The freshman year for a college student is a time of transition—including adjusting to life away from home, learning how to manage their own time, developing new study skills, making friends, getting involved in clubs/organizations, the list goes on. In the classroom, students are experiencing new teaching styles, larger classes, and different degrees of course difficulty.  All of these experiences and challenges, many of which happen simultaneously, can be overwhelming but lead to an enormous amount of growth.

Support from parents and family can play an important and helpful role during this critical year.  

 

Here are a few links that could be helpful to you and your student:

  • Residence Life: Have a question? See if their FAQ’s can help.  

  • Off-Campus Living Guide: Moving off campus can be a lot of work. Using the Off Campus Living Resource Guide can help! This guide is full of helpful tips and tricks that are available for students, parents and families to use. 
  • Employment: Is your student seeking a part-time job? Have them check out hireabobcat.com, which lists current job postings on and off campus, including work study opportunities.

  • Engagement: One of the best ways for students to feel at home on campus is to get involved and make friends. With student government, 250 student clubs and countless volunteer opportunities, there is no shortage of ways to get involved at the Office of Student Engagement.

  • Student Success: Is your student struggling with the transition to college? The Allen Yarnell Center for Student Success is geared towards helping students succeed through offering tutoring, study tips and success advising.

  • Financial Aid: Do you have any lingering questions about Financial Aid? Give them a call or browse through helpful resources on their website.

  • Scholarships: Did you know that students can apply for scholarships within their department every year? Encourage your student to check out scholarship opportunities in their department.