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The
Parents’ Guide to a Worry-Free Semester
This article was written
for CollegeTipsForParents.org by Caitlin Fahey.
Caitlin is currently pursuing a
Master's degree in English while
teaching two sections of First Year Composition, a college writing
course for freshman students. As an undergrad, she similarly served
as a freshman mentor in a First Year Experience program. In
addition
to teaching, Caitlin's interests include writing, theater, and film.
The transition from high
school to college is difficult. For the parents. For those of
you who are sending your children to college for the first time, I’m
sure you’re a nervous wreck. But a college education is what every
parent wants for their children today, isn’t it? I survived my
freshman year (and so did my parents). I went on to mentor freshmen
for two years, and am currently a graduate assistant, teaching two
sections of freshman English. I can assure you, you don’t have to
worry as much as you think you do.
Many of you probably worry about the
fact that your son or daughter is alone in an unfamiliar place. How
safe is their campus, you might ask yourself. In the wake of the
Virginia Tech tragedy, you aren’t the only anxiety-ridden person.
Schools all over the country are stepping up the security measures.
At my alma mater, there are emergency phones so evenly distributed
throughout the campus that an orientation leader boasted, “There
isn’t one place on campus that you can stand without at least one
blue light in view.” The blue lights on the phones signal a place
where one push of a large “help” button immediately calls 911.
Since Virginia Tech, many schools have also implemented an emergency
text message service, so that in the case of a campus-wide
emergency, students may be alerted anywhere.
I bet
I can guess your next worry: alcohol, right? Universities today are
not only associated with higher education, but with keg parties and
binge drinking. However, I’m sorry to say that it’s not your place
to lecture. But rest assured: universities don’t like the “party
school” label anymore than you like imagining Johnny too hung-over
to make it to Chemistry. Since my college days, I’ve also seen dorm
security tighten up, and many campuses assign freshmen and
sophomores to “dry” residences, where no alcohol is permitted.
Likewise, for two years I was a mentor for a “First Year Experience”
class, a one-credit course designed to help freshmen adjust. We had
a unit on drug and alcohol abuse and educated the class about
everything from legal repercussions to the signs of alcohol
poisoning. If you can’t stop a college student from drinking, you
can help them drink responsibly.
No
matter what I say, I’m sure you still have doubts in the back of
your mind. What if something does happen? Chances are, your
child’s school has an abundance of resources. I teach freshmen
English to a relatively small class. Because of the intimate
classroom setting, the students tend to open up to their English
teachers. I’ve had students come to office hours to talk about boy
troubles, or use in-class writing to rant about how they think they
are failing chemistry. I have a number of referrals I can make in
these situations. Mental Health Services offer confidential
counseling for students fighting depression, anxiety, or eating
disorders. There is an Advocacy Center that also offers counseling
and advice for extenuating circumstances, and study resources such
as the Writing Center and tutoring services. Besides, there are so
many recreational facilities and student activities on campus, that
there’s a good chance your child will get over their homesickness
and be in good spirits all semester.
For
the parents, college brings a lot to worry about. Are they eating?
Are they safe? Are they doing well in school? College is just as
much a transition for the student as it is the parent. The bright
side is that the four years of university will fly by. Suddenly,
you’ll realize that the child you left in a strange dorm four years
ago has become a young adult.
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