Back To School: College Students Return To Study

As students return to campus, here are some tips for Parents and Students taking their return road trips

Students will be returning to campus as September approaches to begin studies for the 2009-2010 Academic Year (from sxc.hu contributor ruthiebabe)

July is over, and August is here. That means that summer is counting down it’s last few days before fading into fall. Of course, this also means the college bound are, well, college bound. Families and students will begin to swarm college and university campuses from coast-to-coast as classes set to begin. Seasoned students will know the ropes into getting into their dormitories or apartment buildings, and dealing with the chaos of thousands of people descending on a single college campus.

Open Road International Magazine has gathered a list of tips for the trip to campus, and what to do once arriving on campus.

COLLEGE BOUND: TRAVLING TO CAMPUS

Whether your college of choice is across town, across state, or across the country, there are certain tips to keep in mind when traveling to campus. We’ve separated our tips into three sections: “General”, “Students Traveling Without Parents”, and “Parents Included”.

General

Any big travel event is a good opportunity to double-check your vehicles maintenance. Whether campus is around the corner or across the nation, now is  the time to give a little TLC to your ride:

• Take your car to a local, reputable mechanic for a complete lube, oil, and filter. Ask the technician to do a Pre-Trip Inspection, advising you are taking to the highways. Most technicians will take a moment to look at your brakes, tires, belts, and hoses, checking to see if anything might need to be replaced before you take to the highways. Beware you might not like what you hear, so be prepared to hear the news you have some repairs to do, especially for older cars.
• Give the car a good cleaning, inside and out. A cleaner car outside not only looks nice when arriving at your new college, but also helps with visibility – both for you and other drivers. Cleaning the car’s inside will make sure you’re comfortable for your trip.
• Update your navigation aids. Make sure you have current, local maps for where your college is located, a campus map, and of course, maps needed for your trip. Even if you swear by your GPS they’re not always as accurate as a fresh paper map, and paper maps make a good standby.

Students Traveling Without Parents

Hopefully by the time you have reached college you’ve done a few regional road trips and know how to handle yourself while on the road. Whether you’re traveling alone or with a friend you’re going to school with, here are some safety tips for being on the road.

• Stick to the main roads. You have a limited amount of time, and probably a limited amount of money. Stick to the interstates and main highways. Although sight-seeing is always a good thing, its best in this case to stick to getting to campus.
• Travel-by-day. Start out early and turn in before it gets too dark if you’re traveling across country. This will help ensure you’re making any needed stops during daylight hours when there are other travelers on the road.
• Remember Kindergarten, and don’t talk to strangers. When heading out to take on the world of higher learning, don’t forget some of the lessons you learned when you were younger. Don’t pick up hitch-hikers, and don’t get too friendly with other travelers.
• Learn how to do basic repairs. If you don’t know how to change your own tire, learn how to.
• Get roadside assistance, either through your insurance company or through AAA. ORIM recommends a Plus membership through AAA if available.
• Pack the essentials, such as your cell phone and car charger, and always keep some extra food and water in the car just in case you get stuck.
• Stay alert and pay attention. This is the time to turn down the stereo and use your best driving skills. If you’re traveling out-of-state, local cops have been known to target out-of-state plates, at least in some areas. It is best to not attract any further unwanted attention.
• Know your rights. Remember that when traveling you retain your rights as an American Citizen. Know how to handle yourself during a traffic stop. www.flexyourrights.com has some great tips on how to ensure you retain your rights, whether or not you have anything to hide.

The idea is to play it safe. Being a young, college bound student traveling alone or with other students makes you a prime target for trouble, either from folks that wish to do you harm, law enforcement that would like to fill the local coffers, or even mechanical breakdown.

Parents Included

If you’re traveling with your parents, I express my deepest condolences. Going to college should be a time to spread your wings and break free, become independent. However some parents, either because they choose to hold on to those last few moments, or because the college requests incoming Freshmen leave vehicles behind, drive their students to campus. If you find yourself in this situation, there are a few discussions to have with the folks before departing:

• Remind your parents that you appreciate their support, and the lift, to campus. However, set ground rules early on. Remind them that student functions involve the word ‘student’, a designation not synonymous with ‘parental unit’, and thus their presence is strictly verboten (forbidden, if your parent’s don’t know a little bit of German). After arriving and helping with the schlepping of cargo, they are encouraged to sight see… off-campus. In short, ground those helicopters now. Campus is a No-Fly-Zone for Helicopter Parents.
• Explain, and establish, your need to be an adult (and enjoy all the adult-level screwing up that comes along with it).
• If the above options don’t work and you find yourself in the uncomfortable jet wash that comes from Helicopter Parents, remember this: it is legal to change your name and assume an entirely new identity!

Some wisdom for Parents

If you’re reading this article, you probably have been scouring the Internet looking for tips to make the whole process of going to college a little easier.  To make the transition to college easier, we highly recommend first keeping your wits about you. Your baby, like it or not, has grown up and is ready to move on and start their own life. Two weeks after graduating from High School, my brother and I took off in my packed 1991 Chevrolet Lumina and departed for Arizona… from Central Washington. This was 2004, so you can guess that the ’91 Lumina was not in ‘like new’ condition. As precarious a position my Mother’s two youngest boys were in she only asked that we check in when we stopped for the night. We, of course checked in a little more often than asked. I bring this up because asking your kids to call every 30 minutes if they’re traveling to campus alone or, once they’re on campus, asking to be called daily is overkill. Give your kids some breathing room. Ask to be called weekly for the first month or so, to make sure they’re getting situated well. Then just check in once in a while. Your kids will appreciate it!

If you happen to be escorting your bright college student to campus, do them a favor by not being a “Helicopter Parent”. Let them fill out all of their paperwork, have them do everything on their own and only be available if they ask for help. If they fail, and surely they will have egg on their face once in a while, let them dust themselves off. Letting them handle their own affairs is not cruel, it’s actually a great lesson. They’ll have to read over the fine print, make decisions for themselves, and, live with the consequences. When they arrive campus, be available for anything they need, whether it be moving things into their dorm, going shopping for necessities, or just emotional support, but beyond that keep your distance and enjoy the small vacation. Take some time to see what is around town and enjoy yourselves. After all, you either financed all or part of this whole endeavor!

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARRIVE

This is a question  you should have already answered long before you even departed from home. Make sure you find out everything that you need to know from your college prior to departing. Know when you should arrive, what you need to do first, and make a good self-reference guide. Go prepared, and know who to contact in your Student Services department for help.

Make calls to your University or College to find out all the nity-gritty ahead of time, so your arrival on campus can be a welcome memory.

Ultimately, remember why you’re going to college: to learn. While the social scene is a huge part of college life, don’t let it distract you too much from your real purpose on campus. Thousands of dollars of hard-earned money (or a lifetime of student loans) is going to pay for your stay, so make sure every dime counts toward landing a good job.

On behalf of Open Road International Magazine, I wish all of the students attending the 2009-2010 academic year success in their studies. Now, hit the road and hit the books!

Tags: College, Road Trip, Teen, Teen Driving, Youth Driving