Life Cycle of a Semester

Autumn greetings, parents and family members.  The trees in front of College Hall are turning shades of red, orange and yellow, as they prepare to slough it all off before the nip of winter hits.  Think of your student’s journey through this first semester as stages as well.  Most were fresh when they arrived on our steps in late August.  As things begin to settle from the initial flurry of activity, your student will start to see the ebb and flow of a semester.  Excitement and anxiety at the beginning, as new material is introduced.  A calm or lull towards late September, early October, then the action heats up as the weather cools down with mid-term exams, papers and speeches.  In fact, your students are probably experiencing mid-term exams for the first time as you read this blog.  Later this month, they’ll see their first mid-term grade reports, and start the advising process for their spring course registration. A sense of peace is restored when that last class they were wanting is added to their schedule, but this peace doesn’t last long, as finals lurk around the corner.  You can help your student through the semester ups and downs by simply knowing what they may be experiencing at any given moment.  Keeping a close eye on the academic calendar will help, found here.  Also encourage good study habits, particularly as midterms and finals approach, as these may be times when your student is most apprehensive and vulnerable.  We have some tips and tools on our website – please refer your student there, or have them meet with one of our advisors in-person, College Hall 326.   We hope to see you soon for Fall Family Weekend, October 22-24.  Find us in the Special Events section of your schedule packet when you check-in – we would love to see you in our Academic Planning session.