Table of Contents
Dedication 3
Preface 15
Introduction 17
Planning for the Big Departure 19
Leaving High School 21
Senioritis 22
The Learning Environment 27
Choosing a College Where Your Student Will Thrive 31
Choosing a College Close to Home 34
Choosing a College within Driving Distance (One Day or Less) 35
Choosing a College Far From Home 36
Traveling Back and Forth for Visits 38
Getting There and Back with Luggage 39
Choosing Between a Small or Large Campus 43
Attending Freshman Orientation 47
Campus Tours 48
Freshman Orientation 52
Pre-Orientation Field Trips 54
Early Starts for Athletes 56
Planning Finances and Health Insurance 57
Access to Your Student's Records 57
Money Management 58
Spending Money 61
Student Cards 62
Bank Accounts 63
ATM Cards 64
Credit Cards 65
Wire Transfers 67
Health Insurance 67
Learning to Budget 68
Paying the College Bill 69
Books 73
Scholarships 73
Getting a Job to Make Ends Meet 74
Things to Teach Your Children Before They Leave Home 77
How to Send a Thank You Letter or a Birthday Card to a Relative 77
How to Clean Leather Shoes 78
How to Separate the Lights from the Darks 78
How to Use Public Transportation 79
How Much to Tip 79
How to Spot Phishing or E-mail Scams 79
Where to Buy Necessities 80
How to Tell Analog Time 81
How to Lace Their Shoes (not just tie them, but insert the laces from scratch) 81
How to Run the Virus Scan and Clean Up Viruses and Cookies 82
E-mail Etiquette when Addressing a Professor or Person in Authority 82
How to Travel by Plane 83
What to Do if their Laptop Stops Working or is Stolen 84
What to Do if Their Car Breaks Down Halfway Home 85
What to Do if They Get in a Car Wreck 86
Packing for College 87
Clothing 88
Bringing a Car to Campus 89
Sheets, Towels, Dishes, and Other Miscellaneous Items 92
Food 93
School Supplies 94
Computers, Laptops, and Other Electronics 95
Departure Day 97
Logistics 97
Deciding Whether to Stay and Unpack 100
Shopping for Supplies 101
Meeting the Roommate 101
Saying Goodbye 102
The Student's Experience 105
Alone at Last 107
The First Night Alone 109
Then You Depart 110
The Early Weeks 113
Settling in 119
Fraternities and Sororities 120
Time Management 122
The Roommate 125
Residence Hall Life 129
The Dining Hall 131
The Recreation Center 132
Support from the Home Front 133
Staying in Touch 134
College Classes 139
Listening to the Professor 141
Developing a Strategy 144
Declaring or Changing Majors 146
Seeking Out Tutors 148
Mid-Terms 149
Learning How to Study 151
Dealing with Failure 153
Have a Plan B 153
Learning Independence 155
Far From Home 155
Coming Home for Thanksgiving 157
Random Acts of Independence 159
Buying Soap, Deodorant, and Other Boring Supplies 162
Handling Problems 167
Getting Sick 169
Serious Illness 172
Medical Insurance 174
Mistakes 177
Sex, Drugs, and Alcohol 179
Money Problems 180
Mars and Venus in College 187
The Parents' Experience 195
Missing Your Child 197
Focus on the Positive 201
Parenting a College Student 205
Changing Beliefs 207
Appearance 208
Communication 209
Eating Their Vegetables 211
Going to Church 213
Waking Up 214
Dealing with Their Problems 217
Identifying a Real Problem 218
Avoid Nagging 220
Growing Old Gracefully 220
The New Family Dynamic 223
Coming Home 223
Home Is a Hotel Syndrome 225
Do Not Make Plans for Your Student 226
No Expectations 227
It Goes Both Ways 229
Siblings at Home 233
The Transition into Adulthood 237
Develop a Life of Your Own 238
The Teenage Sloth 239
Summer Ultimatums 241
Accountability 244
Senior Year of College 246
The Boomerang Effect 248
Raising Children Is Like Whipping Cream 249
Revitalizing Your Life 251
I Had Simply Done It for too Long 252
Have Patience 253
Enjoy the Quiet Times 255
Start to Dream Again 256
Developing Hobbies and Interests 258
Motivation 260
Returning to Work after Staying Home 263
Re-Feathering the Nest 273
Roll up Your Sleeves and Get on with It 273
Spruce the Place up a Bit 274
When Should You Convert Their Bedroom into a Den? 275
A New Set of Wheels 276
Your Child's Appreciation 278
It All Works Out 279
The Reward 280
Bibliography 283
Author Biography 285
Index 287