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Advice for Parents

What does my Student Need to be Successful Living in the Residence Halls?

Self-Care
Student should be conscientious about eating healthy balanced meals and getting regular exercise. It is also important that they are aware of and are attending to their emotional needs. If your student needs to talk with someone, the Counseling Center can help.

Time Management
Effective time management skills are important to your student's success. It is important that your student has a basic understanding of his or her parameters (i.e., class schedule, wake-up time, sleep time, time for socialization) and ability to set priorities, the Academic Achievement Center can help.

Making Connections
One of the most important things you can encourage your student to do when he or she arrives on campus is to make connections. Not only should students attempt to meet a variety of people to find out what the campus has to offer but they should also make an effort to meet and build relationships with at least one faculty and staff member on campus. Having this one connection can make all the difference for your student.

Knowledge of Campus Resources
BSU can seem like a pretty big campus if you don't know your resources. There are many specialized offices that can be a great connection for first year students. These include Residence Life & Housing, Student Involvement & Leadership, The Center for Multicultural Affairs, and Student Affairs. These offices can also serve as a resource to your student if he or she has any questions or concerns.

Academics
It is important that your student meet all his or her degree requirements but college is also a time of exploration and a time to begin testing other disciplines. By choosing a combination of classes that allow students opportunities to interact with and make connections with faculty and other students, many students find a more fulfilling academic experience. It is also normal for student to be unsure about their major. Some students may even change their minds as they develop new interests or find out more about emerging careers and fields of study to which they were never exposed. The Academic Achievement Center can be a great resource for students in helping to find a major.

Being Proactive with Academics
Campus life can be pretty busy. It is important that you encourage your student to look at the big picture now before he or she becomes overwhelmed with their academic course load. Advance planning is key, utilizing faculty office hours to discuss progress, giving a professor advance notice when they are going to be away for a weekend, or forming study groups is just a few ways to be proactive. If your student mentions that he or she is having trouble in a class at the beginning of the semester, encourage him or her to speak to the professor as soon as a problem is detected. Waiting until the last minute or until your student is in serious academic trouble is only going to be a recipe for disaster.

Financial Management Skills
College may be the first time your student has ever had a personal checking account, credit card and control over a bank account or paychecks. It may also be the first experience your student has ever had in paying their own bills. It is important to discuss budgets, financial expectations and practices and good credit with your student now before they get in over their heads. Many credit card companies solicit college students without requiring permission from a parent or guardian.

Last Modified: August 23, 2011