Your Student is Coming Home...Here's What to Expect
Every year the entire University of Arizona shuts down for Winter Break and that means your student is almost homebound! Your student has likely missed you and missed home (whether they will admit it or not!). Some other amazing perks of being home include no longer having to worry about shower shoes, getting to indulge in favorite family meals or local foods/restaurants, and spending time with those they may have missed. While the holidays are an exciting occasion to spend quality time with your student, returning home can also present its own challenges for students who have been living at school for a few months.
Map Out Holiday Must-Do’s & Discuss Schedules
When your student gets home you might be surprised by how exhausted they are. Furthermore, you and your student 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 establish some plans and expectations ahead of time. Try communicating with your student 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. An easy way to do this is by discussing the things you would like to do with them during their time home and what events you want them attend. If your student is splitting their time among different families, make sure the plans are communicated to everyone.
Promote Academic Resources
Winter Break is a great time to talk with your student about their first semester. If their semester didn’t quite turn out as they (or you) had hoped academically, consider how your students feels about their studies approaching the topic. The first semester can often be a steep learning curve in understanding how college differs from high school, and how keys to being successful in high school can deviate from the strategies that lead to success in college. A great way to help your student is by guiding them to resources on campus that can impact their grades next semester, including: professor office hours, free THINK TANK tutoring and academic workshops, and study sessions hosted by students who have already taken their same class (this is known as Supplemental Instruction or SI).
Review Future Goals & Dreams
You may think you already know what your student’s future goals and dreams are, but Winter Break is an excellent time to rediscover what your student is currently striving for. Just as they will grow and evolve, their career aspirations and long-term plans may, too. Continue to touch base on what the future looks like from their perspective and discuss how you can support their journey. Other things to talk about could include how they are spending their time, what types of extra-curricular activities are they participating in, and how they are connecting with others on-campus.
The Housing & Residential Life staff, alongside our campus partners, are ready to help your student reach their academic goals and continue to feel at home in the second semester. If your student ever wishes to talk about their college experience, or they want to connect to academic resources and opportunities, encourage your Wildcat to reach out to their RA or Community Director when they return in January.