On most weekends, college is about three things: going out, catching up on work and re-energizing yourself for the next week ahead. However, there is one weekend per semester where this all isn’t necessarily the case.
That weekend is Parents Weekend.
If you are in college, one of these weekends may be coming up for you as the weather is finally starting to get warmer. Whether you’re a freshman and this is your first Parents Weekend or you’re a senior and you’ve been through many before, sometimes it is hard to come up with things to do with your family while they’re in town.
Let me offer you some advice, as I have been through many parent visits so far throughout my college career.
On Campus Activities
Oftentimes, colleges come up with unique activities to be held for families on their Parents Weekends. Obviously, these are great to attend and are aimed specifically at entertaining you and your family.
However, if you want to more so do your own thing, there are tons of on campus options for you to choose from.
You could start by giving your parents a tour of campus, which may be especially fun if the weather is nice. This can include walking through your classes, showing them your old dorm buildings, and visiting your favorite study spots.
You could also bring them to sports and theatrical events on campus, as those are sure to be a few hours of entertainment for the whole family.
OFF CAMPUS ACTIVITIES
If you hope to generally avoid campus on the weekends or just weren’t into the ideas shared above, thankfully there is plenty to do with your parents off campus as well.
If the weather is nice, taking a long walk and showing your parents around is always an enjoyable way to spend your time.
You can also show them some of your favorite restaurants and cafes that you frequent. Or, better yet, try somewhere you’ve never been and share that first with your whole family.
If you’re lucky, there may be some event or festival going on in your college town on Parents Weekend and you could make same great memories with your family there.
AT HOME ACTIVITIES
Even though Parents Weekend is a special occasion, you may still want to use your weekend to just chill and recuperate. There are plenty of way you can include you family in this with you.
For example, you could have a movie night, cook a meal together or play some board games.
Although these things may seem uneventful to you, your visiting parents will appreciate any quality time they get to spend with you. So just include them in anything that brings you joy and relaxation and you will still manage to have a great weekend.
Parents Weekends are a great time to visit with your family and take a break from the stressfulness of college life. No matter what activities you decide to plan with your parents, I can guarantee you will make them extremely happy and will overall have a weekend to remember.