One of the truths of college parenting for many of us is that we worry about our college students. We may worry a lot, or we may worry only a little. We worry about our students’ health and safety, their ability to make friends, to make wise decisions and choices, to learn and get decent grades, to find their way around, to have fun and to be fulfilled. Our concern is often the reason that we hover.
One of the things that often feels overwhelming to new college students is finding their way around a new campus. Obviously, this is even more challenging at a large university than a small college, but even a relatively small campus can feel overwhelming and strange at first. Remind your new college student to get a good campus map- and to spend some time looking at it. They can probably find one on line and print it out. This will help them to feel oriented even before they arrive on campus.