College Parent Advice: Tips for Freshman Move-In Day

Survive Your First Day as the Parent of a Freshman

While every residential college manages its move-in day a little differently, some aspects of the experience are predictable: parents feel proud but sad that their high school senior has become a college freshman and will be living away from home. There are tens of tasks to manage, plenty of new people to meet, and even some tense family moments to handle before the final hug goodbye. “Overwhelming” is the word that many freshmen and their parents use to describe the day the student moves into his or her residence hall. After working at several different colleges and watching the frenzy of move-in day unfold, I’d like to share some college parent advice for that big day – the first one.

College Parent Advice: Do your homework. If you know in advance that you have some business to handle while still on campus – a trip to the bookstore, a visit to financial aid, a stop at the box office - look at campus maps ahead of time and have a sense of where you’re going. Read through materials you’ve received from the school and check out the school’s website. You probably did some research when your son or daughter was applying and deciding on a school, but now you’ll be reading with a different eye and you’ll notice different things than you did before. The more you know ahead of time, the more comfortable you’ll feel upon arrival.

College Parent Advice: Let your student lead the way (or empower them, if they’re shy and hesitant). When you are checking into the residence hall, for example, let your son or daughter do the talking while you stand by to help out if necessary. You won’t be there to handle conflicts at 2am, take exams, or approach professors when the student needs extra help – so the sooner that the child takes ownership of even mundane aspects of the college experience, the better. Let it start from the moment you arrive at the campus gates.