Thanksgiving Conversations (November Resources)

It’s such an exciting time of year! Your student might be heading home for Thanksgiving break and it’s possibly the first time they’ve been home since August. Your student now has the freedom to make some important decisions on their own, some of which are potentially health-related. This holiday visit provides a great opportunity for you to talk about things, measure how it’s going, and potentially provide support that will help them when they come back to campus. 

Let’s break it down as a timeline:

Time flies during the Thanksgiving break! You might realize it is almost over and you still have many questions left for your student. Pace yourself! Don’t try to have all these conversations at once, and don’t fret if you can’t get to all of them. Winter Break will be here soon.  

  • Talk about the Winter Break schedule. What plans do they have? Are they planning to be back at home?
  • Ask about their final exam/projects schedule before purchasing any travel tickets for Winter Break. Many first year students don’t know each course might have a unique finals schedule. The official academic calendar doesn’t show your student’s schedule. Thus, the best way for them to know when their exams are is for them to ask their professors or check their classes’ syllabi.  
  • Encourage them to finish this semester strong. Maybe it means attending one or two more tutoring sessions or visiting the University Writing Center to get feedback on their first draft of a big paper. Using resources creates successful students. 
  • Remind them they have to start registering for the Spring 2023 semester if they haven’t already. If they procrastinate on this, there’s always the chance that they don’t get the classes they need for the next semester at the date/time they prefer. 
  • If they are traveling back to campus via car, make sure your student gets an adequate amount of sleep and is taking care of themselves before they make the long trip. Safety is first! 

Conversations to have before the break: 

  • What family activities do you expect your student to join in on? Being on the same page can prevent conflict and disappointment. Check with them to see if they made plans with friends or if they have a lot of schoolwork to do during the break. While Thanksgiving can be a time for students to “re-charge” from the semester before embarking on final exams in December, there might also still be schoolwork to complete over the break. 
  • If they are traveling home via car, make sure your student gets an adequate amount of sleep and is taking care of themselves before they make the long trip.  
  • Tell your student to lock up their residence hall room or apartment, turn off lights and appliances, unplug electric cords, and store valuable items somewhere safe before they leave. 
  • Have a brief conversation revisiting house rules about going out, car use, quiet hours, etc. so the transition home is an easy one. 

Having caught up on sleep (you might be surprised how late they sleep in once home!), your student would be ready for a more reflective conversation. Below are some helpful questions ask. 

  • “How are they feeling about college/UCF so far?” 
  • “Do you feel homesick?” 
  • “Have you made friends who feel like 'real' friends?” 

Some practical questions can help you understand your student as well: 

  • “How are you feeling about taking care of your health?” (We know sometimes health can become a low priority for college students) 
  • “Do you eat and sleep okay?”
  • "What is your plan for wrapping up coursework and being in a solid position for final exams and projects?” 
  • “What class do you enjoy the most? “
  • “Is your computer/other technology still working well?”
  • “Have you met your academic advisor to plan out for the next semester?”
  • “What’s the plan for next year’s housing/living situation?”
  • “Have you been sticking to a budget?” 

 

Resources and additional things to consider:

Preparing for a meaningful career starts as soon as a student steps on campus! Knowing what Career Services offers can help your student land a great internship or summer job. Even if they are considering graduate school, internships, or study abroad experiences, UCF offers various opportunities that can help them make the best decision for life after graduation. 

Is your Knight graduating this Fall? Congratulations! You and your student might be finalizing your plans for attending UCF commencement ceremonies.

All commencement information can be found on the UCF Commencement website HERE.

  • Graduates will receive four (4) commencement tickets for their ceremony.
  • Fall 2022 Commencement will be held Friday, December 16 and Saturday, December 17; the exact date and time will be different by your student’s degree and academic college.
  • Please read the UCF Commencement website carefully for parking, invitation tickets, venue, regalia, and photo options! 

Remember, when someone says, “Go Knights,” reply, “Charge On!” 

Most first-time students and their parents or supporters are surprised at how early students can be prepared for the upcoming semester's course registration process. Meeting with an academic advisor before their official class registration date is very important, and there is no such thing as too early to meet with an academic advisor!

Starting Monday, October 17, students can find their Spring 2023 enrollment appointment date and time on the myUCF accounts. Their “enrollment appointment” is the date and time they may begin to enroll in courses for the subsequent semester (in this case, Spring 2023). If they haven't already, your student should make an appointment with their advisor and talk about their Spring 2023 enrollment plan, how to resolve holds, check on course prerequisites, etc. Students can meet with academic advisors multiple times, whenever new registration concerns arises. Meeting with an advisor now can help your student be confident with class registration and be more successful with registering for the classes they need.