’s e‑mail address and IM screen name. These tools are the best ways to stay in contact with your child at college. They make it so easy to stay up to date with what is going on and they save money on long distance calls.
6. Have tissues handy. The first day is going to be rough. It’s never easy to leave your child in the dorm room after you help move them in. So bring a box of tissues‑‑a BIG box.
5. Send food packages often. College students love to receive packages‑‑especially items they can’t get in their food plan. An easy way to accomplish this (if you don’t cook much) is to send a care package from one of the online shops that specialize in these packages: carepackages.com
4. Yes, your child is eating. Sure she might skip breakfast‑‑and there is no doubt the food is not as good as home‑‑but she is having lunch and dinner‑‑and snacks. And you might as well face the fact that pizza will become the perfect food and be eaten sometime after 10:30 at night. (The upside? This makes it a possible breakfast food the next morning.)
3. The Freshman 15. It does exist! There is a tendency for freshman to gain some weight‑‑and not just young women. So the next time you see your child looking a little bigger in some spots, you will know why. The causes:
1) More schoolwork means less time for exercise.
2) They’re eating the same amount of food, but it is not healthy home‑cooking.
3) Stress caused by schoolwork is causing changes in their bodies.
4) Beer and other popular college beverages tend to add a couple of pounds
Learn more about College Wellness so you can relate better to your student.
2. A lot of kids learn to appreciate what they have at home now that they are away. This can create a much better relationship when they return. Often, they begin to understand and be thankful for all the opportunities their parents provided.
1. College students are NOT lazy. Despite all the news about kids today being lazy and not working hard, most students are working incredibly hard and still having a good time while doing it. You might notice grades dropping a little in the first year or first semester; this is normal. If you listen, you will hear about the increased academic competitiveness as well as new life experiences. Listening and communicating are key in understanding whether this is a small drop or major hazard.
Good luck. These items were contributed by a college residence adviser looking back on their first years of college and counseling other students.