A Parent's Guide to Surviving the College Drop-Off

BURLINGTON, VT (08/24/2017) A new flock of college students and their parents will arrive in Burlington Friday carried to campuses by minivans and SUVs piled high with gear to survive a semester away from home.

For first-time parents dropping off their fledglings in a new nest at Champlain College, there will certainly be some moments of angst and worry as Mom fusses to make the dorm bed with those new sheets for the first time and Dad carries in the mini-fridge and boxes of supplies.

First, let that sense of accomplishment wash over you as your son or daughter finds their room, meets their roommate(s), begins to explore their way around campus, buys books for class, checks out the cafeteria, and starts to establish routines in their new home-away-from-home.

Take a moment to revel in your accomplishment. You survived the grueling college search process, countless campus visits, the complicated applications and FAFSA, financial aid forms, making the final choice and then living through the summer leading up to move-in day. Expect to get a little choked up and shed a tear or two. Yes, I'm talking to the Dads out there. That person you have been taking care of for 18 years is not going to be around the house. And that takes a little getting used to, but believe me, it will happen.

After the rush of move-in morning, there will be a family lunch in the courtyard, an official welcome from the President Donald Laackman in Finney Quad, and then comes that moment when it's time to say your goodbyes before they head off to the whirlwind of orientation weekend meetings and activities to help them settle into their new life at Champlain. Be ready for that moment. Know it is coming. Quick hugs, last-minute whispered advice and taking a selfie can come as surprise if you don't mentally prepare for it in advance. Don't think of it as "goodbye," but rather a "see you soon," moment.

Some colleges wisely offer special sessions for parents to help them get through that separation and better understand how to help their students succeed from afar. That usually means being urged to allow students to figure out how to solve problems on their own without a parent intervening. Listen to their concerns and then ask them how they are going to solve it. It is all part of the learning process.

There are plenty of articles and books out there offering extensive advice for students on how to survive and thrive in college - get involved in activities, get to know your professors, go to class, stay active, etc. Feel free to share those when appropriate.

But what about you, the parents?

Suddenly you go from a car full of bags and an anxious, excited first-year student in the backseat to just the two of you with some serious alone time on your hands for maybe the first time in 18 years.

Hopefully, you have planned ahead to have some time to spend in Burlington and the surrounding area. It is, after all, ranked as one of the most desirable "College Towns" in America thanks to the rich opportunities, diverse people and open lifestyles of the region that enrich the campus experience. It is one of the reasons your child decided to come to college here.

Be sure to check out some of the places your student will spend much of their time outside of the classroom - the stunning new Burlington lakefront bike path and skate park, the Burlington Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings in City Hall Park, and coffee shops on Church Street Marketplace. Watch a sunset or two over Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks from the Waterfront.

Now is also the time to do some scouting for Family Weekend when you return in a few weeks to see how things have been going for your student. Be sure to make a reservation at a local hotel or B&B soon - family weekends are often right around the same time as Vermont's peak foliage season, so finding a room can be tricky if you wait too long. This year, Champlain's Family Weekend is Sept. 22-24. Get the details HERE

Here are a few other tips to consider before you head home:

• Resist the urge to call them right away - orientation and their new surroundings are hitting them like a firehose with information. They need some time to adjust and test out their independence. The sound of a helicopter parent hovering can be really distracting. Still, you can send a text or a photo of what you are doing, but don't expect them to respond immediately.
• If you need to drop off some additional supplies, don't let it turn into another big prolonged goodbye. They have had a small taste of independence already and most are ready to stay in the moment of being a new student. Don't be that parent who just can't leave or makes your student feel bad about how bad you are feeling.
• Pick up a couple gift cards at a favorite local restaurant, bookstore or grocery stores like City Market or Trader Joe's. You can send them during the semester as part of those care packages you know you will send.
• Look into transportation options if your student is traveling home on their own for Thanksgiving. There are good options in Megabus and Amtrak, and you can save some cash by booking early. Burlington's airport is one of the nicest in the country, but it is small and flights can fill up early, especially on holiday weekends and when colleges let out for winter break. Plan ahead to get the flight you want.
• Buy a greeting card or postcard at one of the local shops and drop it in the mail before you leave town. Nothing is better for morale than getting mail that first week. It's a chance to include some of that advice or encouragement you forgot to share in the rush of unloading, orientation, and goodbyes.
• Head home knowing that there is a dedicated and trained staff at college to help your student succeed. Their job is to help students through academic challenges, solve roommate problems, health issues and getting a work study job. We want your son or daughter to succeed as much as you do.
• Finally, don't forget to enjoy every minute of the experience and urge your student to do the same. It is amazing how quickly you will find yourself back for graduation wondering where those four years went.

About Champlain College:

Founded in 1878, Champlain College is a small, not-for-profit, private college in Burlington, Vermont, with additional campuses in Montreal, Canada, and Dublin, Ireland. Champlain offers a traditional undergraduate experience from its beautiful campus overlooking Lake Champlain and more than 60 online undergraduate and graduate degree programs and certificates. Champlain's distinctive career-driven approach to higher education embodies the notion that true learning occurs when information and experience come together to create knowledge. Champlain College is included in the Princeton Review's The Best 382 Colleges: 2018 Edition. Champlain College is featured in the "Fiske Guide to Colleges" for 2018 as one of the "best and most interesting schools" in the United States, Canada, and Great Britain. Champlain was named one of the "Most Innovative Schools" in the North by the U.S. News and World Report's 2017 "America's Best Colleges and in the top 100 in the overall list of "Best Regional Universities in the North. For more information, visit www.champlain.edu.

Posted Thursday August 24, 2017 at 11:06 am by Champlain College
Last Updated Thursday August 24, 2017 at 11:06 am