Every year, families fly or drive to visit their children during family weekend at college. There are tours for the ones that haven’t seen campus, and an inaccurate example of the food we are given on a regular basis- even the students whose parents aren’t making the trip get excited for the improvement in the café. It’s noticeable that the school is the home of many different people, and parents weekend explains where everyone gets their “little qualities” that make us different. Our families represent us. Therefore, before they show up, they are sometimes given “the talk” consisting of things that happen on a regular basis at home that should not, under any circumstance, happen during those seventy- two hours they are given to visit their child. But there’re always a select few who stick out anyways.
1. The Mother and Daughter Duo
The bond between a mother and daughter is unlike anything else. After spending roughly eighteen years living under the same roof it makes a little sense. They act like each other and spend an insane amount of time together. So it only seems to make sense that they would have the same hair cut, purse, boots, and clothes, right? Y’all are like twins and it’s weird.
2. The Ones Decked Out in School Gear
Families love to represent their child as much as possible. So when it comes time to visit, most people stock up on everything from the school. For some crazy reason, the bookstore accepts cash on this one weekend. Hats, sweatshirts, t-shirts, socks, stickers, etc. and it’s all okay! You’ll just become known as the walking billboards.
3. The Entire Family
“Hey roomie! Meet my mom, dad, sister, brother, grandpa, grandma, uncle, aunt, their young child, second cousin, family friend, best friend and our dog, Lucky.” Lucky you! The whole family always wants to see the school that their little girl or grown up son is now attending. Just be aware, it looks like you’re giving an [un]organized tour of campus. And no they can’t get all fourteen of you sitting together during the presentation. Save half of them for another time, then you’ll get money twice.
4. The Shoppers
“We spend forty thousand dollars on a school, when we visit we’re taking you shopping.” After the six weeks we spent on campus, and have developed the feeling of being stuck in a bubble. There’s the parents that drive by the school, slow down to about five miles and hour, and whisk their child away for the weekend. They stay in the hotel, eat what college students consider “real food” and return Sunday with shopping bags after being refreshed by the outside world.
5. The Tourists
Every college campus seems to look the same, but at the same time different. Even so, parents like pictures, and even more when their child is in them. Therefore, they will find things to take your picture with. For instance, I was instructed to smile in front of a kiosk. When I asked why, the response I was given was “That’s a forty-thousand-dollar muffin they’re giving out. Smile.” It’s as if you have your own paparazzi for the weekend, and if you have that big family like mentioned above, they’ll catch every side of you. Every side including the one that shows how badly you’re waiting for Sunday night when you can return to your room and your beloved fam- damn- ily is on their way back home.