As family members of a college student, it’s hard to know exactly what our students want us to know. Now is a good time to open the lines of communication and outline expectations as your student is preparing for their college experience.
I asked our SOAR leaders, many of them first generation students, what they wished their family had known when they started college. Here are their answers:
Kaley Brandt – I wish my family would have known that not all majors lead to a specific career, and it’s okay to have one like that! It’s also okay to be undecided before finding your best fit. Neither of those things are a waste of time as long as you keep your goals in mind and use your campus resources to help you get there.
Macy Hankel – I wish my family would have known my busy schedule at college doesn’t mean I don’t care about my family happenings.
Sierra Chitwood – I wish my family would have known how much I love it when they come visit me on fun days like football games and family weekend.
Lauren VanNess – I wish my family would have known that although I got super involved from the start, that doesn’t mean I forgot about them!
Cassidy Cunningham – I wish my family would have known that sending mail or little care packages really brightens a student’s day. I loved checking my mailbox in the residence hall and finding a letter or little treat and wish it happened more often.
Reece Vadney – I wish my family would have known and understood how much harder and stress-inducing college can be compared to high school.
Kennay Proctor – I wish my family would have known that I can’t call them every single day.
Grace Walker– I wish my family would have known that finding my home away from home didn’t mean I forgot about them, but that Missouri State was a perfect fit. I am not a first generation student.
Kelsey Kraatz – I wish my family would have known the social aspects of college. We are here for an education, but getting involved in the university and the community is just as important!
Mitchell Canada – I wish my family would’ve known that even though I might slip up and call Mo State “home”, it doesn’t mean that I think any less of my real home and family. I think that people can have many different places they call home, and I still love my family even though I am developing a “second family” at school.
Tim Wilkinson – I wish my family would have known that I still want to know about and be a part of what’s going on “at home” even though I’m not physically there.
Josh Crotty – I wish my family would have known that even though it’s hard to find the time to come visit, I still love them very much and everything I do is to make them proud.
Tyler Adams – I wish my family would have known that as I mature in college my values and priorities are always going to be adjusting, but that is definitely for the best.
Jessica Armstrong – I wish my family would have known how experimental of a time the first year of college is. I was trying to discover new passions and find myself, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love them.
Katie Verry – I wish my family would have known that it is just as important to take and do well in classes outside of my major. I love my major, but I appreciate the general education requirements because I can expand on my passion and knowledge on subjects outside of my major.
Tyler Janssen – I wish my family would have known that just because I’m taking a lot of different classes first semester, doesn’t mean I’m going to decide on a major right away or find something right for me by the end of the year. Sometimes being undecided is already a lot of pressure at school, and feeling the pressure from home isn’t great either.
Stephanie Bube – I wish my family would have known that my educational journey and growth during my first year of college would be different from what my siblings experienced and that different didn’t mean I was going about college in the wrong way. Though some aspects between siblings will be similar, everyone experiences college in their own way!
Sarah Disney – I wish my family would have known that’s it’s okay to change my major and take more credit hours than others. Some majors require it and they raised me to be responsible and hardworking and I know my limit when it comes to class loads.
Sam Siebert – I wish my family would’ve known that I really like getting mail when I came to college.
Clara Jungermann – I wish my family would have known that it’s nice to get calls from them just wanting to talk and even when I’m busy they are not bothering me.
Allison Heimsath – I wish my family would have known to not worry about me so much when I came to college. Everything works out.
Shelby Whitaker – I wish my family would have known that even though I didn’t really have time to come home a lot I still loved and missed them. It’s hard the first year to balance everything, especially when you feel like you might be missing out on something at home or school.
Kien Nguyen – I wish my family would have known that the decisions I made in college are for myself. I am old enough to take care of myself and deal with situations that an adult knows how to. I want them to trust me and believe that I will be successful and have a bright future for myself.