Spring Break Safety and Mid-Term Reminders (March Resources)

• Book the right hotel: Make sure your student choses a hotel or accommodation based on safety, not maybe just the cheapest option available.
• No texting or dozing while driving: Remind your student to not text and drive! If they must drive a long distance, make sure they only take non-drowsy medicine (if needed) and get enough rest before they start their trip. Mention to them that “Rest Areas” are there for a reason!
• Avoid random meetings: There are plenty of interesting people to meet and learn from while traveling – in fact, that’s a huge benefit of these experiences. However, there are also plenty of dangers. Warn them to practice safe behaviors, not to accept anything being offered them if they believe it to be unsafe, and to keep in contact with people they do know at all times just in case.
• Don’t travel alone: If a student is planning to travel, it is a good idea for them to travel with people they trust. Once at their destination, remind them to travel in pairs and keep close contact with people in their group. There’s safety in numbers!
• Keep their ID with them at all times: If your student is traveling to another state, or perhaps even another country, make sure they know to always keeps their ID on them while traveling.

• What date are they visiting home? Make sure you and your student are on same page regarding Spring Break visiting plans. Also remember: your student could have midterm exams after Spring Break, so have conversations first before you make plans.
• What family activities do you expect your student to join in on? Check with them to see if they have made plans with friends or if they have a lot of schoolwork to do during the break. While Spring Break can be a time for students to “re-charge” from the semester, there might still be schoolwork to complete over the break.
• Are there rules they will still be expected to follow? Have a brief conversation on revisiting house rules about going out, car use, quiet hours, etc. so the transition home is an easy one.

• Take home all valuable items including medication, identification, electronic devices or anything they may need during the break
• Close and lock all windows (if applicable); leave blind slats closed, tightly close all faucets, and turn off all lights
• Set their thermostat to auto and to 72 degrees
• Turn off all alarm clocks or devices
• Clean the spaces, including in the common/kitchen area, bedroom, and bathroom, and take all trash to an exterior dumpster
• Ensure common spaces are clean and free of any obstructions
• Refrigerators (including minifridges) should remain plugged in, however, all perishables should be disposed of and refrigerators should be cleaned (as needed)
• Unplug all electronic items, except for refrigerators (regardless of size)

On-Campus Events:

UCF Athletics Events Calendar

Knights Connect Events and Volunteer

Helpful Contacts:

• UCF Police Department: 407-823-5555 (non-emergency)
• Alcohol and Other Drugs: 407-823-2924
• Counseling and Psychological Services: 407-823-2811
• Housing & Residence Life: 407-823-4663 (each Community Office contact can be found here)
• Ombuds Office: 407-823-6440
• Student Health Services: 407-823-2701
• Student Care Services: 407-823-5607
• Victim Services Advocate Hotline: 407-823-1200
• Office of Institutional Equity: 407-823-1336

Summer 2023 and Fall 2023 enrollment appointment dates and times will be available on Monday, March 6 for CURRENT students. Students can find their enrollment appointment date and time on the myUCF accounts.

“Enrollment appointments” are the date and time each student may individually begin to enroll in courses for the subsequent semester. If they haven't already, your student should make an appointment with their advisor and talk about their enrollment plan for upcoming semesters, how to resolve holds, check on course prerequisites, etc. Students can meet with academic advisor multiple times whenever new registration concerns arise.

Meeting with an academic advisor NOW can help your student be confident with class registration and be more successful with registering for the classes they need LATER.

• If you want to read more about how the advising and registration processes work at UCF, see the “Advising Guides & Documents” from Student Success and Advising.
• To check important UCF academic dates, visit the UCF Academic Calendar
• Students can make an appointment with an advisor by contacting their advising office or finding an available appointment time via myKnight STAR.

Midterm exams are approaching and can be stressful!

In March, students are now realizing that exams are around the corner, chapters are still unread, or maybe a paper or project with an upcoming deadline has been forgotten. Although Spring Break is around the corner, students can feel huge pressure because midterms often account for 20-40% of a class’s final grade.

Students may start to feel the stress of academic performance. Some students thrive on stress and seem to take it in stride, but for many students, this stress can feel debilitating.

As parents or supporters, remind them this is part of the rhythm of academic year. Although midterms are important, it is only one part of a full semester’s class. Maybe it is a good time to encourage them to find their own stress management skills as well. Lastly, try to encourage them to tackle this in their own way since they are now an independent college student; building skills to tackle tough exams or the stressors around them are important skills needed in college and beyond.

Also remember, the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) gives students ownership of their academic information. All academic information goes directly to your student, not to you. Read more about what FERPA means for you and your student on the UCF Registrar's Office website.