A note from The BG News Staff

As college students, we all had to adjust to moving back to campus, but our parents have had their own adjustments back home once we leave. From preparation before we pack up to ongoing support once school starts, our parents have always had our back. They’ve heard us vent about college stress; now it’s time to hear how they feel when we leave the nest.

Gidget Scebbi, Editor-in-Chief Bri Scebbi’s mom

[[inline_image_identifier 93722173a7681bb08336dbcdba639137.jpg]]

Every year I am amazed at how quickly the summer zips by. And then, before I know it, it’s time for my daughter to go back to BG. 

It’s at this point that I begin to mentally prepare myself for the reality that she will be away from home. I try to keep my emotions in check and go right into ‘Mom Mode,’incorporating a plan of action to get things done. These distractions help myself as well as my daughter to focus on other things rather than the fact that it’s time for her to go back to school. It allows us to spend quality time together, to get her organized and discuss her goals and plans for the new school year. 

To offer words of encouragement and keep her connected to home while she’s away, I send her a greeting card every week and the occasional care package with all her favorites. I become her biggest cheerleader by reminding her that she is strong, smart, loved and missed. I always tell her to keep things in balance by taking time for herself and time to study. 

As a parent, I have embraced social media as another way to stay connected. It’s a great way to put my mind at ease because it allows me to know she is safe, keeps me up to speed with her daily life and helps me be aware of her emotions. My hope is that the support I give her from a distance will strengthen her ability to continue to spread her wings and fly.

Paula Fletcher, Copy Chief Rosiland Fletcher’s mom

[[inline_image_identifier 938e393248fc55772f391972146b6cb8.jpg]]

When my daughter, Rosiland, went off to college, I felt really proud knowing that I have supplied her with the tools to be able to take care of herself. I taught her to be honest and independent, sympathetic and empathetic towards others, to help others when she’s able, to stand up for herself and be brave. As well as learning to live outside of our four walls and to make the best decisions for herself. Believe me, I miss her a lot and can’t wait to see her face. I am glad texting and FaceTime exist and that she taught me how to use them so I can still talk to her, even at a long distance.

Donna & Jerry Geyer, Social Media Editor Brian Geyer’s parents

[[inline_image_identifier dde20b12fbc385e5869aa3734c03208b.jpg]]

We are happy Brian has gone to BGSU to college. We have had season tickets to hockey games for many years, it is great for Brian to experience the campus beyond just hockey. He has made so many good friends and has grown in his life experiences a lot. We love seeing how comfortable and happy Brian is at college.

Larry, Louann, Adam & Amanda Bailey, Pulse Editor Andrew Bailey’s family

[[inline_image_identifier b3ebeda896efb4d79caa84556991aae7.jpg]]

We are very proud of Andrew for going to BGSU and being very successful. We all support him for pursuing a degree in Journalism, working for the BGSU newspaper and the Pulse section and writing articles this summer for the Bowling Green Sentinel-Tribune. We read his articles and enjoy talking to Andrew about the process it takes to write the articles. We call Andrew about once a week to see how things are going. His sister, Amanda, calls or texts Andrew for homework help and to ask him to read essays she wrote for school. When our family found out Andrew was going to be writing for the BGSU newspaper, we all were very happy for him because this role really fits him. He loves books, music, movies, games and all entertainment. It seems to be a challenging but rewarding part of his college experience. 

We all miss Andrew when he is away at college. We miss his fun and easy going personality. When it comes time for Andrew to leave home and go to Bowling Green for the school year, a sad feeling hits all of us.

Dane Haaf, City Editor Shaelee Haaf’s dad

[[inline_image_identifier ef04ab52b62f38c86735a9ce21d3e724.jpg]]

When faced with the prospect of my daughter heading to college, I was struck with several emotions and thoughts. There was initially a concern for her safety, as campuses can be unpredictable and even dangerous places in which to dwell. Her mother and I strived to prepare her for self defense, knowing that we couldn’t always be around to physically protect her. 

I was never concerned about the academic rigours awaiting her, as she had always been an exceptional student. I knew she would thrive when learning new skills, ideas and concepts. But my fear for her was in the ideas put into her head by such a liberal faculty. It is so easy to indoctrinate young minds to believe harmful ideas. I still worry about her journey of knowing and understanding how the world works and how forces are actively seeking to harm her and her future. 

Another concern was that she might discover the party lifestyle and begin to imbibe in harmful substances with people that had no concern for her wellbeing. College campuses offer such destructive opportunities and lifestyles. I am happy to report that she has remained in control of herself and not become entangled. I still have a concern about her ability to discern who the sincere people are in her life. I am continuing to watch out for people wanting to take advantage of her and I am trying to teach her what to look out for when she deals with the people that come into her life. I have never had a concern that her independence would lead her to make poor decisions. 

My daughter has proven that she can be on her own. Leaving her at the campus was a very happy occasion and I remember telling her to get everything she can out of this time in her life and that she was going to have so much fun at college. The tough part for me has been not seeing her and having very limited contact with her. But I have steeled myself and have made the split from her, knowing that there is something big for her. I can live with that fact.

Toni Ross, Forum Editor Mary Ross’s mom

Mary’s leaving for college this year was different than last year. As a sophomore, it is easier at drop off then as a freshman. It is always fun to shop before she leaves for college. Even if she thinks she doesn’t need something for her dorm or classes, I make sure we get it. We take a lot of selfies and it gives me something to look at and remember how special my Mary is to me. Taking a selfie is not only fun, but always makes me smile when she is not around. Staying in touch with funny texts or just a phone call truly makes the transition easier for me. There is no doubt that I miss her everyday, but knowing she is happy is a comfort to me.