Important Links:
Georgian College (Barrie) calendar: Important dates
Information on regional campuses: Regional Campuses
Georgian College programs: Programs
Georgian Accessibility: Accessibility
Tip #1 – Communication:
If you are looking for ways to keep in touch with your child while away at school, technology will make it easier.
Communication is about convenience. Traditional phone calls are nice, but must be planned around mutually convenient times. Email, Instant Messaging, Skype, Twitter, Facebook Chat, Facebook Messages and Wall Posts increase your chances of connecting to someone long distance and don’t always require an immediate response.
Have a plan about when to keep in touch. Are certain days better? Times? Those who fail to plan are surely planning to fail.
Tip #2 – Common Ground:
College is a long period of time to be apart from family and many things change for students while they are away. “How’s school?” is too general as a topic-starter.
Consider familiarizing yourself with your child’s course of study. Ask for details and get specific about the lessons, if you’re truly interested. This can open dialogue and keep you involved.
Talking about things other than school is important too and it goes both ways. You might be anxious to know what’s happening with them, but they are likely interested in knowing how things are at home. Open up dialogue by sharing first, rather than hitting them with a series of questions.
Tip #3 – Know the People and Places:
Keep aware of new friends and new activities. Knowing the layout of the residence/campus might help when hearing or telling stories. Knowing the names and relationships of the people involved will help keep you engaged. Students might hold back if telling you something means explaining too much.
For safety reasons, it would also be good to keep up-to-date records of cell phones for friends/roommates. Again, social media might help with this in a pinch.
Tip #4 – “Helicoptering” is BAD:
A Helicopter hovers over the people below. The metaphor holds for students whose parents/guardians don’t keep a safe distance.
Encourage your child to resolve issues, rather than stepping in for them. College is about maturing as much as learning. However, by educating yourself on the supports in place, you can better advise your child if and when they need it.
Don’t overreact to the first “I’m unhappy” phone call or email. Discuss possible difficulties around the transition and help them prepare. You are there for support… not to make everything go away.
Consider talking about big topics in advance. For students who will be living independently for the first time, they need to be able to responsibly discuss mature topics such as sex, drinking, drugs and other potentially embarrassing and sensitive topics. Address them before they become a problem.
A care package is also an easy way to show support and love, without needing to be there in person.
Tip #5 – Realistic Expectations:
It is very important that students have realistic expectations about college. They need to think about the transition, the pressures, the workload, the sacrifices and the common obstacles.
Both of you need to understand that the good grades they got in high school won’t always continue. Parents/guardians can set unachievable goals for marks that only add to the pressure of college life.
Returning home can also cause conflict. Have a plan about when the student will be coming home and when you will visit. Leaving the details all up to chance might bring disappointment.
Make home a happy place. Set the ground rules in advance for holidays, visits or summer. Have a quiet place for the student to study, if they need to, and don’t use the face-to-face opportunity only as a chance to check off your list of items to follow-up on.
Additional questions? Contact us by emailing firstgen@georgianc.on.ca
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