Helping Your Online Student
They Might Be Home – But They Are Still “At” School!
Physical locations carry powerful meaning. For many students, “home” is a place to relax and enjoy a break or time away from school – sleeping in, holidays, summer jobs, and family gatherings. Campus, on the other hand, is a place to do school work and college life. Now the two are mixed.
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Remember that they are still carrying a full class schedule.
A single class may require 3 to 9 hours of work outside of class – adding up the reading, assignments, group work, and projects. While your student is at home – and much of their time may look unstructured – it is not free time. They may not be available for dinner or other family times. They may need to be in class or they may need to be working on course work. -
Remember that they need space and they need room to focus.
Students often have favorite study spaces – a place in the library, a lounge in a residence hall, or a hidden conference room in an academic building. They don't have those places now. Please do what you can to give your student the “space” they need to do their best. -
Remember that help and resources are still available.
Tutoring sessions are still happening online and peer coaches are still working with students. If your student is struggling in a class or struggling to stay organized, we can help!
They Might Be Different – But That's OK!
The last time your student spent this much time in your home may have been high school.
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It's OK if their sleep schedule seems different than it used to be.
College students tend to wake up later and go to bed later than they did in high school. Late night studying, group meetings, and projects may be common for your student. -
It's OK if they like different things than they used to.
Sometimes students find new interests, hobbies, and favorite foods while away at college. Spend some time asking them about the new things in their life.
They Might Be Missing College – But Don't Take It Personally!
No one expected spring break to be a “goodbye” – this will hit all students in different ways.
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Your student might feel homesick for campus – and maybe even feel guilty about it.
Let your student know it's OK to feel this way. Talk with them about what they miss. -
Your student's friends are still there – encourage them to reach out online!
Roommates, organizations, fraternities, and sororities still exist – they just exist online! Encourage your student to stay in touch with their friends online.
