We've had an unseasonable warm fall, but winter temps are on their way! I know many of you are looking forward to seeing your students soon—if your student is staying on campus over Thanksgiving, please see the Thanksgiving Break Guide section below for information on what is open on campus that week. Happy Thanksgiving!

Students do not have classes on Nov. 27-29 for the Thanksgiving holiday. The University will close at 2 p.m. on Nov. 27 through the holiday weekend.

If your student will remain on campus for Thanksgiving break, please refer then to our Thanksgiving Break Guide, which outlines adjusted building and service hours for dining, wellness services, Wallace Library, and more.

If your student is heading home for Thanksgiving, help them clean out their (and your!) closet to donate to Bern’s Closet and participate in the Bern's Closet Clothing Swap. Students can swap out old clothing and upgrade their wardrobe at this event cosponsored by Bern's Closet and RIT Sustainability. Donations are not required, but help out. Bern's Closet Clothing Swap is on Dec. 4 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in the SHED Atrium. 

While preparing for finals, it’s important for students to take some time for fun and de-stressing activities! On Reading Day, Dec. 10, students can stop into Wallace Library between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. for DeStress Fest and patriciate in fun crafts, pet some therapy dogs, or grab a snack.

All students currently living in RIT housing must complete the End of Semester Winter Break Plan. This form allows RIT to better serve our students during this time and includes the end of semester instructions and important information regarding on-campus circulation over break. Students that do not complete this form may experience swipe access interruptions.

RIT housing, including the residence halls, will remain open through the break between fall and spring semester. Students who are eligible may remain in RIT housing throughout the winter break. Eligible students are those who currently live in RIT housing, will remain in RIT housing for spring semester, and will be registered for spring semester classes. 

For more information, please visit End of Semester and Winter Break.

Finals will come up quickly following Thanksgiving Break. The last day of classes is Dec. 9 and finals are held on Dec. 11-18. Ask your student to review the final exam policy. If they are experiencing time conflicts or more than two exams in one day, they should contact their professors. Many courses have final exam prep sessions so encourage your student to take advantage of these when offered. Students can also meet with a peer mentor or a tutor in our study centers, make an appointment or just walk in. Finals Week Preparation Workshops are available that provide students with strategies and techniques to plan, organize, and study for final week.

Finally, remind your student that during stressful times like finals, it is particularly important to take care of themselves. A workout, break to have a good meal, and an extra hour of sleep will help them be more successful in the long run, even though it can be hard to take the time away from studying.

An RIT Parent Poll last year revealed that nearly 80% of RIT parents felt it was important that students get volunteer or service experience while in college. Volunteering is a not only a great resume builder, but an excellent way to make friends while serving their community. And RIT students are very active in this realm—last year, 2,000+ students completed 14,506  service hours equaling an economic impact of $437,791. Additionally, students reported giving $135,876 in philanthropic donations to local and global causes.

One resource for students interested in engaging in this way is the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement (CLCE). This office offers a number of fun ways for students to volunteer, including their On-Campus Service Projects, held twice a year. 

The seventh annual Hunger Project (pictured above) will take place on Nov. 19, where 250 volunteers will package 30,000 meals in just three hours, reaching the milestone of having packaged 440,000 meals over the past seven years! Your student can register for this event by following this link.

CLCE also has resources for students to find places to volunteer in the Rochester community.

As students are thinking about their living arrangement for 2025-26, some might consider the option to rent off campus. While this is an excellent option for many, there are additional considerations to moving to non-RIT housing, including:

The last bullet is particularly important if your student is scheduled to go on co-op. Many landlords will not release student from leases for any reason, which greatly limits their co-op search. Help your student consider all options as they make their housing arrangements for next year!

We know you look forward to having your student home for Thanksgiving vacation, but the reality of holiday reunions frequently fails to match expectations. It is not easy to slip back into traditional family patterns when students have been gone for a few months, and they have likely changed quite a bit in that short time. Be sure to communicate with your student about your expectations before they come home, including use of the family car, curfews, meal time, and other household expectations. It is also helpful to let your student know of any big changes around the house, and ask of any big changes in their life (you don’t want to be surprised by a new tattoo or diet change!)

Spring semester billing notices will be generated during the first week of December and are due by Jan. 15, 2025. More information about payment options can be found on the Student Financial Services website.

Your student has likely heard of Bow Wow Wellness and goat yoga, but there are many other wellness-focused events and activities on campus! Health Promotion provides support for students in a variety of ways, including peer-to-peer interaction, reinforced proactive health messaging, and varied marketing efforts. There are still a couple more opportunities this semester for students to check out Wellness Wednesdays, a weekly drop-in events to discuss wellness strategies with Wellness Peer Educators.

Academic Success Courses offer students an introduction to develop and refine learning strategies in study skills, time management, and academic organization. Applied Study Strategies, Essential Study Techniques, and Study Strategies Lab are zero credit, pass-fail courses and open to all RIT students. Students should check the Student Information System for section start dates and to enroll. Three different courses are available, and prerequisites may apply. 

For parents looking for how to support your graduating student, check out Post-College Ready: Expert Advice for Parents to Support Their College Senior. This book was written by professionals in the fields of family engagement, career services, leadership and civic engagement, graduate education, and alumni relations.

The goal is to help you start conversations with your student now as they plan for life after college and support them with whatever path they choose. It covers topics such as the job search, graduate school, volunteering post-college, and social aspects such as findings friends as a college graduate and continuing hobbies. Each chapter focuses on how you as a parent can support your student through this next big transition.

Each month, we ask parents to respond to our Parent Poll and provide feedback on a topic related to RIT, your student, and you.

In October, we asked if your student has downloaded the TigerSafe app. Over half (54%) of you replied that you do not know, while 29% said yes. 

In case you don’t follow the Parent and Family Programs Facebook page, here’s what you missed:

Your students got into the Halloween spirit! We loved seeing their costumes and watching them participate in festive activities around campus. 

Sincerely,

Chelsea Petree, Ph.D.
Director, Parent and Family Programs
Rochester Institute of Technology
parents@rit.edu

rit.edu/parents

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