How To Make The College Transition Easier
We, parents, are inundated with advice about how to make the college transition easier on our kids, and we work hard to do just that. Then the day comes when we drive away from campus. That day is hard.
We spend 18 years doing all we can for our kids. We buy things for them, coach them, make sure they are taken care of, and have what they need. When it’s time to leave, we want to rest assured that we’ve prepared them for this.
I was not the parent who left my daughter’s college campus with dry cheeks, holding a sign that boasted Empty Nest, and a grin from ear to ear. If that was you on Grown and Flown Parents, I’m genuinely happy for you!
We were incredibly excited for our daughter and knew this was the right next step for her, but I also had all the feelings. The worries. The sadness that her empty spot on the couch would bring.
On the two-and-a-half-hour drive home, we stopped at a rest stop and, for goodness’ sake, I cried because I realized I was now the only girl at home and had to use the restroom by myself. It’s the little things. The things I would continue to discover over time.
We spend 18 years preparing our children to leave home. No one prepares our hearts for the drive home.
As we drove home, I reflected on the things our daughter did that made leaving just a little bit easier. Before anyone rolls their eyes, I fully realize this college transition is about her, our daughter, and not about me. I also think our kids care about us and want this transition to be a little easier on us too.
Looking back, I realized there were a few simple things my daughter did that made leaving campus just a little easier for me. They helped me picture what her life at college would look like and gave me confidence that she was ready for this next chapter.
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Let Us Help Set Up Your Dorm Room
You have a comfortable place at home, and we want to make sure you are comfortable away from home too. Allow us to indulge you a little. Let us buy the things that will make your home away from home a place you will enjoy and find respite in. Let us help you organize, decorate, and make the bed. We’re not just decorating a room. We’re finding peace in knowing you’ll have a place where you can relax after a long day.
Give Us A Tour Of The Campus
We want to see the buildings you will spend time in every week. The places you will sit as the professors share their knowledge with you. We want to know where you will walk. Where you might sit and chat in the courtyard. The distance you will travel from dorm to class. The more we can picture your everyday life, the easier it is to imagine you thriving there.
Share An On-Campus Meal With Us
You’ve sat at the dinner table with us for 18 years. We want to sit and experience where you will eat for the next four years. We want to know the choices of food you will have, how comfortable the chairs are, what the atmosphere is like. We need a glimpse of what your life will be like.
Show Us Your Laundry Room
It sounds so boring when I type it, but it was important for me to know where the laundry room was. When you tell me you’re doing laundry, I’ll know right where you are! We were thrilled to put money on your laundry card to give you a clean start.
Let Me Check Out The Library
We want to see the place where you’ll spend hours studying, meeting with classmates, and working on projects. A quiet place (I think!) where you’ll be able to focus on the work you’re there to do.
Show Us The Printers
How silly is that? I wanted to know where you could print, how much those prints cost, and how to pay for copies. Knowing you already know the little details lets us know you’re going to be okay.
Let Me Take You Shopping
No matter how well we’ve prepared, there’s certainly something still needed. Once you see the dorm room, it will become clear and a quick run to Target will do the trick.
Show Us Your Emotions
We want you to be happy but, if you’re not, we want to know that too. You don’t have to pretend everything is okay. If you’re excited, awesome. If you’re nervous, tell us.
Give Us A Glimpse Of How You Process Stuff
Think out loud! Thinking out loud helps us understand how you’re taking in this big life change. Let us hear your thoughts. The way you process stuff will help us understand you have a way to work through things.
Ask For Help
There are people everywhere who are willing to answer your questions. In fact, some are paid to answer your questions. Take advantage of that! We want to know you will advocate for yourself.
Make Friends
We want to know you won’t be living a life of isolation. We want to know you will have fun. You may not know your people right away but it will come.
Know How To Handle Stress
You will have stressful situations. That’s normal. Show us you can handle it. Strike your favorite stress-relieving yoga pose, go for a walk, journal, pray, exercise, or practice deep breathing. We want to know you’ve found healthy ways to deal with life’s challenges.
Stay In Contact
I’m so thankful pay phones are a thing of the past and communication is effortless and free. Send us a text. Share a first day of school picture. You can even call us as much as you’d like!
Connect to Life360
We need to know you’re safe. Life360 runs on your phone and allows us to view where each other is on a map. It’s peace of mind.
This is such an exciting, exhausting, and emotional time.
As we drove away from campus, there were definitely tears. Lots of them. But looking back, I realized my daughter had given me something incredibly valuable before we left. She patiently let me experience the places that would become part of her life for the next four years. She let me help create her new home. She answered my questions. She showed me where she’d study, eat, do laundry, and spend her time.
She let me experience the stuff I needed to know she knew, even though she would have figured it all out just fine on her own.
Our home felt quieter. And yes, I still cried at the rest stop on the drive home. But because she included us in the beginning of her college journey, saying goodbye became just a little easier.
After Move-In Day
Driving away from campus isn’t the end of your role as a parent. It’s just the beginning of a new season of life. Check out these 11 Ways Parents Can Support Their College Students.
One of my favorite ways to stay connected after move-in day was by sending care packages. They brought me just as much joy to put together as they brought my daughter to receive. Care packages filled with your college student’s favorite snacks and fun little ways to celebrate special occasions let your college student know you’re thinking about them. Plus, it’s a fun and festive way to stay connected with your college student throughout the year.
If you’re looking for care package ideas, you’ll find a lot of college care package inspiration here! I suggest you check out these 12 Months Of Care Package Printables to help you get started.
Free Box of Sunshine Care Package Printables!
Transform a plain box into a cheerful care package with these ready-to-print box flap decorations, a card, an activity page, and a popcorn tag to make gifting easy and fun.
It’s an easy way to send a little sunshine to someone you love!
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Hi! I’m Bridget!
I create printables and DIYs to help you get organized and celebrate special occasions! It’s my mission to inspire you to get creative and find joy in every day!
