Mac Parent - Your Campus Connection

  

Staying Connected

April is quickly approaching, and this may mean that your child is returning home for a couple of months. For some students this can be as much of a transitioning process as was moving to McMaster in September. Although the place they are returning to is what your child calls “home”, it is important to understand that during their time at McMaster they have built a community around themselves and leaving this may feel overwhelming. Keep in mind that your child may be leaving their partner, the person they turned to during the difficult times over the past school year, or even a close-knit group of friends. Suggesting ways that your child can stay connected with these people could be a way to help alleviate some of their stress.

5 Ways For Your Child To Stay Connected:
(From our March 2012 Wellness @ Mac newsletter)

#1: Set a Skype ‘date’, and stick to it!

  • You don’t have to be together to have a face-to-face conversation. Plan a specific date and time where you and a friend will go on Skype to chat. Think of it as meeting them for coffee in Westdale – you wouldn’t ditch them if they were meeting you in person, so don’t ditch them online!

#2: Send emails or write a blog

  • Sharing all of the details of what you’ve been up to over the summer will help your friends feel like they were a part of it!

#3: Send a video message via Facebook

  • Instead of using long distance minutes, send your friends a quick hello to let them know you’re thinking about them.

#4: Share photos

  • This is a creative way to show all of your friends what is going on in your life – you can also talk about what they’ve seen you doing in your pictures.

#5: Texting

  • This is a quick and convenient way to stay connected to your friends. Even a simple hello can make them feel like they are still important to you!

These suggestions can also be useful for yourself in September when your child is returning to McMaster for the school year. Knowing that you have many options to stay connected may even alleviate the overwhelming feeling that can arise when they leave for another 8 months!

To view some of the previous Wellness  @ MAC newsletters with other great information for your McMaster student, see our collection at: http://wellness.mcmaster.ca/wellness-education/newsletter.html

Student Wellness Centre
MUSC B101/B106
Phone: 905-525-9140, ext. 27700
Email: wellness@mcmaster.ca
Website: wellness.mcmaster.ca

  

  

Back