Category Archives: graduation

college guidance, college prep, empty nest, graduation, parenting

The Joy and Angst of Decision Day

decision day

May Decision Day has come and gone. Students have made those final decisions and committed to college in the fall. After all the stress of senior year and some of the conflict that arose within families, you can rest easy the hard work is done and it’s smooth sailing ahead.

But is it? Your student and you have worked hard for this day and you should certainly enjoy the accomplishment. Your student did the work and was accepted to college. You did the work and prepared your student for that next phase in their life: adulthood. You have been planning for this day ever since they entered high school. You looked forward to the day when they would finally leave your nest and go out on their own. But you probably weren’t expecting so many mixed feelings.

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graduation, parenting

High School Graduation: Letting Go Without Holding On

high school graduation

High school graduation is approaching for seniors; and some tearful goodbyes may be approaching for their parents. Your emotions will transition from pride for their accomplishments to dread and sadness as they move on to the next phase of their lives.

Letting go is never easy. But if you’ve done your job, your student is ready to move to the next phase of their life, which means living independently.

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admissions, graduation, orientation, parenting

From Acceptance to Graduation and Beyond

GRADUATION

The acceptance letters have arrived and your student is ready to make his final college decision and then move forward to graduation. Check the box–going to college! It’s a tremendous accomplishment for both students and their parents.

It’s not just your student who is graduating–you are too! You planned for years for your student to go to college and now he has been accepted. After years of planning it’s time to start a new chapter in your life as well. 

First things first–do some celebrating. You’ve earned it. It was a difficult task to raise a successful high school graduate and soon-to-be college student. Allow yourself some time to bask in the accomplishment. This is also time to flood him with showers of praise and words of encouragement. He’s worked hard for this and he needs to hear that you are proud of him. 

Once the celebration dust settles, to help you head into the next phase, we have some suggestions to assist with the transition.

Continue reading From Acceptance to Graduation and Beyond →
graduation, parenting

Are You Having Graduation Anxiety?

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graduation

High school graduation day is supposed to be one of the best days in your life. But the unsettling truth is it can be a time of great anxiety—for both students and parents. Even though this is a milestone, a combination of both positive and negative emotions can turn this happy time into one filled with stress. It’s hard to imagine that this time for celebration also produces feelings of fear, frustration, sadness and separation. But it does.

Why is there such anxiety around this time of celebration and accomplishment?

Graduation Anxiety for the Students

Of course students are happy and excited about their graduation; but they can also exhibit signs of stress and anxiety. The very nature of this life event brings a whole range of emotions to the surface. It’s important for parents to understand what their teen is feeling to help them through the transition.

Fearing the unknown

It’s only natural for students to be afraid of what lies ahead. Even if they have visited the campus and talked to faculty and students, the very fact that they will be entering uncharted territory brings up the fear. They have no idea what to expect once they arrive on campus. They know academics will be more difficult—will they be able to handle the rigors of college courses? All of these unknown factors cause them to be afraid (even though they might not admit it).

Continue reading Are You Having Graduation Anxiety? →
graduation, parenting

Transitioning Toward Independence After Graduation

graduation

Whether your child is leaving for college soon or they are coming towards the end of their studies, ensuring you support your child in the right way, not just in a professional sense but in an emotional sense as well, can prove to be a wide-ranging subject. Ultimately, there is a massive transition from college to the real world. For anybody that has been through college education and has now come out on the other side, they may tell you just how much of a shock to the system it is to go into the real world. So what can you do to make sure that you support your child in the right way when they are transitioning toward independence after graduation?

Will Additional Qualifications Help At This Point?

Many people decide to move on to a master’s course after their degree. For some, this can be prolonging the eventuality of going into the real world. But it all depends on the degree that your child initially undertook. If they’ve got a very clear-cut career plan but they need to acquire a master’s in system design & management or a niche subject, it’s vital that they work towards this. The best thing you can do if your child is adamant about completing extra qualifications is to make sure that they’ve researched their career choice at every angle.

Encouraging Them To Find The Best First Job

Some parents feel that their child needs to get any job after they come out of college, but this can be a huge mistake. If your child is not continuing their education, you should encourage them to explore a wide variety of opportunities. Many people these days decide to accept a job for the sake of it, but this means that they could very well get stuck in a professional rut. And even if you, as the parent, have been in the same position before, it’s essential to encourage them to diversify their efforts. Encourage them to make strategic decisions from the outset. This could mean undertaking career questionnaires or helping them to realize what skills they have right now that lend to a specific profession.

Remember To Take A Step Back

They are your child, and you want the best for them, but you have to remember that you can’t force them to do something. If you feel the need to go down a particular direction, they will likely do the opposite. Think about your emotions and keep them in check. Manage their moods rather than trying to force them down a specific path. After college, your child can feel somewhat empty in-between that chasm of finishing their education to starting a career. There will naturally be bumps in the roads, and they may feel the pressure to get on to the “right” career right away. The best thing that you can do is to take a step back and also realize where you are helicopter parenting.

Even if you went straight into work, you have to remember just how much a shock to the system it can be going from years of education to the real world. They worked hard at getting their qualification, and now they want to make sure that it counts. The best thing you can do for them at this point is to be supportive of their decisions.

careers, graduation

Choosing the Next Step After High School Graduation

high school graduation

Teenagers can feel pressure to plan their future as the end of their time at high school approaches. Being encouraged to apply for college or to find a job as soon as they have graduated can be difficult, especially when it starts early and they feel like they have to know what they want to do for the rest of their lives. If you want to help a teenager work out what they want to do after high school graduation, you can offer them assistance and encouragement in a number of ways.

Encourage an Open Approach

High schoolers can often feel pressured to make important life choices as soon as possible. They might feel that they need to start choosing colleges and thinking about what their major is going to be before they’re anywhere near finishing high school. But if you want to help a teenager work out what to do after graduation, you can encourage them to keep their options open. There’s no need for them to have a set plan for the future or a solid idea of their post-graduation plans long before they graduate. If they keep an open mind, they could be more likely to find something that suits them.

Explore Options Outside of College

Many teenagers feel that there is pressure to attend college straight after high school. However, more graduates are being put off going to college by high tuition fees and other factors. Educator Dr Jerry Jellig believes that high school students need to be presented with other options, including alternative career paths and routes into college. There are various paths to explore, from vocational schools to employment opportunities after high school. College doesn’t have to be something that is completed straight after high school, if it is a goal at all.

Understand the Current and Future Job Market


It’s worth thinking about what the job market looks like today and what it could look like in a few years. Parents and educators of teenagers today might not be as in touch with the current job market as they might think, especially when it comes to opportunities for people who are just beginning their career. To help teenagers discover a career path that could work for them, you should be aware of what types of jobs are out there and how the skills that teenagers learn today can help them find the right opportunities.

Find Opportunities for Experience

Work experience can help teenagers explore their career options and discover what sort of work they might be interested in. There are a few ways to find work experience, including a short week or two shadowing someone, summer internships or part-time jobs. Work experience might not show high schoolers the exact career that they want to have, but it can reveal to them some of the skills they might want to use or industries they want to explore.

High school graduates don’t have to know what to do for the rest of their lives, but they should know what their next step is. You can help them decide.

empty nest, graduation

From Acceptance to Graduation and Beyond

 

graduation

The acceptance letters have arrived and your student has made his final college decision. Check the box–going to college! It’s a tremendous accomplishment for both students and their parents. It’s not just your student who is graduating–you are too! You planned for years for your student to go to college and now he has been accepted. After years of planning it’s time to start a new chapter in your life as well.

First things first–do some celebrating. You’ve earned it. It was a difficult task to raise a successful high school graduate and soon-to-be college student. Allow yourself some time to bask in the accomplishment. This is also time to flood him with showers of praise and words of encouragement. He’s worked hard for this and he needs to hear that you are proud of him.

Once the celebration dust settles, to help you head into the next phase, we have some suggestions to assist with the transition.

Graduation Anxiety

Even though it’s a time of celebration, it is also a time of great anxiety; not only for the students who are anxious about their future, but for the parents as well. Students worry about being successful academically, moving away from the safety of home, and the difficult task of making new friends. Parents are riddled with questions and concerns, as any loving parent will be:

  • Have you done your job to prepare him for adulthood?
  • How will you occupy your time when he is away at college?
  • How will he survive without you?
  • How involved do you need to be when he’s in college?
  • How will you ever let go?

These questions and many more are going to be circling your mind over the next few months. However, it’s time for him to put into use the lessons you have taught him over the last 18 years–even if it means he will fail. Standing on the sidelines is difficult, but wipe away the tears and the fears and look ahead to an exciting era for both of you.

Bonding

Spend the next few months bonding with your college-bound teen: bonding, not smothering. Don’t expect him to want to be with you 24-7. He has friends he wants to spend time with as well, knowing he will be leaving them in the fall. Of course you want to spend time with him. After all, he’s leaving in a few months and you will miss him. But don’t cross the line and expect him to want what you want.

If you can’t camp out in his room or sit on the couch hugging him for hours, what can you do to facilitate the bonding? These suggestions might help:

  • Schedule a date night and do something fun together. Go to dinner and a movie. Play miniature golf. Attend a concert.
  • Take a family vacation together.
  • Go shopping for college and/or dorm supplies.
  • Visit the campus of the college he will be attending and take some side trips along the way.

Be creative and think of other ways you can forge time with him. It can even be something as simple as watching a television show with him or cooking together. Whatever you do, take advantage of every opportunity to bond. It will not only help you when he’s at college, it will provide him with memories to hold on to when (not if) he gets homesick at college.

Conversations

Before he leaves for college, you should have several conversations. Avoid lecturing; but discuss some issues he will be faced with at college. You may have discussed these before, but it’s time to reinforce them again:

  • Academics

Even though he’s an adult now (or so he thinks) you need to help him understand that you have certain expectations regarding academics. It’s going to require a commitment on his part to attend class, study, and turn in assignments when they are due. Discuss options for tutoring on campus and what to do if he begins to struggle.

  • Money

Budgeting in college for someone who has depended on parents for everything they need can be difficult. Sit down and help him make a budget and discuss what you will be providing as far as expenses and what you expect him to contribute. This will help minimize the phone calls panicking because he’s out of money.

  • Social activity

College provides multiple opportunities to socialize–some of it is good, some not so good. Talk about the drinking, drug and hooking up culture on campus which go hand-in-hand with college life. Discussing it ahead of time will help prepare him when he’s faced with decisions and also come up with a plan to have fun without harming himself or others.

  • Consequences

Make sure he understands the concept of consequences–to his actions, his choices, and his inaction. Remind him to think before he acts because most college decisions affect what happens in the future. For instance, a decision to skip class could result in a poor grade. Or a decision to drink and drive could not only put his life at risk, but if caught, a DUI could affect his ability to secure a job after graduation.

Packing

It’s a natural instinct for teens to want to take everything to college with them. Resist that urge. Dorm rooms are small. He will be sharing a space with another student who has brought things from home as well. As a general rule of thumb, here’s a short list of “do take and don’t take” items:

Do take

  • Hygiene items (including flip flops for shower)
  • Ear plugs (help with concentration and sleeping)
  • Tech items (plugs, power strips, laptop, desktop, usb drives, portable hard drive)
  • Maintenance items (duct tape, hammer, screwdriver, etc.)
  • Office supplies (stapler, paper, pens and pencils)
  • Storage containers (underbed storage works best)
  • Bedding (sheets, blanket, pillows and bed risers)
  • Headphones

Don’t take

  • Huge stereo and speakers
  • Every book and DVD you own
  • Candles
  • High school memorabilia
  • An overabundance of personal items-i.e your entire stuffed animal collection

Talk with the roommate about what he is bringing and try not to duplicate. Decide who is bringing the television, the microwave and the mini-fridge–staples in any dorm room. As your and your teen are making a list of items, remember that less is more in a college dorm room.

Orientation

Most colleges have instituted parent orientation to go along with the traditional student orientation. Parent orientation can provide parents with information about student life, guidance about dealing with college-related issues, and help dealing with separation anxiety. Additionally, you will be able to participate in workshops, take a campus tour and listen to speeches about common parent issues conducted by faculty and staff.

The BostonGlobe reports that most parents found the events to be more than worthwhile:

Colleges around the country are holding orientations for families of incoming freshmen. But these are not simple “Meet the Dean” receptions held the day before school starts. These are elaborate two- and three-day events, often held on midsummer weekdays. “What I’ve heard across the country from parents is that these events are marked on their calendar with a big red heart,” said Natalie Caine, who counsels parents through her business, Empty Nest Support Services in Los Angeles.They say, ‘I need to go. I need to see what it’s like. I want to hear what they have to offer, what the security system is like, who’s the contact person if there’s a problem.’

Use the next few months to prepare yourself and your teen for the upcoming college move-in day. If you’re well-prepared, it will be easier for both you and your student. In the meantime, enjoy your summer and use every opportunity to make some memories!

Gift ideas, graduation, Sponsored posts, tech gadgets

Searching for the Perfect Graduation Gift? Check Out the New Google Pixelbook

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post and the reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card.

google pixelbook

Graduation is just around the corner and parents and family are already thinking about the perfect gift to award their hard-working high school graduate and soon-to-be college student. Since tech gifts are always at the top of anyone’s list and your student will certainly need a sparkling new laptop when entering college, here’s an excellent option—the Google Pixelbook.

Not only will your student love the laptop’s versatility, but Pixelbook is the first laptop with the Google Assistant built in. It’s easily accessible via the dedicated Google Assistant key on the keyboard, or by using the “Ok Google” wake word your student is already familiar with. He can even access it using the Pixelbook Pen. Google Assistant will be extremely helpful with research and studying while in college.

What will your student like?

First of all, your student will love the sleek design of this high performance Chromebook. At just 10.3mm, Pixelbook is Google’s thinnest laptop ever. The lightweight design makes it easily portable, which is extremely appealing to students who will be carrying it from classroom to classroom.

In addition to its lightweight design, its versatility will be appealing to any student. The 360 degree touchscreen will adjust to whatever he is doing either in or out of class. He can sketch or edit photos with the Pixelbook Pen, take notes in class, and stay productive with GSuite apps like Google Docs, Google Drive, and Gmail. During his downtime, he can enjoy on or offline access to movies and TV shows using apps like Google Play Movies and YouTube Red.

Every student values speed and dependability when it comes to a laptop. Pixelbook’s ready to go at a moment’s notice. It starts up in under ten seconds, stays fast, and has a fast-charging, all-day battery that gives your student up to ten hours of usage from a single charge.

google pixelbook graduation

What will you like?

With Chrome OS, your student will always have the latest security with software that automatically updates in the background. You can rest assured that your student’s information will be protected as he goes online. This will give you peace of mind.

In addition, your student can set the laptop to automatically backup, alleviating you of the worry that he will lose any important or critical documents or treasured photos stored on his computer.

What you need to know

Now that you have the “skinny” on this great graduation gift, here are a few things you need to know:

  • The Pixelbook Pen is sold as a separate accessory, and is subject to availability.
  • Auto-updates and auto-backup require an internet connection.
  • Battery performance is based on a mix of standby, web browsing and other use. Charging time requires a battery to be at least 5% charged, the device to be inactive, and use of included charger. Battery performance is based on a mix of standby, web browsing and other use. Actual results may vary.

Purchase before April 7 and receive $100 off the cost of the laptop when purchasing from Best Buy.

careers, gap year, graduation

Exploring the Options After Graduation

 

graduation

As exciting as college is for high school graduates, it’s terrifying for parents – especially when your child is the one who wants to dash across the country to another school.

For some, college is a chance to spread their wings as far and as wide as they can go. The chance to live in another state and meet entirely new people is exciting and can be life-changing, especially if you’re already from a small town. But, what if your teen isn’t sure what they want to do post-high school graduation? What if they have no idea the options available to them? What if going away to college is too daunting, too much to handle? This is the job for parents. You need to all sit down together and talk about the options ahead of them after high school and how those options can affect their choices in later life. College is an important stepping stone into an ideal career and if you harness their creativity and passion when they’re young, they’ll thank you for it later. So, what options are on the table for your teenager?

College.

Okay, so obviously the first option out of high school is going to be college. Whether that’s studying in college thousands of miles away, or doing an online MBA program at home instead, college is the first and most preferable option. Finding work without a degree can be difficult and if your teenager has specific ideas of what they want from their future, it makes sense to walk them through college application time. They don’t have to go to the opposite end of the country when there are local community colleges and the option to study online at home.

Work.

Working right out of high school is an option that some take over going directly into college with their friends. This option may be a temporary one, but they could also secure a position at the bottom of a company doing an internship with the promise of progression through the ranks. It’s not a bad option to think about, especially if your teen needs a break from studying to earn money toward tuition.

Travel.

A gap year between high school and college that is filled with places to see and things to do is a popular option among students. Some kids work their way through high school, saving every penny they make so that they can have an adventure around the world and gain some cultural experiences before they settle into their studies.

Whichever way your high-school graduate chooses to go, as a parent you must support their exploration of all the options and while you can help and guide, the decision cannot be yours. College is a time for growth, and not just for the kids.

graduation

10 Unique Graduation Gifts

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Who doesn’t agonize over what to get a graduate? No high school graduate wants a bear with a diploma or a copy of “Oh The Places You Will Go”. We can certainly be more creative than that. Here’s a list of my fav graduation gifts. Share it with your friends and pin them on a graduation gift board.

Picture Keeper

Graduation gifts

Give your graduate a peace-of-mind with back up security from Picture Keeper. With so many memories stored on computers, don’t risk your graduate’s photos getting lost or deleted without a backup plan.This little gadget plugs into your smartphone with an accompanying app that automatically backs up photos to the built in storage. The photos can be copied to other mobile devices that have the app. There is also a USB plug on the other end to it’s easy to send photos to your computer.

Shower Squids

This is so much easier than using a shower caddy. Not to mention, they are fun! They are available in tons of colors too!

Baggu Bags

These will be great for trips to the campus bookstore or carrying groceries. Your graduate will love these. Since they are affordable, they make the perfect gift for your high school grad—they come in dozens of colors and patterns.

Laundry Bag

By far the best laundry bag for college students. You can stuff the pouches outside of the bag with laundry tabs, dryer sheets and crystal beads to make clothes smell fresh and clean. Add a jar of quarters for laundry money. With the double compartments for separating/storing clothes this makes laundry a breeze for students.

Bedphones

Dorm rooms can be noisy places. These bedphones are thin and soft and can block out the noise. The perfect gift for the soon-to-be college student.

101 More Things to do with Ramen Noodles

This is more than a book, it’s a survival guide. College students live on ramen. Why not add some spice to the average package?

Smartphone Charger

Your student’s phone is his lifeline. A portable charger is a must. But why not make it fun? One of these 30 chargers should put a smile on your graduate’s face.

PocketMonkey Multi-Tool

Finally…a pocket tool that is actually convenient! Twelve functions packed into one millimeter of stainless steel. It’s the size of a credit card, so it easily slips into your wallet.

Magnet Photo Cable

The college student can display their favorite photos of friends with this fun hanging photo display! Amazingly strong magnets are adorned in crystal clear gems.  Hang the cable on a wall and use the magnets to put up photos, notes and memories—cool for college dorms.

Bedside Pocket

Keep your bedside essentials handy with this convenient felt pouch. Slide the sturdy flap between your mattress and foundation and the soft, open pocket holds everything from books to remote controls.