Living on campus brings a new level of responsibility for many students. If you have not done so already, teach your student the skills necessary to live on their own. Cooking, cleaning and doing laundry are skills that will be used for the rest of their life. They will also make your student a better roommate.
“Make sure that your student has enough basic life skills to live on their own. Everyone is super welcoming and helpful here on campus, but being able to do laundry or wash dishes are good skills to have.”
—Isa, Class of 2027
Consider creating a shared resource folder with tips for living on their own. These are some ideas for what you can include:
► Which cleaning products are used for different tasks (include the name of the product!). Label or color code the products when packing for campus.
► Instructions for how to remove stains from clothes and shoes.
► Tips for cleaning the “dry clean only” clothes that will not actually be dry cleaned.
► A schedule of how frequently certain cleaning tasks need to be done.
While first-year students are on a meal plan, there will also be opportunities for them to cook in the kitchen of their residence hall. Many students have shared with us that they enjoy baking and watching movies as a way to relax and bond with new friends. Over the summer, teach your student how to make some of their favorite dishes for when they miss home. They will also benefit from knowing recipes that only require a few ingredients or kitchen tools. Create a virtual recipe book for the meals that you make together and add that to their resource folder!