First-year students finding home different after college life

Some first-year students are finding their home lives different when they go home for break. Now that many students live away from their houses, they are surprised to find their treatment not like it was before. Some students do not have a curfew anymore and are treated like a guest rather than a son or daughter.

by Chris Nielsen assistant perspectives editor

First-year students at Cabrini who think that their lives are changing but things back at home are the same may have another thing corning.

Many of the new Cabrini students may be walking home this winter break to renovated houses, different parental attitudes and maybe even changed friends.

Others may be disappointed to come borne to the same rules and curfews that were annoyances before.

One way or another, the Thanksgiving and winter breaks are always interesting times for the first-year students.

First-year student Patrick Hutton went home over Thanksgiving break to parents who, he felt, treated him like a guest and not like someone who lived there. Hutton, who came to Cabrini from New York, said, "My parents were talking like I lived in Philly, not New York." ing felt awkward with all but her closest friends. Fortunately, "My good friends and I are closer than ever," said Kain.

On the bright side, Hutton was happy to find that he had all the freedom he wanted, so Jong as he keeps his grades up.

Also receiving a new level of respect from her parents was firstyear student Donna Kain.

"My parents were talking like I lived in Philly, not New York."

-Patrick Hutton first-year student

Her parents were more lenient First-year student Lisa Jackson than they were before, especially also felt that her friends had in giving her no curfew. changed somewhat. Jackson was

First-year student Jamie Walton, who lives in northeastern California, was excited to go home for the ftrst time this year over Thanksgiving break. "My friends were all the same and things were perfect. It was even snowing!'. said Walton.

According to Dr. Andy King, director of counseling, none of these scenarios are all that unusual.

King feels that any disappointment that the students experience over the breaks will be from "the effects of expectations."

By this, King means that students "inoculate" themselves

'Tm treated more as an adult, disappointed to find that "All we against disappointments, and and my parents know I've ma- talked about was being away and think negatively if their expectatured," Kain said. getting to know new people.'' tions are not met.

On the down side, Kain felt that Not all the of the first year stu- One of the traditional problems many of her old friends had dents found their friends to have occurs when parents expect the rechanged, and sometimes socializ- changed, however. turning students to help out around the house, according to King. Often, the student will be tired from the long semester and will want to be pampered instead.

King suggests that students "call in advance to find out what is happening, and volunteer their services, to avoid surprises."

In regards to curfews, King advises students to deal with the issue up front. "Parents won't be surprised that their college students want to do as they please," said King. "If students are assertive without being disruptive, they can share the same house."

Finally, students should keep in mind that break is only for a couple of weeks. Since 34 out of 52 weeks of the college year are spent on campus, students should make the best of their time at home.