As Family Weekend approaches, I’m attempting to pick up the two weeks’ worth of laundry that’s been sitting on my floor and change my sheets so my parents don’t think I am living in filth.
I have heard mixed reviews from my classmates about Family Weekend. People seem to either be excited to see their family and get a meal that’s not dorm food, they feel like they’re missing out on their usual weekend activities or they simply don’t care. Being from Chicago, it is easy for me to see my family if I really need to, but I appreciate a designated weekend for that purpose.
Family Weekend gives students the opportunity to show their family what their school life is like. I found this especially beneficial as a freshman. I got to show my parents around campus, and specifically what buildings I had classes in or where I liked to sit on the quad.
Some of my friends are from farther away and they only had one parent drop them off at college. I know they appreciated Family Weekend because it gave them the opportunity to show both parents the lay of the land.
Marquette also does a fantastic job of putting on events that are appealing to students and adults alike. There are things that would draw anybody in, and it gives families great free options. The city of Milwaukee also offers several museums, restaurants and sports arenas that are great activities to do with your family.
Family weekend is also at an ideal time of the year. Roughly one month into the first semester, it gives students the opportunity to show their parents what things are like once they are settled in. I know when my parents dropped me off this year, I threw my stuff into my room and we went to get a meal. This weekend, I’ll be able to show them how I’ve customized my space and made it my own.
I know that my parents really appreciate and are looking forward to this weekend, and that makes me even more excited. As college students, it is easy to get caught up in our academics and our social lives. Although we may communicate with our parents frequently through texting or phone calls, it is easy to forget how much they miss you, which makes Family Weekend so much more special and important.
Family Weekend also allows students to introduce their family to friends and roommates. When I got dropped off this year one of my roommates had not yet arrived so my parents did not have an opportunity to meet her. They want to know who I am living with, and this weekend is the perfect time to see that.
The jump from living at home with parents to being at Marquette is a big one. Freshmen may miss their parents and this weekend is an important time for them.
Marquette’s implementation of Family Weekend shows that the university values these relationships. They want to give the families of students an opportunity to connect with Marquette and Milwaukee. This is valuable and allows parents to feel safe sending their children to Marquette.
The family weeked website was not only easy to navigate, but listed things to explore at Marquette, in Milwaukee and on your own as well. Whatever it is that a family may want to do, Marquette provides an outlet to do it. If students don’t want to be in a group and would rather just do things on their own, Marquette lists Milwaukee hotspots that they and their family could travel to together.
Overall, I think Family Weekend is not only fun, but beneficial. My parents and I have found a lot of places we like to go to regularly downtown. I look forward to showing them my new home, and I know they are excited to see it, too.