Friends and Family Resources

Family to family

September
Congratulations! You've made it through your student's first few weeks of classes. We are sure it has provided many opportunities for discussion with your student and perhaps conversations back home already. This month for the First Year Family Blog, we would like to share with you a letter from our OTL Kelsey's father about his experience when Kelsey first started school.
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Preparing for the transition

August
The beginning of the fall semester is rapidly approaching. As a family member of an incoming college student, you may be feeling a wide range of emotions including excitement, pride, and at times, nervousness. Whether your student is moving to campus or will be commuting from home, an evitable shift in your relationship dynamics can be anticipated.
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Conversations to have with your student

We are already well into the summer season, and before you know it, the fall semester will be starting. Although it may seem early to be discussing expectations for the college transition, we assure you that having these conversations sooner rather than later will benefit both you and your student alike. 

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Ways to support your new Falcon

June
Summer is officially here, and we are so excited about the new chapter you and your family are about to begin. With every new chapter your family encounters, there are sure to be changes. Whether your student is brand new to college, transferring from another college, living on-campus or commuting to campus there will be shifts in how you support your student.

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Welcome, new UWRF families

May
Hello, family members and loved ones of our incoming Falcons! We are so happy you will soon be part of the Falcon Family. Although your student is admitted, there are still a few tasks to complete to be ready to enroll in the fall.
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Reflecting and moving forward

May
To the families and loved ones of first-year students, congratulations! The academic year is coming to a close. Through the ups and downs, you and your student have made it. We also recognize this first year may have been a challenge, and your student may not be certain about returning to UW-River Falls in the fall.
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Adjusting to your student being home for the summer

April
According to the Pew Research Center, it has become increasingly more common over the last decade for young adults to live with family members and/or parents longer. It is also common for college students to return home for the summer months after their first year of college. Whether your student is attending college nearby or far away, getting back into the swing of things together in the summer months may be an adjustment for your family.
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Changing majors

March
Is your student considering changing their major? It isn't uncommon for students to learn more about themselves and where they see themselves headed after their first semester of college. There are many resources available for students to use to help!
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Challenges in the college transition

February
The reality is that not all students have a smooth transition to college, and in fact, the majority of students experience at least some kind of challenge when starting college. It can be daunting to be on the receiving end of a phone call with your student expressing their frustrations, especially when you would like to be able to fix their problems for them.

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Preparing for a successful spring semester

January
Spring semester will be underway soon and your student will be entering their second semester of college. How can time be moving this quickly? Trust us, we are not sure either. Here are a few tips to help your student transition to their second semester and help them stay motivated to do their best!

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The registration process as a current student

November
Curious how course registration works now that your Falcon is a current student? For starters, as you may assume, it is very different from the New Student Registration day your student attended in summer.
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Helping your student manage stress

October
The first semester is going by so fast. By now, you may be hearing from your student that they are starting to feel some stress. The pressure of their academics picking up coupled with moving away from home can be a challenge for many students.
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The first semester

September
Can you believe the first semester is already several weeks underway? We hope that you and your family had as much fun on Move-In Day as we did! There’s nothing quite like the beginning of a fresh academic year, and we love seeing all of the connections and excitement that our new students bring to campus.
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