Summer Break is Almost Here!
Summer can mean something different for every student. Many first-year students will be coming home for an extended period after living away since August. While this is SUPER exciting for everyone (yes – your Wildcat is excited whether they will admit it or not), it can also mean really big changes for you, your family, and your student returning home!
Being prepared in advance for those big changes and setting expectations early can help reduce (or even eliminate) any misunderstandings or tension. Housing & Residential Life has some tips that make the transition a seamless one:
Discuss Expectations & Set Boundaries
You and your student may be surprised to realize you both may have different ideas about how much independence they should have and how they should allocate their time between family and friends. Students may be surprised to learn that the structure of the family has changed or is different than they remember. One way to manage this is to set up some plans and expectations ahead of time. Talk with your Wildcat in advance about how they hope to spend their time at home and ask if there are specific things they want to do with family or friends.
It is important to start discussions about what is or isn’t allowed while they are home, and what you expect of them over the summer. This leads to our next piece of advice:
Encourage Them
Many students come home and feel so burnt out from the year and are ready to crash for a few days! But once they catch up on some R&R, they may want to consider ways to engage themselves in something new or different. Perhaps that means knocking out some summer classes or finding a new local job.
To find out what classes your student can take over the summer, have them browse classes on UAccess uaccess.arizona.edu or reach out to their Advisor.
Encourage them and discuss with them what you hope they can experience or do over the summer.
Review Future Goals & Dreams
Summer is a great time to talk about plans and what the next academic year might look like. (Okay – so maybe not all of this at once, go easy on them!
You may think you already know what your student’s future goals and dreams are, but after a whole academic year under their belt, they may have some new interests, goals, or dreams. Summer is also an excellent time to rediscover what your student is striving for. Just as they will grow and evolve, so will their career aspirations and long-term plans. Continue to touch base on what the future looks like in their eyes, and how you can support and be a part of their journey.
Other things to discuss include how they are spending their time, what types of extra-curricular activities are they taking part in, and how they are connecting with others on-campus.
Encourage your Wildcat to stay engaged and curious, connect with friends new and old, and remember to Be Kind. Be Brave. Be Themself. Be a Wildcat. Housing & Residential Life sends you well wishes for a safe and joyful summer!