Blugold Nuggets - November 2009

Online Ride Board

Students still seeking a ride home or a little help with gas money for the Thanksgiving Break can check out the online ride board. Students need to enter their Blugold username and password for entry to the site, then just by including a zip code a list of potential riders or drivers is listed with dates. University Centers also maintains a physical ride board where students can post requests, but these need to be done independently of the online board.

Thanksgiving Break Adjustment

Who is this kid?
For some of you Thanksgiving break might be the first time you’ve seen your child since August.  Your student has spent the last few months exploring class work and has been exposed to many different people, ideas, and perspectives.  Inevitably they will examine their own experiences in new ways, which could lead to challenging or uncomfortable questions. 

APPEARANCE
Your students  may be experimenting with different versions of themselves   so when you see them for the first time try not to be surprised if they  look and or act a little differently  than the person you dropped off earlier this fall.  Many college students make choices that parents might criticize, but by this time in their lives they know your opinions and values.  Even if it doesn't’t seem like it, they are hearing your words in their head, so restating them can create barriers to discussion.  Thinking about your student as a friend who can be overly sensitive rather than your “child” can often be helpful.  What you think of as “mothering” or “fathering” can often be perceived as insulting.    Questions like “Are all the kids at school wearing their hair in that style?” or “Does that symbol on your ankle have particular meaning?”  is more conducive to dialogue than a lecture.  Asking about the food at school and/or whether they have time to exercise may be better received than comments about gaining weight.

GROUND RULES
While your student may have changed, you still have the right to set the rules of your home;   it might be helpful to discuss some ground rules prior to the return.  Having said that, it is also important to remember that your students have survived on their own for several months now without being told when to go to bed, get up, how to dress, etc..  Compromise is sometimes necessary.

CHANGES AT HOME
Life has also moved on at home and your student may need to adjust to different dynamics with siblings or physical changes to the home.   You might want to warn them if anything has changed dramatically.

TIME SPENT WITH FRIENDS
While your students are happy to be home, it may seem like they are most happy about seeing their high school friends.  Don’t be offended. But also don’t be afraid to insist on some family time. Again, open communication can prevent hard feelings.

 One of our recommended books is Marjorie Savage’s: You’re on Your Own (but I’m here if you need me).  Here is a sample of tips she offers for avoiding mishaps in a student visit:

• Since the days prior to a vacation are usually hectic, try not to be surprised if your student sleeps all the way home and more than usual once he/she arrives.  There are valid reasons why a student might spend long hours in bed: they are exhausted by exams; it feels comfortingly safe to be back in their own bed, in the security of their home and family; and retreating to bed is a way  to gradually work back into the rhythms and pace of being home.
• Discuss your expectations regarding doing your child’s laundry, what household chores you want help with, and any family obligations or holiday plans.  If you ask what plans your student is making, explain that you want to know so that you don’t make arrangement that will conflict with his/her schedule.
• Recognize that any disagreeable behaviors are not a rejection of you and your values, but they serve as a way to communicate independence.

 

Undergraduate Essay Competition

Students are invited to participate in an undergraduate essay competition reflecting on what their Liberal Arts education has meant to them.  Contest details and prize information are listed in the press release on our website.  Two winners will be selected from UW-Eau Claire to send on to the Wisconsin System.  Last year’s contest winners were Jennifer Sisko and Lisa Zondlo.  Click here to read the essay submitted by Lisa Zondlo.

Talking to your Student about their Grades

If your student is a freshman, they should have received midterm grades via email by now. And even if yo uhave an older student, now is a great time to talk about how they are doing in classes. You know your student best. Sometimes waiting for them to pen up is the best strategy; other time it is necessary to ask directly. Do what works for your students, but remember that the most important thing is to make them understand that you don't expect perfection and you understand that everyone struggles with a class at some point. Here are some ways you can help:

If they are having difficulty with a particular course, suggest the following:

• Talk with the instructor; see how much of the course grade is still left and see if the instructor has advice about better ways to study
• Find a group of students with whom to study
• Check to see if tutoring is available for this subject through the Academic Skills Center or through the department

lf they are having difficulty with study skills in general, refer them to the Academic Skills Center. It is not too late to get help!

If they seem really stressed or are struggling with test anxiety, Counseling Services may be an appropriate referral. And the Dean of Students office is always willing to help students sort out their academic and personal concerns.

Withdrawing from a class

We have incredibly conscientious students and sometimes it is hard for them to admit that they are not going to be able to be successfully in a class and that it is best to withdraw. A little reassurance from you can make their own disappointment less distressing. Students should discuss the issue with an adviser and the instructor before making the final decision.

Students should also know the policies related to withdrawing from a class, specifically,

• If the student is withdrawing from a second course, does he/she understand how it will affect academic standing?
• Has he/she taken the course before? Note - A course can only be repeated once.
• If the student is going below full time, parents should check on whether health insurance will be affected.

Wednesday, Nov. 11 is the last day to withdraw from a class or to withdraw totally from the university.

Civil Rights Pilgrimage

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire students have the opportunity to spend their winter or spring break on a Civil Rights Pilgrimage to the South, visiting sites of historic importance to the U.S. civil rights movement.

The 2010 trips are planned for January 8-18 and March 26-April 4. For more information about the Pilgrimage please visit the website.

 

 

 

Final Exam Reminder

Examination week is part of the regular academic semester, and all classes are required to meet as shown in the final examination schedule. Students can check their exam schedule in MyBlugold. Each course offered for credit is concluded with a final examination unless the instructor determines that some other method of evaluation is more appropriate to the objectives of the course.

It is important to know that no student will be permitted to reschedule a final examination unless there are extraordinary circumstances over which the student has no control (e.g. hospitalization or military obligation). If your student has a serious issue arise which prevents him or her from taking an exam, your student should contact the Dean of Students Office for assistance.

Depression/Anxiety

Warning Signs of Depression:

• Feelings of sadness or hopelessness
• Change in Appetite
• Sleeplessness or sleeping too much
• Loss of interest in ordinary activities
• Inability to concentrate

Depression and Anxiety are two of the most frequent conditions that college students face today. You know your student better than anyone on campus and if you notice behavior changes in your student or they become more vague about how they are performing in class or time they are spending with friends you may want to look for warning signs.

Below are three sites that specifically address college students. If you suspect your son or daughter may be affected by these conditions, please refer them to UWEC Counseling Services and/or call us at (715) 836-5521.


• UWEC Counseling Services
• Helping a College Student with Anxiety
• Depression and College Students

Networking over Winter Break

Preparing for the future doesn't need to stop when school is out of session; students can continue developing their career path over winter break.  Breaks are a great time for students to begin building a professional network.  Networking is a valuable way to gain career information and potential job leads. Once students have an idea of the career that they would like to pursue after graduation it is easy to begin seeking contacts through their family and friends.  This process can begin for students simply by letting people know what career they are interested in pursuing.  Networking can begin at any time, but the sooner a student seeks out professional contacts, the better. Some examples include:

• Setting up an informational interview and/or job shadowing experience with a friend of their parents’ who has a job that they find interesting
• Utilizing UW-Eau Claire’s Ask an Alum program to arrange an email exchange with an alumni who graduated with a degree in their major inquiring as to how they got their current job
• Volunteering or interning within an organization that they would like to work for some day and getting to know the supervisory staff
• Attending university career fairs and asking for recruiters’ business cards after chatting with them about the requirements of interesting positions
• Meeting a roommate’s aunt for lunch to discuss her company

Everyone is a potential contact.  The first contact may be able to refer students to other helpful persons within an occupation field.  Communication can take place in person, over the phone, via email, or even snail mail. Most people are delighted to talk about their jobs with a college student, so gaining information is often easy and enjoyable. Because contacts are so helpful, it is always a good idea to maintain communication with them and to send a thank you note when appropriate. For more information on networking visit the Career Services Web site.

Submitted by: Renee Mallo, Graduate Career Specialist

What's Happening on Campus

 

Byron Hurt - Thursday, November 5, 2009
ZORN ARENA | 7:30pm

Vienna Boys Choir - Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Zorn Arena | 7:30 P.M.

Wage Presents - SWAP-O-RAMA - Thursday, November 12, 2009
Cabin, Davies Center | 10-3pm - a totally free market open to everyone! Give, take, and trade gently used clothing, accessories, and shoes. Clothing will also be collected and donated to local shelters


Letters From Home - Thursday, November 19, 2009
Zorn Arena | 7:30 P.M.

 

Student Health 101

Student Health 101

Parent Perspective

Student Health 101 is a newsletter brought to your student each month by the Student Health Service Office. The Parent Perspective is a parent's companion to Student Health 101 newsletter. Student Health 101 is written to help your son or daughter live a healthier life.

Each issue of the Parent Perspective is a quick-to-read summary of that month's student newsletter