Through the beauty of social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, you can be privy to other people’s “bucket lists” – those things you hope to do in life. They could be big adventures, or small accomplishments, but they are meaningful to you. Some families create a “family bucket list” of things they want to do over the summer and post the list – and their progress – online for the world to see.
I overheard a conversation this past weekend where a mother was talking about her eldest child leaving for college. She was excited about the student’s opportunities, but I could also hear the wistfulness in her voice at the prospect of her first child going away. Her kids were lovingly teasing her – Mom, don’t think about it now, you’ll start crying – and Mom acknowledged that this was going to mean a change in the family dynamic for everyone. And while it is exciting, it is also a bit sad. And I got the sense she wanted to make the very most of this last summer, because once college starts, Everything Changes.
Whether your student is going to be a senior or just entering first-year, chances are you are thinking about some of the this is the last time we’ll all do X as a family. So in the spirit of bucket lists – here are a few of them to think of. Some are of course more oriented toward what students should do while in college. I am including those because it might be interesting to talk about some of these things with your student – what is on his or her bucket list? What was on yours when you were in college or your early 20s?
You may discover some things about your student – and vice versa – that surprise and delight. And even if you only pick a couple of things to do as a family (knowing college students have their own lives and sleep schedules!), it might still make for some terrific memories for your family.