Great advice from a graduating Deac Mom

Now that May is here, I am getting a little misty thinking about the various families I met 4 years ago at New Student Receptions or other events, or whose names I have seen on the Wake Forest Parents and Families Facebook page, or who I have come to know via email questions or phone calls.  Your Deacs are going to be graduating and flying the coop – and taking you with them.  It’s both exciting and a little bittersweet to watch that happen.

One such Deac Mom ’17 sent me an email today with some advice for the incoming P’21s that was good enough to share more broadly.  So, with her permission, today’s blog will feature that – enjoy (and thanks, Deac Mom)!

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Advice from a Deac Mom ’17 

1. Read the Daily Deac parents blog every day. There is tons of great advice in there and just knowing what is happening on campus helps you feel closer to your child who may be far from home.

2. Encourage your student to seek and find opportunities while at Wake. Your student is truly only limited by his or her imagination, because the school and its professors are committed to helping these students get the most out of their four years. We have been immensely impressed by Wake.

3. Encourage your student to get in touch with the University Counseling Center if they have any mental health issues, even if small. Moving away from home and dealing with the stress, flexibility, and social pressures of college is a great deal to take in at once. They have incredible staff who work closely with students to help them through the rough times.

4. Head the advice to call your student on Fridays. At the very least it is an excuse to call, and I do think it helps them make better choices.

5. I know this sounds preachy, but if there is any way to help them understand that too much alcohol often leads to poor choices, do so.  The ability to say no will help your Deac achieve all he/she can.

6. Zipcars are awesome!  My Deac went all four years without a car. It saved money, and I worried less.

7. Encourage your student to consider being an RA (Resident Adviser). If offsets some costs and helps your student make more responsible decisions since they are even more accountable themselves. It also provides great work and supervisory experience.

8. Visit when you can. Family Weekend is a blast.

9. Prepare for the four years to fly by in a blink.