How would you like to be welcomed?

Parents Forum
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<p>Hi everyone!</p>

<p>I am a sophomore at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. I transfered in this past year from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. I love both schools very much- but I am glad to be out of the cold. One of the best parts of transfering to UNC was the easy transition into life at Chapel Hill. This was made possible by "Week of Welcome" (WOW) here at UNC. The activities planned were an easy way for me to make new friends and learn about campus life.</p>

<p>I am now a WOW coordinator for next year's incoming freshmen and transfer students. WOW is the week in between move in and classes and we plan activities that we feel will be benificial for our incoming students. At UNC the WOW programs are run through the Office of New Students and Parent Programs.</p>

<p>This is where you come in. Is there any information that you feel would be helpful for you or your student before making one of the biggest transitions in their life? Are there things you would want to know about the school before you finish lofting the beds and decorating the dorm rooms? </p>

<p>Please reply to this post or private message me if you or your students have any input. It would be greatly appreciated.</p>

<p>Best of luck to everyone!!!</p>

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<p>1) A lei and a heartfelt "aloha".
2) A mai tai.
3) A coupon book of "fantastic" "unbelievable" "giganto" tuition discounts to use during our stay on your beautiful island.</p>

<p>Oh, yeah. 4) A handtruck ("dolly").</p>

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<p>Thanks curmudgeon!!</p>

<p>I know we have some sort of budget, so we might be able to get the lei's. We can give you a list of places where mai tai's may be available. Perhaps a book of coupons for the student bookstore so you can stock up on "(Insert school's name here) Parent" t-shirts might replace the book of tuition coupons. The dollies might be feasable. </p>

<p>But I guess the best we can do is keep a sense of humor about all of it, because it is a big transition for both parents and students alike!</p>

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<p>I'm telling you the handtruck will be a hit. I brought my own handtruck (bright red with pneumatic tires from Tractor Supply) and made instant friends, well....at least they'd talk to me. :(</p>

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<p>Since we're talking about moving-in day, at my kids' school, there were people driving around campus in golf carts handing out free bottled water to students and parents, like candy on parade day. It was so hot! No one turned it down.</p>

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<p>free water,for sure
at S's school (U S Carolina) the people helping with move in (faculty,staff,students) wear T shirts identifying that they are the move in crew and on the back is a full color,large map of the campus.Very helpful!!
Any advance info you could send to the parents ahead of time about the actual dorm rooms would be extremely helpful.
Having some basic tools available at the dorms would be great.</p>

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<p>Vanderbilt has a move-in crew consisting of upperclassmen. They're friendly, enthusiastic, and in great shape. They disappeared with my d's stuff in a cloud of dust and all I had to do was haul my middle-aged rear end up 4 flights of stairs in 90-plus heat. By the time I managed to do so, the move crew had neatly deposited all her stuff in her room. </p>

<p>I never saw a more efficient operation in my life. We had received detailed instructions and parking passes several weeks earlier. That morning, parents and incoming students assembled our cars in one of the stadium parking lots and were dispatched in groups to park and unload right in front of the appropriate dorm. Parking restrictions were relaxed throughout the day. Having dealt with other move-in situations, when we were pretty much on our own and afraid of being towed if we landed in the wrong spot, Vandy's approach was much appreciated. </p>

<p>Seconding (or thirding) the free water bottles. Also, sending a packet ahead of time with a campus map, lists of restaurants and nearby stores, an academic calendar, and the kid's mailing address is helpful (though I imagine almost every school does this. I still have the packet from when d#1 was a freshman in 2001).</p>

<p>Kudos to you, seniordiscount, for asking the question! :)</p>

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<p>


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<p>Maybe it's Tennessee thing. Rhodes has it wired, too. Very impressive. D was a Peer Assistant this last fall. Move-in was just the first of their PA responsibilities. They had their young charges...well... I guess she still has them to some extent as they still get together. ;)</p>

<p>Here's one thing to ask yourself, when your kid is the Peer Assistant that gets there with her old, out of shape parents before anyone else, who helps her get her stuff up the stairs? :eek: It was a "moving story".</p>

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<p>Yep, the upperclassmen at Duke were great on move-in day, as well. And our S was a FAC (freshman advisory council) this year, too, which meant that he toted the stuff into the dorms and facilitated activities with a small group of new students.</p>

<p>Really, the only thing I would have liked that we did not have, because the freshman dorms are each different and the rooms each have their own quirks, would have been a diagram or dimensions of the room.</p>

<p>As to the week between move-in and classes, I suggest that you also post that question on some more student-centric fora here!</p>

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<p>This might help kickstart some ideas, OP. <a href="http://www.rhodes.edu/admissions/7865.asp%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.rhodes.edu/admissions/7865.asp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>My D's college mailed us the names, phone #s, and emails of the people to contact in the event of an emergency involving our kids. People's definitions of emergencies vary, of course, but it was just comforting to know as I dropped off my kid that if I didn't hear from my kid for a month despite sending a gazillion emails and calling every 20 minutes or I was really worried for some reason, I had names and phone numbers to call. </p>

<p>My kid was fine, BTW. Still, that piece of paper with contact information to be used if I thought something was seriously wrong made me feel better.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Also, sending a packet ahead of time with a campus map, lists of restaurants and nearby stores, an academic calendar, and the kid's mailing address is helpful (though I imagine almost every school does this. I still have the packet from when d#1 was a freshman in 2001).

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I would also include info about surrounding hotels with addresses and phone numbers.</p>

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<p>All these practical tips aside, to the question, "How would you like to be welcomed?" I respond:</p>

<p>Chilled champagne and strawberries for revival
Lavender scented hankies for the tears
Handsome young men with palm fans for the heat
Foot massages at the end of the long day</p>

<p>I don't think this is too much to ask. ;)</p>

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<p>senior discount: One thing we noticed- at S's school WOW week was great, but it started several days AFTER the international students arrived for international orientation. When the those kids checked into their dorms there were no WOW helpers, balloons, maps, etc. The R.A.'s were there, but otherwise, it was just a normal summer day on campus. </p>

<p>S was fine with it, but it really bothered some of his friends. Their arrival experience was in sharp contrast to when the other students arrived at the start of WOW and were greeted by a herd of WOW helpers with WOW goodie bags, local area info, strong sherpas, cold WOW water, etc.</p>

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<p>^^Agree with Karen C about international students. They do need a little more help usually. If parents struggle with a new town/city, imagine what it's like for those facing a new country!</p>

<p>My favorite for moving in was the teams of sophomores who helped unload cars at curbside and move stuff into rooms. They were efficient and much appreciated.</p>

<p>One other little thing: parents were given the same spiral bound datebook as the freshmans. The datebook listed all the details of the school (where to go for things/services, calendar of events, etc.) It helped me know what my son was/could be doing even though he hardly ever wrote or say much over the phone.</p>

<p>Ahhh, a foot massage! Mafool, what a wonderful idea.</p>

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<p>OT alert:

[quote]
The datebook listed all the details of the school (where to go for things/services, calendar of events, etc.) It helped me know what my son was/could be doing

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Yeah, except in our case it's the ESPN schedule combined with TIVO. Frantically scanning the spectators, looking, looking, looking. Hoping to spot the hat, the shirt, the shaka.</p>

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<p>I recall a helpful system was the student-managed table where parents could check out a grocery shopping cart for an hour, to get stuff from their cars to the dorms. We had to leave our drivers license, so you know we DID return those carts!</p>

<p>Can you consider parents with disabilities or old bones? This was something our college did at graduation, but it was wonderful: generate a system (in collaboration with an area hospital) to rent out WHEELCHAIRS and electronic scooters for elders for the days involved. There's an inbetween time when people are not in wheelchairs but the amount of campus walking overwhelms them. I used one for my 80=yr=old Mom at a graduation. Actually, it was a scooter, but it made the time great for her (and us). We put down a Visa refundable deposit of $50. If we hadn't returned this valuable item, they'd have our VISA to charge us the thousands it is worth...so you KNOW we returned that scooter!</p>

<p>If you have an early childhood education department at your university, you might see if they want to set up a toddler drop-in center (ages 2-7) with activities. That could actually be a money-maker. It is extremely hard to cope with children of that age during these times on a campus. Check with the campus attorneys regarding liability and make sure it's all covered, but if you could have a drop-in center for small children, how wonderful for all. You might program it and parents could enrol for several hours in advance, or just set it up as a drop-in center and charge by the hour. Put very experienced professors in Early Childhood Ed in charge; this is hard to do with strangers.</p>

<p>OR, set up a babysitter service where students can be on a list for parents to call them up and hire a full-time escort for their little darling. College students could earn some money, too. Win-win-win. Again, pin down the liability question with the college attorney.</p>

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<p>Thank you all so much for your responses! Many of them have to do with move in itself, and as a WOW coordinator I don't know if we actually handle move in or if the RAs do. If we get any say I will certainly mention your ideas. </p>

<p>Thank you also to those of you who expressed concerns about the international student community. I know here at UNC last year was the first year that the Transfer students were recognized and given their own WOW events. That was extraordinarily wonderful for me as a transfer. I will definately see if I can get the ball rolling in the same direction for the international student body. </p>

<p>Please keep your suggestions coming! (The ones about champagne and massages are great as well!!) And please if there are any programs or fun social events you feel your student would enjoy in that week before the homework starts let me know. </p>

<p>I have posted my questions on a few of the student boards at various schools, but I have to say the parents are doing a much better job responding!</p>

<p>Thanks again, and keep them coming!</p>

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<p>Ah, now I see what you mean. It's after the parents leave and the student orientation continues, but before actual classes begin.</p>

<p>I recall at my S's university they organized some trips to the area malls, beaches and amusement parks. The tours filled up, although my own son opted out because he figured he'd get to them anyway later as a first-year. He wanted to unpack. </p>

<p>In addition to the usual and obvious (malls, etc.) do you think some might want to take tours of the area geology or local history? Remember that many kids don't have cars and would never be able to corral their friends to take them to see these things. It could be very orienting, perhaps for a more academic crowd.</p>

<p>Think about all the things you know about your hometown that make you feel you know it like the back of your hand; where do you go to swim, look at stars, or hike. It's hard for out-of-towners to find this in a brand new community. </p>

<p>How about a food tour of all the area diners that are family-run, not the usual chains. </p>

<p>Lots of kids want to buy posters right then, or do things for their rooms that they couldn't figure out from home before they saw the rooms or met the roommates.
The parents have time to unpack basics like bedding, but leave before the room gets decorated. I'm not sure where to take someone with that need, but maybe you know. </p>

<p>I share a strong memory of our orientation week "back in the day.." It was too chock-full. I never got unpacked until around Thanksgiving because I thought I should go to everything on the schedule. I think it would be revolutionary to put on the program a complete blank of 6 hours and just write, "Finish unpacking." Nobody would feel they were missing anything. It might really help freshmen get better set up in their rooms which would help them all year.</p>

<p>My D had trouble setting up her computer and needed much more tech support in the first days. Roving teams of tech support or send around tool-carts with hand-tools to borrow?</p>

<p>I just finished reading a book about learning to deal with cafeteria food and make new recipes with the usual ingredients, so it stays interesting. The title has the word "Tray" in it. Perhaps a workshop on food and nutrition? One of my kids' colleges spent a LOT of time with very serious workshops concerning date-rape, sexual consent and so on. </p>

<p>The RA's at another of my kid's schools did some workshops where roommates discussed typical problems that arise, and they signed contracts. The RA had taken special training. My son was very impressed, and in fact the 3 boys have had no problems in their tripled double. I think these contracts helped pave the way towards better roommate relationships and considerate living.
That really was worthwhile time. It was a mandatory meeting, right after the parents departed.</p>

<p>Great project; good luck!</p>

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<p>I know at my sons' school one of the WOW week activities was a bus to Target. Lots of kids used it. Good to be able to go with your new roomies and pick up anything you still wanted or needed...</p>