<p>Now that my D has decided to go to CMU, it's time to plan for the next move. There is an orientation week at the end of August. Does anyone know if parents are welcome in that event?</p>
<p>So my parents came for the first day and helped me move in/checked out the campus. I think they stayed the night in some hotel in Pittsburgh, but they left the following day before diner. Orientation week is pretty packed, so you won't have a whole lot of time to see you're D and I am sure that most kids won't want to spend their free time hanging out with their parents</p>
<p>In conclusion: NO
Orientation's main objective is to introduce the class to each other</p>
<p>go to CMU site and check out Orientation 2004 - the schedule is still up on the site. You'll see that the new students' time is pretty well spoken-for - and not just advising, registering, finding your way around campus things. There is plenty scheduled for the kids to just have fun and start to get to know each other...while there is down time that could be spent with parents here and there, it's probably a lot more valuable if spent in hanging out with their new roomies, floormates, etc. and exploring their new world a bit.</p>
<p>Most schools gently insist that families should be saying their goodbyes the same day that you move your student in to the dorm....not necessarily the moment the last box is out of the car, but certainly by nightfall...and that is probably as it should be.</p>
<p>beachy is right. We moved our s in and then said our goodbye's. Orientation is for the students.</p>
<p>What we did was get to CMU a couple of days early, prior to move in day, to get familiar with the surroundings and to do some last minute shopping.</p>
<p>I seem to recall there was a specific time on the schedule for parents to say goodbye. It's late afternoon on the first day.</p>
<p>You might want to stick around a day or 2 to pick up odds and ends at Walmart or CVS and to explore Pgh yourself. It's a good long orientation, the kids seem to enjoy it (lots of team games etc for meeting fellow classmates).</p>
<p>We said goodbye at the airport. S never did any visitations-thought they are are pretty much the same stuff, like the college recruiting sessions. </p>
<p>Parent's weekend is a much better time to visit because by that time, the "know-it-alls" get an appreciation of what they got at home. It also gives you the opportunity to bring stuff that you wanted them to take, and for you to take home what they should have left. Parent's weekend is about 5 -6 weeks after semester starts. Check the calendar.</p>
<p>PS: Make hotel reservations for parents weekend early. Especially if Steelers are playing at home.</p>
<p>I really enjoyed parents weekend. We were able to sit in on an informal information and question/answer period with the faculty. </p>
<p>I agree, you need to make reservations early. We had to reserve rooms far from campus because we waited so long to make arrangements. It actually worked out well because we stayed next to the Monroeville Mall and so we were able to get some much needed shopping done for winter clothing.</p>
<p>Does anyone know when freshman report for fall sports?</p>
<p>Yes, Parents' Weekend is a great time to reconnect with your S or D...let them show you around their fave spots - let them pick where to go to dinner...if feasible, invite along their roomie/one or two other new friends to eat...doesn't have to be fancy necessarily, sometimes just away from campus is a treat to new frosh. This will let you connect with new people in your student's life a bit, and let you watch your child interacting in his new group.</p>
<p>You can make a run to pick up the things he can no longer live without (plastic shelving, more deodorant or shampoo - yes, it's in the bookstore, but better when Dad is buying!)</p>
<p>He or she will probably give you a list of things he now needs from home that he 'knew he'd never use'...a few dress shirts and ties, maybe even a suit or sport coat, especially if he's gotten a nice merit aid package (schools tend to ask these kids to show up at receptions for donors, speakers, etc., for a bit - and they'd prefer if you were wearing something a bit more formal than shorts, flip-flops, ratty t-shirt and a ball cap!!)</p>
<p>You can also take home the things you tried to tell him weren't a good idea to bring - the bulky TV stand you said was too big, but it required him to run into it 3 or 4 times in dark of night - with resulting broken toe or bloody shins!!</p>