Tips for Parents

The first quarter of college can be a time of great transition and you can be an incredible asset to your student as they navigate uncharted territories. In order to help you be ready for this time, we’ve compiled a list of some very useful tips.

Don’t helicopter

Some parents are known as “helicopter parents” because they circle and follow their students, continuing to take care of them as if they were still young children. Now is the time in your student’s life that they need to begin taking responsibility on their own, if they’re not already. This could mean not doing their laundry, not filling out important documents for them (taxes, FAFSA, etc), and it might mean not communicating as often. Your student is going to be creating a new life here and we recommend letting them decide the frequency of calls home. If you don’t hear from them in awhile, then yes, a call to check-in might be appropriate. However, calling every night just to ‘see how things are going’ can hinder their ability to branch out.

Let them make new friends

If a student moves either into the residence halls or a nearby apartment, we suggest that they don’t visit home for the first few weeks. This is a critical time for meeting new friends and creating a support system at the university. For the first few weeks, don’t pressure them to come home immediately, as they’re trying to make new connections. Without these strong friendships and bonds at the university, they would likely be more prone to homesickness, have a less enjoyable college experience, and become less involved in school activities. It will be hard, but let them create a strong support system before asking them to come home. If it’s their idea to come home, offer up the above points as a reason to stay around Riverside for the weekend and attempt to meet new people.

Help them succeed in the classroom

All students have the same priority in college: to succeed academically. You won’t be in the classrooms or the lectures to help them, but you can offer up general advice. Have they talked with the Teaching Assistant (T.A.) yet? Do they know their professor’s office hours? Do they have a study group? These are just a few questions you can ask, if it looks like your student might be struggling. There is free tutoring at the UCR Learning Center that they can take advantage of, as well.

Involvement is key

UCR has over 350 student organizations that your student can become involved with. Research studies have shown that students with a high level of involvement also report higher grade point averages and higher satisfaction with their university experience. In addition to student organizations, there are also on-campus employment opportunities, internships, volunteer organizations, and many other social and academic avenues to become involved in. Encourage your student to get involved on campus!