Parents & Family Resources
December 2005 Monthly Email
Dear CSU Parents and Families;
Can you believe that it is December already and fall semester is nearly over? We hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving and that your students spent time resting, and completing papers and other homework, in preparation for their upcoming finals. These next three weeks carry with them a great deal of stress and pressure. Many students will be busy with unit exams, essays, term papers, and other group projects during the last two weeks of classes only to be faced with up to six comprehensive exams during finals week.
There are many resources and offices to assist students, so if they express anxiety or are having difficulty coping, please encourage them to seek assistance on campus. You can also help by sending messages of encouragement from home. Your positive attitude and belief in them are powerful motivators for students to believe in themselves. Rather than focusing solely on grades, help your students to focus on learning the material and doing their best. Setting realistic goals for the end of the semester is crucial for their coping and studying strategies.
Finally, helping your students with perspective may be another method of assistance, reminding them that this is just one semester among many, and that there are larger issues in life that will bring challenges above and beyond a series of exams (this may be a helpful reminder for families coping with the stress of the holiday season, as well!).
Included in this email are:
- Results from a survey of 200 random students regarding what they were looking forward to over Winter Break
- Suggestions for care packages during finals week
- Reflections of the first semester from a first-time college parent of a freshman student at Colorado State University
- Monthly update with helpful information regarding student services and resources across the University
- An article focused on campus initiatives regarding alcohol use
In closing, many thanks to all of you for believing in your students, putting your faith in higher education in the state of Colorado, and allowing us the privilege of working with your students.
Take care,
Jody Donovan, Director
Student Transitions and Parent & Family Programs
Colorado State University
201 Administration Building
Fort Collins, CO 80526
(970) 491-5312
December Attachment
A Mom's Reflections
Fall 2005 Campus Alcohol Initiatives
Suggestions for Care Packages at the End of the Semester
Considering a Move Off Campus
What Are You Looking Forward to Over Winter Break