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Family Members of the Class of 2022,
Your student's first day of classes is tomorrow! You are probably excited and a little nervous, just like your student. Many family members feel at least some anxiety about this transition. Remember that you and your student have many resources and caring people who are ready and excited to help throughout the next four years.
This issue of Miami Family Focus contains an example of a student's first day of college and a bit about "fitting in" at Miami (hint: most students fear it at some point!).
Love and Honor,
Mark Pontious
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Sneak Peek: The First Day as a Miami Student
Below is an inside look at one Miami student's first day of college:
- 7:00 a.m. First day of class! I decided to wake up early to shower and eat breakfast. I think I've figured out my never-fail wake-up system.
- 7:45 a.m. My roommate and I had breakfast together because we both had 8:30 a.m. classes. I think I ate too much because there were so many choices.
- 8:15 a.m. Red bricks everywhere! On my way to my first class and I'm already lost. Yesterday I walked around and found all of the buildings where I have class, but now I'm confused. Thank goodness for the kindness of other Miami students, who got me in the right direction.
- 9:25 a.m. One class completed. It was my UNV 101 class, with all first-year creative arts majors. I didn't recognize anyone, but I'm sure I'll see a lot of them over the next four years. The instructor had everyone do introductions, then we looked over the syllabus and talked about what brought us to Miami.
- 10:00 a.m. Time for class number two, which I found without getting lost! I even had time to text a couple of friends from home that are at other schools.
- 11:00 a.m. Class two was a Global Miami Plan course, so there was a mix of all years of students. I felt like an outsider since other people seemed to know each other. Next year, that'll be me. Class number three starts in 30 minutes.
- 1:00 p.m. Time for lunch at the Armstrong Student Center with some people from my residence hall corridor. There are lots of food choices here too. Heading across the street after lunch to pick up a book that just arrived at the Bookstore, then the rest of the day is free. Tomorrow's schedule is more spread out and I like not having all of my classes on the same day.
- 3:00 p.m. Time to take a little nap and catch up on some sleep. Too nervous to sleep last night!
- 4:00 p.m. I need to start reading for class. After seeing how tomorrow's schedule goes, I'm going to make a study plan to block of specific times for homework. Armstrong has some great quiet study rooms that I didn't realize students can just schedule and use! My roommate is looking for a job on campus. Her older sister says it will help improve her time management. Something to think about...maybe we can work together in one of the dining halls for a few hours each week.
- 6:00 p.m. Headed to dinner with more people from my hall. I'm feeling a bit more comfortable about everything.
- 7:00 p.m. People outside the dining hall are playing soccer and a bunch of us are going to watch. Maybe I'll see if I can play.
- 10:00 p.m. Time to write dates of assignments and exams from today's classes into my planner. I already have some questions for one of my instructors, so I think I'll stop by her office hours tomorrow. I can't wait to get into a regular routine. If the rest of the week goes like today, I think I'll be alright!
Of course, not all Miami students have this seamless of a transition and it often takes longer than one day to "feel alright." (And sometimes, that "never-fail wake-up system" fails...) You may also notice the seeds of other potential issues - unfamiliar, possibly less-healthy food than they are used to, which can lead to them not eating well or not feeling well. We encourage you to check in with your student after the first week of classes to ask about successes and learning moments. Read below for suggestions of what you might say.
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Starting Words for Students and Fitting In
TYou may find yourself wanting to send words of encouragement as your student prepares for tomorrow. Consider including one or both of these thoughts in the text, call, SKYPE, WeChat, or FaceTime session:
- Remember who you are and that your family is already proud of you. This helps students know that you support the pursuit of their interests and unique talents.
- Keep your perspective with a healthy sense of humor. Not everything will go right the first day, week, or event month. Being able to laugh and move on can help your student stay focused on the positive aspects of this new experience.
Many incoming students feel a nagging fear that they will not fit into the college campus culture. This fear is similar to what many felt prior to starting high school. The comfort of familiar friends and places disappears in the face of new challenges, surroundings, and peers. We encourage students to aim less for fitting in, and instead on finding where they feel a sense of belonging. We want students to be true to themselves. Finding friends and activities that fit them may take time, but will be better in the end. Remind your student about the many events during Welcome Weekend/First 50 Days that will help them meet new people and connect with campus resources and organizations.
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| 入学新生将于明天开始第一天的课程！ 与入学新生一样，您可能也正处于兴奋而略感不安的状态。 大多数家属至少会对此过渡略感焦虑。 不过请谨记，您和入学新生拥有诸多资源和提供关照的人，在未来的四年中，这些人将随时待命，积极为你们提供帮助。 Miami Family Focus 发布的信息中包含学生大学生活第一天的相关事例，以及少许有关“积极融入”迈阿密的内容（小贴士：某些情况下，大多数学生会对此心生畏惧！）。 谨启， Mark W. Pontious
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下文为一名迈阿密新生大学生活第一天的内在视角描述：
- 早上 7:00，开学第一天！ 我决定早点起床洗个澡，然后吃早餐。 我想我已经调整好我的高效早起生物钟了。
- 早上 7:45，我跟舍友一起吃早餐，因为我们上午 8:30 都有课。 早餐品种十分丰富，我想我吃的太多了。
- 上午 8:15，到处都是红砖建筑！在去上第一节课的路上，我迷路了。 昨天我四处逛了一下，并找到了我上课要去的所有教室，但我现在一头雾水。 感谢其他迈阿密学生的善意指引，我终于找到了正确的方向。
- 上午 9:25，第一节课结束。 这节课为 UNV 101，所有一年级创意艺术专业的学生都来上课。 我谁都不认识，但我相信在接下来的四年里我会结识很多同学。 导师让每个人都做了自我介绍，然后我们查看了教学大纲，并就我们来到迈阿密的初衷展开了讨论。
- 上午 10:00，该上第二节课了，我顺利找到了教室！我甚至还抽出一些时间给家乡其他学校的几个朋友发了短信。
- 上午 11:00，第二节课是全校迈阿密计划课程，因此也有其他年级的学生参加。 我觉得自己像个外人，因为其他人似乎都互相认识。 明年，我也能像他们一样互相熟识。 第三节课于 30 分钟后开始。
- 下午 1:00，与同宿舍楼过道里的一些同学在阿姆斯特朗学生中心共进午餐。 这里也有丰富的菜式可供选择。 午餐后，我穿过马路去挑选了一本书店刚进的书，然后享受今天余下的自由时光。 明天的课程安排更加分散，我可不喜欢在一天把课都上完。
- 下午 3:00，小憩时间，补充下睡眠。 昨晚太紧张了，睡眠不是很好！
- 下午 4:00，我需要开始阅读课文了。 看完明天的课程安排后，我打算制定一套学习计划，合理安排作业时间。 阿姆斯特朗有一些很安静的自习室，没想到学生也可以安排使用！ 我的舍友正在学校里找兼职工作。 她姐姐说这会有助于提高她的时间管理能力。 值得考虑...也许我们每周在一家餐厅里一起工作几个小时也不错。
- 晚上 6:00，和我宿舍楼里的更多同学共进晚餐。我对这一切都感觉十分惬意。
- 晚上 7:00，餐厅外面有一些同学在踢足球，我们一群人打算去看看。 也许可以看看我是否也能一起踢。
- 晚上 10:00，该将今天课程作业和考试的日期写入我的规划里了。 我有一些问题打算请教我的一位导师，因此我想明天可能会占用一些她的办公时间。 我迫不及待想要开始我的大学生活了。 如果这周余下的日子也像今天一样，会非常棒！
当然，并非所有的迈阿密学生都能实现这种无缝过渡，他们通常都需要超过一天才能“感觉良好”。（有时，“高效早起生物钟”也会紊乱...） 您也可能会注意到其他潜在问题的萌芽 - 陌生的、可能不太健康的食物，这可能导致吃得不好或感觉不舒服。 我们鼓励您在第一周课程结束后与您的同学一起记录与交流成功和学习精彩瞬间。 请阅读以下相关建议。
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学新生为明天做入学准备时，您可能会想要对他们说一些鼓励的话。 考虑通过短信、电话、SKYPE、微信或 FaceTime 通话来传达以下一点或两点：
- 记住自己是谁，您的家人一直以您为荣。 这有助于学生了解您支持他们追求自己的兴趣和卓越才能。
- 个人观点保持健康向上的幽默感。 并非一切都会在第一天、第一周，甚至第一个月就会非常顺利。 笑起来和动起来能够帮助入学新生专注于大学新体验的积极方面。
许多新生担心自己无法融入大学校园文化。 这种担心与许多人在开始高中学习前的感受相似。 熟悉的朋友和地方带来的舒适感不复存在，取而代之的是新挑战、新环境、新同伴。 我们并不鼓励学生硬性融入，而是希望寻找自己的归属感。 我们希望学生忠于自己内心。 寻找志同道合的朋友和适合自己的活动可能需要多花点时间，但最终会证明值得这么做。 我们希望您提醒入学新生参加欢迎周末/新生入学前 50 天期间举办的各种活动，这将帮助他们结识新朋友并与校园资源和组织建立联系。
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