As college students head back to school, some are uncertain about living on campus given the coronavirus pandemic. We shared a story about a UNCG student who said that he wasn't what to expect. And we're sure that many other students have similar feelings. To help your college students adjust to living on campus in the middle of a pandemic then it's important to have conversations about possible situations that they might face.
It's a scary time for most everyone because the coronavirus pandemic is affecting everything. The way you're used to living is completely different. Having conversations to help keep your college student stay safe is necessary and should help ease fears. You, as a parent, just open the door and say something like, "there's a lot of uncertainty with the coronavirus and I'd like for us to talk about it. Certain situations might come up and if they do then you'll have an idea of how to hande it."
Let's say that their roommate isn't mindful of safety guidelines and chooses to not wear a mask or decides to go to a large get together. One thing that your college kid should know is that people are on edge right now. So what they say and how they say it is important. If a roommate isn't wearing a mask,or wearing it wrong, or going to get togethers without regard for safety then your college student needs to have a conversation. They might say something like, "It makes me uncomfortable to see X because I feel Y. How can we solve this?" Many times, kids may not want to say anything because they don't know how to solve conflict. If roommate doesn't respect safety then it's reasonable for them to talk to the resident assistant.
No one knows what the trajectory of the coronavirus will be. It's a good idea to have a chat with your college kid about what the plan is if college closes because of the coronavirus. Again, as the parent, you just start the conversation with something like, "Let's talk about the possibility of your college closing, and what we'll do when that happens." Explain what you're thinking about what they should take with them, leave on campus and ways to return home whether on plane or by car. This is a perfect opportunity to allow your college kid to continue their critical thinking skills by asking them for their thoughts and ideas.
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