As we offer our year-in-review each year, I often say this is the time of year when we can’t decide whether to look backwards at the year that is just ending or to look ahead at the year about to begin. This year, there is no contest. We’re all looking ahead to the future, to 2021, and to the hope for a better year for everyone.
2020 has been one of the most difficult years that most of us have ever faced. Some individuals have certainly faced tragedy of many kinds at other times in the past, but this year was tragic, frightening, and devastating in so many ways for so many of us.
Still, even with our focus clinging to the hope for a better 2021, we’d like to take a brief look at 2020 at College Parent Central. We’ve survived. We’re tremendously grateful for health. We’ve done what we can to reach out to help parents help their students through these difficult days.
The year of COVID
The COVID virus derailed everyone’s plans this year. We distanced, we stayed home, we worked remotely, we homeschooled, we learned to wear masks, we took up new hobbies, we baked sourdough, and we learned to cope with life — and death – in new ways.
And we kept busy. We all learned about remote working — and remote schooling — and that both are harder than our normal ways of working. Parenting doesn’t take a break during a pandemic, and we wanted to be there for you as much as possible. College Parent Central chugged along, publishing 29 articles and producing 25 podcast episodes.
Here at College Parent Central, we did what we could to try to offer some help to parents. We touched on COVID issues in many articles and podcast episodes, but we dedicated several of each specifically to these topics.
Articles
Completing the College Year at Home
8 Reasons Why a Summer Class May Make Sense for Your Student This Year
College Decisions in the Midst of COVID-19
8 Things Your Student Can Do During This COVID Summer
Lost in Transition: In the Midst of COVID Worries, Students Still Need to Adjust
Podcast Episodes
#013 — COVID-19: When Your College Student Needs to Complete the Semester At Home
#015 — Special Episode — COVID-19 — One Month In — Challenges of Staying the Course
Other Voices
On the podcast, we were excited to have 5 episodes that shared some new voices and additional wisdom with parents. We’ll be sharing even more interviews in 2021.
#012 — Talking About the First Year Experience — An Interview with Dr. Silas Pearman
#018 — Spiritual Health and College Students: An Interview with Rev. Terry Hofmann
#022 — College Secrets of Highly Successful People: An Interview with Lindy and Tom Schneider
#024 — College Student Health: An Interview with Dr. Jill Grimes
#029 — Steps to Success for Students with Disabilities: An Interview with Elizabeth Hamblet
In case you missed them, you can check out all of our podcast episodes here.
Favorites?
Although it is impossible — or at least very difficult — to pick favorites (it’s a little like choosing a favorite child), there are three articles from this year that we think provide somewhat unique ways of thinking about college and college parenting — especially this year.
How to Drop Out of College (the Smart Way)
How to Help Your Student Become a Model Advisee
Your Student Needs This Time Over Winter Break
And so (thank goodness) this year winds down . . .
Our topics have been wide-ranging this year. Some have been dictated by the current state of the world, and others are timeless topics for students and their parents. As College Parent Central moves toward our 12th anniversary with over 700 articles on our site and 31 episodes of the podcast, we’re excited about the new topics we’ll explore in the coming year as well as new perspectives on some traditional topics.
There’s much to think about for all of us as we experience this phase of parenting — and as the world of college continues to change around us. We hope that we’ll continue to be able to help support you, and your student, on this journey.
As always, we’d love to hear from you. You can reach out through our Contact Page (under the About tab), join us on Twitter (@CollParCentral), leave a comment below, or sign up for our free monthly newsletter. Let us know what topics you’d like to hear more about.
We wish you a Happy – and Healthy — New Year!
