Dear First-Year Champlain Parents,
This is the moment you have been looking forward to, preparing for…and dreading. As you read this letter, your eyes might be brimming with tears, or maybe you are grinning ear-to-ear because you are finally an empty-nester. You are not alone in how you feel. I was recently in your shoes. Whatever you’re feeling right now, I hope these reflections on my rookie year as a Champlain parent help to ease the transition.
Be in the know.
Open your emails from the College, especially those from Parent Relations. The Parent Relations team will help keep you up-to-date with the information that your student might not think worthwhile for you to know.
Here are a few simple ways to stay connected:
Bookmark the Parent Relations page on the Champlain website (www.champlain.edu/parents); follow the Champlain College Parents Facebook page which includes announcements of Parent events in your region; and read the Parent Relations emails from the College.
Get involved.
When the Parent Relations team reaches out to you, take advantage of the opportunity to share your experience and find out how you can get involved. Serve as a Parent Ambassador or consider joining the Parent Advisory Council (email parentrelations@champlain.edu for more info). Last year, 91% of the Class of 2014 was employed within six months of graduation. This success was largely influenced by parents and alumni sharing their networking connections and internship opportunities.
Attend Family Weekend.
I strongly recommend attending Family Weekend on September 25 – 27. Five weeks after saying goodbye is just enough time for your student’s initial excitement to wear off and the reality of hard work and independence to set in. Meet their new friends, connect with other parents, talk with faculty members, and get to know the campus from your student’s perspective. It might even be therapeutic for you (it was for me!).
Be supportive.
Be prepared that one moment your student may love everything about their college experience and within weeks, they may feel isolated and second-guess their college choices. This is all normal. Remind them that you do not expect them to do everything perfectly. With time, they will settle in and thrive, especially with your support.
Finally, have no regrets.
You and your student made the right decision. Champlain is an environment where your student will learn, flourish, become independent, and grow into adulthood. Stay calm and trust that their first year will be a wonderful learning opportunity for everyone.
My daughter, Emily ’17, is eager to expand her Champlain experience this fall as a student and Resident Assistant at Champlain’s Dublin, Ireland campus. Although Emily will be in Ireland during Family Weekend this year, I’ll be on campus for the weekend. Please stop by and say hello to me and meet the Parent Relations team. If we don’t have a chance to meet in person, feel free to reach out to me directly at lisarice1@comcast.net.
Good luck and best wishes for a successful first year!
