OK, don’t panic. parent and family weekend is this weekend.
If your family is visiting, they’re bound to smother you with questions. After all, they think you’re still the innocent baby they waved goodbye to through teary eyes at the beginning of the semester.
Here’s a list of DOs and DON’Ts to help you convince them that you aren’t.
1. DO clean your room. Wipe away every speck of dirt and mop every scuff from the floor. Spray away the smell of stale pizza and dirty laundry with Febreze.
To your family, this will shout, “Even though I’m no longer under your roof, I have admired all the cleaning you have done for me. I’m adult enough to do it myself now. You have taught me well.”
2. DO make your bed. Stack the books on your desk in alphabetical order, and tidy up all other belongings around your room. This shows how organized your life has been since college started.
You may have a 15 page paper due in English and a 30 minute presentation in Communication 145, but it’s all good. You have organized your schedule and managed your time accordingly. Show them that juggling school work and your social life is a piece of cake.
3. DO hide, stash and trash any papers with Fs or Ds, and maybe even Cs– if you want to take it there. Make sure none of these grades catch the roaming eyes and prying hands of your family. If they ask about your grades, say these exact words:
“Professor So-and-So is horrible about getting grades back. She/he says they have multiple classes to oversee, making it impossible to know your grade. But I have turned in all assignments and put in many hours of studying. No worries.”
If you made a good grade on an assignment, quiz, paper or exam, even if it was during the first week of class, just slip that in at the end. It will ease the worry that may still exist with your family.
4. DON’T mingle with wild friends. As a matter of fact, if you see them heading your way while your family is around, duck, dodge and swerve. You cannot have them ruin your “responsible” image. Ever heard of the saying “birds of a feather flock together?”
Your family will know what is up the moment your friend with no censor and “TURN UP” emblazoned on their shirt yells “Hey!” from across the Downing Student Union food court. Save yourself.
5. DO prep your roommate on what to say, what not to say, how to act and how not to act. Make sure they wear their Sunday’s best and are on their best behavior. You can even play buddy-buddy if you want. Come up with a secret handshake. Make it look good. You’ll do the same for them when their parents come around.
6. DO let your family take you out to eat. Get as much food as you desire.DON’T offer to pay. Everyone knows living off 12 meal swipes a week is not sufficient. Eating Subway everyday is getting old. Take advantage of the chance to eat real food.
7. DON’T abandon your family at the end of the day. They took the time and energy to come see you. Keep in mind, no matter how torturous, boring or embarrassing it may be to have your family around, you will have many more weekends to be young, wild and free without them.