Funny questions from parents at freshman orientation

[AMW86]

When my sister was touring a college, another girl's mother asked the tour guide who would clean her daughter's dorm room!! Ummm, it is not a four star hotel, lady! Buy your daughter some Lysol and a broom.

 

[castleview]

Wow. During my college orientation, my dad was just took a tour of the school with other parents, sat quietly and listened to information.

But with the advent of cell phones communication never stops. A professor friend of mine says that some kids are texting their parents right after a test to tell them how they did.

I could tell you in my own current classes, phones are kept right next to students' notes and pen/pencils. Most answer texts so quickly that it really isn't disruptive and professors don't care as long as it's not disruptive. Crazy.

 

[Pembo]

We went to DS's orientation last month. It was just one day and we had free lunch in the all you can eat dining hall. The am was sessions with parents and students together. We learned a lot of information. Lunch was separated into majors - so he met some other students in his major and ate with a few professors. We separated in the afternoon. Students did advising, id's and whatever. Parents had a few sessions including walk in time with the financial aid advisors. One sessions was letter writing...Parents were to write a letter that would be put in the kids mailbox during welcome weekend. It was tough to write that without crying.

 

[Jaya]

Rewind to the middle 1960's. My mom and dad dropped me off at college, helped me carry my stuff upstairs and left. My mom shed a few tears. The last thing my dad said to me was "don't flunk out or get in any trouble or you'll be home working at Dairy Queen."

I called home once a week or so to tell them I was still alive, hadn't flunked out and hadn't got in any trouble. Calls had to be made at the pay phones down in the dorm lobby. Not much personal got discussed there. Most call consisted of "Hi, it's me. I'm fine; how is everyone? Good. Can you send me my blue coat? Thanks! Bye!"

When my nephew went off to college a few years ago, he became "unavailable". He wouldn't answer his cellphone or return calls from his mom. So, she established that there would be no money deposited in his bank account until after a phone call. So....no phone call, no money. After a couple of times of finding out that his debit card was "dry" after a "dry spell" of telephoning, he managed to force himself to call home once a week.

 

[mom2rtk]

When my nephew went off to college a few years ago, he became "unavailable". He wouldn't answer his cellphone or return calls from his mom. So, she established that there would be no money deposited in his bank account until after a phone call. So....no phone call, no money. After a couple of times of finding out that his debit card was "dry" after a "dry spell" of telephoning, he managed to force himself to call home once a week.

Seems reasonable to me.

 

[powellrj]

When my nephew went off to college a few years ago, he became "unavailable". He wouldn't answer his cellphone or return calls from his mom. So, she established that there would be no money deposited in his bank account until after a phone call. So....no phone call, no money. After a couple of times of finding out that his debit card was "dry" after a "dry spell" of telephoning, he managed to force himself to call home once a week.

when my ds was in college, it got so he only called when he wanted something. It kind of made me mad, so I told him he had to also call just to say hi sometimes. He started doing it and it was really nice because he got to be really chatty when he was walking back and forth to classes. Not sure how often DD will call when she leaves.

 

[Buckalew11]

You know...this thread reminds me of trying to operate the machines at BLT last year...I stood there looking at it like I had never done laundry before. lol I should have sent someone a picture text!

 

[barkley]

after just finishing dd's freshman year at college I'm rather envious of the parent orientation and ON-GOING program at the university a friend's sons have attended.

at that university they have a 2 day orientation for the incoming freshman, and a 1 day for the parents. there's the standard parent orientation material covered, but there's also a couple of seminars on what to expect/not to be surprised by/what to keep a watchful eye out for behavior wise over the first weeks/months of the freshman year as well as expected changes by the end of the year. it ranges from expected initial stressors from living full time away from home (mandatory dorming the first year) for the first time to how being exposed to different ideas and attitudes may change their student's outlook/opinions/attitudes (and can make for surprising discussions during the first big semester break back home).

that university also has a designated office for freshman students and their parents-the office of first year experience. I've read through some of the monthly e-newsletters they provide the parents and am impressed. it gives a bit of an overview as to what is happening academic calendar wise (provides a heads up that students may be stressing w/mid terms coming up or such), gives good parent reminders about things the students should be gearing up to ask parents for (information for fafsa or need based scholarships), heads up about popular seasonal activities in the area that the students may be hitting parents up for extra $$ to participate in. what really impresses me though is how the newsletters teach parents how to gradually let go with the goal being much less dependence on parents by the end of the freshman year.