As students arrive home for winter break, you may be experiencing their mountains of laundry, exhaustion from finals, and testing of house rules. But never fear – you’re not the only family experiencing this! Even though this is a time of adjustment for both the family and the college student, it’s also a time of joy and quality family time. You may even observe that your student has significantly grown over the last semester, and you may feel pride in witnessing them develop into the independent, wonderful adult they are meant to be. Here are some things to consider while your Pilot is back home!

What to Expect

• If they’ve just wrapped up a busy semester, they’re probably physically and mentally exhausted. Don’t be surprised if they sleep a lot!
• While students may be ecstatic to be home, they may also be sad to leave college friends for a month. Reassure them that they will be back on The Bluff in no time.
• Give them some space when they get home, but don’t be afraid to re-establish “house rules.” They’ve become accustomed to their independence, so they may need a reminder from you of what living under your roof means. It’s important to clearly communicate your expectations about curfew, family obligations, or chores.
• Families are often disappointed that their student spends much of the break visiting friends rather than staying home. While seeing family is important to them, many students wish their families understood their desire to spend time with friends while they are home. If students and parents make holiday plans together, they are less likely to make conflicting plans. Let your student know well in advance about any family obligations and ask that they consult with you before making plans with friends.
• There may be some adjusting as students reflect on their identity at home versus their identity at college. One source of discomfort for returning students is the realization that family life has gone on in their absence. Younger siblings may have assumed more responsibility and freedom. Parents may have taken on new interests or commitments. Students often have difficulty figuring out where they fit in the family picture, and families sometimes exacerbate that feeling by treating them like guests rather than family. Remember that your student will most likely feel a little awkward when they first come home, but with some minor adjustments, they should feel like a member of the family again.

Evaluating Academics

• When your student gets home, the last thing they may want to talk about is school. However, this break is a good time to check in with your student about grades, the content of their classes, and their majors (or majors they’re considering). When you’re face to face, you may get a better sense of how they’re feeling than you did over texting or FaceTime.
• Grades will be posted online sometime on December 17. As a reminder, grades are not “sent home,” so talk to your student and ask them about their grades. Additionally, if your student has added you as a Proxy through Self-Serve for the student information view, you have permission to view their grades. You can access grades online via the Banner Self Serve Proxy system.
• If students seem to be facing challenges at school, this is a great time to remind them of the resources available to them on campus and encourage them to ask for help. One of the useful resources for students is the Learning Commons, located in Buckley Center 163. The Learning Commons provides assistance to supplement classroom work. Students can connect with peer assistants in a variety of disciplines, including math, writing, speech, and international languages.
• Another great resource is Brother Thomas Giumenta, C.S.C., the Learning Assistance Counselor for the Shepard Center. He can assist with time management, test taking, note taking, reading strategies, test anxiety, learning and memory strategies, and individual academic counseling. Brother Thomas is also offering a course next semester for students who experience difficulties and challenges with academic work. The class is open to any interested students. They can register for this 1 credit course (ED 102) through Self-Serve.

Getting Involved Next Semester

• Remind your student of the robust student life opportunities available to them at UP and to check out the Activities Fair at the start of the semester. They may even be interested in pursuing various leadership opportunities for the following school year, many of which require applications at the beginning of the spring semester.
• Encourage them to explore on-campus job opportunities, which are a great way to meet new people and to feel more connected to the UP community. At the end of the semester, students may be graduating or departments may be changing, so new positions often get posted on our student job board. Now is the perfect time to start exploring spring or summer opportunities.

Preparing for Studies Abroad

• Is your student getting ready to study abroad? Check out these helpful resources for parents and families on the Study Abroad website!

Travel Arrangements

• It’s never too early to start making travel arrangements for the coming semester. Spring Break and Easter Break dates can be found here. All students finished registering in November and the spring final exam schedule is live, so the winter break is a good time to check in about travel arrangements for the end of the spring semester as well!

Returning to Campus for the Spring Semester

• While some students may be chomping at the bit to return to college after the long break, some students express that it can be harder to come back in January than it was to arrive in August. If they had an especially challenging fall semester, they may be dreading returning to classes. Students may experience sadness upon their return to UP because they are once again away from the security and positivity which they often receive at home. Returning to school and reintegrating into social and academic life may cause some anxiety or homesickness to return. Remind your student that they can do it! Each semester brings its own challenges, but with each challenge, they are developing life skills, learning how to navigate college, and little by little learning more about themselves. They know more about “doing college” than first-semester students, and that is a huge accomplishment in itself!

For additional resources and articles from our friends at Collegiate Parent, check out their Home for the Holidays collection!