parents of college students -- how is your student reacting to pandemic planning?

[Anonymous]

It’s adding to the sad aftermath of HS senior year that DCs college can’t seem to make up its mind while friends are beginning to leave. Its a bad approach particularly for this class.

[Anonymous]

My freshman DD started already at her SLAC. the first few days were really tough: isolating in single dorm room waiting for test results, etc, plus a lot of confusing and contradictory instructions from the college. but now she is making friends and much happier. will have a mix of in persona and online classes. i think as long as she can be with friends she will be happy: she cares less about the academics (alas). i just hope they dont have to close....

[Anonymous]

It seems as though many schools are requiring students to be tested prior to starting class in the fall. Anybody else here have a child going to a school that is not requiring testing? My DS's school is "Implementing COVID-19 testing for symptomatic students" during the semester, but no testing prior to returning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems as though many schools are requiring students to be tested prior to starting class in the fall. Anybody else here have a child going to a school that is not requiring testing? My DS's school is "Implementing COVID-19 testing for symptomatic students" during the semester, but no testing prior to returning.

That does not sound safe at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My Junior is going back and I think has a realistic view that anything could happen.

+1
Same for my junior. Living off-campus and just trying to stay flexible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:iI think we parents need to realize that this is just their reality. Everyone their age is going to be going thru the same thing. There's no FOMO, because nothing to miss out on. They are all in the same boat.

That is not true at all. Many kids are back on campuses already, with dorm roommates, preparing for sorority or fraternity recruitment, hanging out with friends. Every college has a unique plan and every kid is in a different situation. My son goes to Georgetown. A lot of kids teamed up and rented apartments and houses, a lot got left out of those plans, and some couldn’t have afforded it anyway. There is huge FOMO.

Same. DD has major FOMO here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:iI think we parents need to realize that this is just their reality. Everyone their age is going to be going thru the same thing. There's no FOMO, because nothing to miss out on. They are all in the same boat.

That is not true at all. Many kids are back on campuses already, with dorm roommates, preparing for sorority or fraternity recruitment, hanging out with friends. Every college has a unique plan and every kid is in a different situation. My son goes to Georgetown. A lot of kids teamed up and rented apartments and houses, a lot got left out of those plans, and some couldn’t have afforded it anyway. There is huge FOMO.

Same. DD has major FOMO here.

I feel like this time has made FOMO worse. Mine see those carrying on as normal and long for that. Logically they know it is not safe but it doesn’t change their desire to party with friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:iI think we parents need to realize that this is just their reality. Everyone their age is going to be going thru the same thing. There's no FOMO, because nothing to miss out on. They are all in the same boat.

That is not true at all. Many kids are back on campuses already, with dorm roommates, preparing for sorority or fraternity recruitment, hanging out with friends. Every college has a unique plan and every kid is in a different situation. My son goes to Georgetown. A lot of kids teamed up and rented apartments and houses, a lot got left out of those plans, and some couldn’t have afforded it anyway. There is huge FOMO.

Same. DD has major FOMO here.

I feel like this time has made FOMO worse. Mine see those carrying on as normal and long for that. Logically they know it is not safe but it doesn’t change their desire to party with friends.

Our son has been more than willing to play it safe while his friends party like normal, knowing college was the light at the end of the tunnel and they had proper precautions in place. His college is all online now and there is no longer a light at the end of the tunnel.

[Anonymous]

I have a rising senior who I think is doing okay. She says she is doing well and just focusing on her summer courses and grad applications. She also just finished a virtual internship. Fortunately, she has been so busy.

Kids (young adults) at this age often hold back their true feelings so I do worry. They try to be tough because everyone is dealing with it. Truth is I bet she is anxious and stressed. Hell, I am, and I pretend I am doing well. I know I am lucky right now so would never complain to friends. But, anonymously, I am struggling with all the uncertainty.

Our child is going back to her college apartment with her roommates- most upperclassmen are. The are stuck in their leases and nor many of them want to live with their parents after living on their own for several years. They are technically adults and we can afford it (thankfully). I know my child is mentally best with her friends even if classes are online. At least they have each other which is very important to mental health.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:iI think we parents need to realize that this is just their reality. Everyone their age is going to be going thru the same thing. There's no FOMO, because nothing to miss out on. They are all in the same boat.

That is not true at all. Many kids are back on campuses already, with dorm roommates, preparing for sorority or fraternity recruitment, hanging out with friends. Every college has a unique plan and every kid is in a different situation. My son goes to Georgetown. A lot of kids teamed up and rented apartments and houses, a lot got left out of those plans, and some couldn’t have afforded it anyway. There is huge FOMO.

Same. DD has major FOMO here.

I feel like this time has made FOMO worse. Mine see those carrying on as normal and long for that. Logically they know it is not safe but it doesn’t change their desire to party with friends.

Our son has been more than willing to play it safe while his friends party like normal, knowing college was the light at the end of the tunnel and they had proper precautions in place. His college is all online now and there is no longer a light at the end of the tunnel.

+1 Us as well. As a family, we've been very conservative about how we've interacted with other people because we wanted my daughter to be able to head off to college COVID free. They are testing the kids when they arrive and we wouldn't want her to have to quarantine for 2 weeks after finally getting to college if she tested positive. Her college will only have freshmen for first semester, and a shorter one than usual too.

She's been totally on board with this, but I'm sure if her college goes full remote that she'll wonder why she missed out on activities with friends this summer. College has been the only thing getting her through this long summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems as though many schools are requiring students to be tested prior to starting class in the fall. Anybody else here have a child going to a school that is not requiring testing? My DS's school is "Implementing COVID-19 testing for symptomatic students" during the semester, but no testing prior to returning.

What school is that???

Testing only those with symptoms suggests they don't understand how the disease is transmitted.

My DC's school is testing the day of arrival (unless they have traveled in a way that exposed them), and not allowing them to move into dorm unless the test is negative. They will also test a sample of kids throughout the semester.

[Anonymous]

<<but I'm sure if her college goes full remote that she'll wonder why she missed out on activities with friends this summer. College has been the only thing getting her through this long summer.>>

Because she was trying to stop the worst pandemic outbreak in the world. And not infect herself or her family members.

[Anonymous]

My DD is a rising freshman at a school in California. We have all thought so much about what to do but there is so much uncertainty.

DH and I really want her to defer a year. She isn’t interested but we are wondering whether we should just make that decision for her. It doesn’t go along with the way we have parented her but the money is our concern more than hers and she doesn’t really know what she will miss out on even if the school manages to keep kids on campus. She hasn’t ever been to college to understand how important the freshman year social bonding is.

She was thinking about staying home for fall to save money but that seems the worst of both worlds because she will miss out on meeting the freshmen who came in the fall and have to join in late.

[Anonymous]

They will all be home by October 1st. this is a money grab by the schools and if anyone thinks there won't be a huge increase is asleep at the wheel.

They won't have serious illness but the potential to bring it home etc is the concern to at risk people is the concern.

[Anonymous]

Those that have a high risk household can make the decision to stay home this semester.