WORDS OF WISDOM for NEW AGGIE MOMS
AGGIE COMMUNICATION
DON’T worry if your Aggie doesn’t call all the time (or answer their phone) – that usually means they are busy, having a good time, making friends, (and hopefully studying)!! You might want to set a specific time to check in every week. (Thank goodness for cell phones, IMs, and text messages for that little bit of quick encouragement or to tell them you love them!) I learned to back off and wait for her to call me. As a result, I found out that she WANTED to talk to me, wanted to share successes and challenges, and most of all, still needs me, just in a different way! If at all possible, always take their phone calls, no matter what time of day or night. Try not to call your son/daughter all the time - I know it's hard to do especially if it's the first one gone, but they do get annoyed with their mom checking up on them constantly and you'll be amazed at how they will start to call YOU to ask YOUR opinion on what to do (especially when it comes to cooking)!
“I wish my mom knew that when I didn't answer her call the first time that doesn't mean to call a second, third, or even fourth time right after that. I am most likely in class and unable to answer my phone so don't go into freak-out mode.” -Taylor Send letters and/or care packages, not just emails. Will they feel overwhelmed at times? Yes!! It will be about the 3rd or 4th week of the semester when the first exams start.
You may be that SAFE HAVEN where they can vent about the mean prof, the class they don’t understand, the roommate that is driving them crazy, or that special someone that is not noticing them, or JUST BROKE UP WITH THEM RIGHT BEFORE THEIR MAJOR TESTS!! Remember when you talk to them and they are short or grumpy, it is not about YOU! They are having MAJOR adjustments and changes in their lives. Be available for guidance, but allow them to solve problems. Roommate issues can be a big issue for new freshman. Advise your student not to compromise who they are. If they have a roommate problem, encourage them to put it on the table for discussion right away. When they come home at Christmas, they have a new found freedom. Old rules and guidelines will need to be revised so that everyone knows what to expect. They have been making their own decisions for a semester but when they come back home Mom, still likes to know where they are. (It’s still a little tough to send them back in January!) Communication Roadblocks o Warning or threatening o Providing solutions or ―shoulds‖ o Disagreeing, judging, criticizing, blaming o Questioning and probing instead of listening o But let them know what your expectations are Get to know your child's roommates/new friends/dorm friends/RA. Get their phone numbers in case of emergency! Face Book and My Space Web Sites can be great tools for communication for the typical college student; but whatever they put on these sites could follow them into the future. Reserve stupid or compromising pictures for the dorm rooms and picture albums. Embrace your Aggie’s dreams (with some subtle guidance). DON’T try to make YOUR dreams for them – THEIR dreams. The best advice I got was from my minister who said "Let go. Let God!"
AGGIE CONNECTIONS
Encourage your Aggie to go to Silver Taps – 1st Tuesday of the month, 10:30 pm, Academic Plaza – Aggie Spirit at its BEST. Their heart will never be the same. http://studentlife.tamu.edu/co/silvertaps.htm. 77% of students have attended Silver Taps. Their spiritual life is important too and there are LOTS of groups and churches and synagogues to fulfill that need. 91% of incoming A&M freshmen report that they follow a Christian religion compared to 74% of incoming freshmen at all public universities. Encourage your Aggie to go to Beutel Health Center when they feel sick. They can check available appointments online and make appointments online instead of sitting around waiting with a bunch of other sick kids. Know the A&M website www.tamu.edu. You can google ANYTHING in the search bar. Sign up for the Parents newsletter - http://studentlife.tamu.edu Try to go to an A&M game, Midnight Yell or Parent’s Weekend. Learn the yells! It makes it more fun! They want to show off THEIR A&M! Book hotels early! When your kids call home and are feeling a little ―lost‖ at school and they haven’t found the niche of friends yet, suggest that they volunteer in the community or join one club on campus. There are hundreds of organizations on campus to choose from. Your student will make friends more quickly and start to feel at home. o 54% of incoming A&M freshmen expect to participate in student clubs or groups. o 72% of students are members of clubs or organizations on campus. o 95% of students say A&M is successful in providing and supporting a wide range of extracurricular activities and events on campus.
AGGIE ACADEMICS
Encourage your Aggie to visit their advisor WAY BEFORE registration. Encourage your Aggie to NOT get behind in their reading. Tell your kids that it is their job to ―nail their first test‖ because it is the only ―gimme‖ of the semester. Everything that follows is only going to get more difficult. Get your Aggie a subscription to ―Pick A Prof‖ – www,pickaprof.com. This website reviews professors, grade distribution, types of tests. ONLY freshmen (< 30hours) have midterms posted in their MYRECORD. Mid terms are a gauge, don’t freak out too much, but ENCOURAGE. Parents/guardians may access grades, class schedules, and verification of enrollment through the MyRecord website. TAMU does not mail midterm or final grade reports OR FEE STATEMENTS. Students must set a parent password to allow access to their records by a parent/guardian. With this password and the student’s UIN number, parents/guardians will be able to access the student’s grades. Get your Aggie to sign a waiver giving you ―permission‖ to get information on their account (myrecord, etc). Either get your student’s EIN#/login and password or a parent password so you can check schedules, fees, pay online – Aggi-E Pay, add Aggie Buck online, file and check financial aid. The old ―I pay, I have a right to know‖ is out the door as far as the University is concerned – BUT NOT with your child!! Links to and instructions for using these systems are available at http://myrecord.tamu.edu. Make sure that your Aggie takes advantage of SI – Supplemental Instruction – it’s FREE - no - I mean that you pay for it in your fees. There are other tutoring services that you pay for that can be a GREAT help and
worth it to pass that class that you paid so much for or help them get into the major of their DREAMS. Check your Aggie’s degree plan and what they are registering for. Make sure they are not wasting those hours. Don’t wait until they are a Junior – you may find yourself paying for an additional semester OR two OR three. Many Aggies change majors at least once. 15% of incoming A&M freshmen expect to change their major. At the end of their first year, 32% of A&M freshmen had decided to pursue a different major. KNOW the ADD/DROP deadlines! Your Aggie only can only Q drop THREE times in their ENTIRE A&M undergraduate career. Know how the ―game is played‖ on GPA and use these wisely. Check out ―First Year Grade Exclusion‖. A few grades can be excluded from the first year IF they make < C. Check the website for all of the details. Did you know if your Aggie does not ATTEMPT > 3 hours more than their degree plan requires, that they (you?) will get a $1000 rebate after they graduate? The key word is ATTEMPT! AGGIE RING ordering requires 95 hours. Your Aggie may plan their schedule around this Milestone. Check this website for details. 99% of students plan to obtain an Aggie Ring.http://www.aggienetwork.com/ring/csorder.aspx o 95 completed undergraduate cumulative hours o 45 completed undergraduate resident hours o 2.0 cumulative GPA o Must not be on academic probation, suspension, dismissal, expulsion, or on honor violation probation from the university
AGGIE FINANCES
“Someday, when I’ve graduated and am financially independent, I’ll remember how great you were during the college years and buy you great birthday gifts. So when I call for more money, remember that I love you.” –Jessica Set financial expectations and guidelines. Did you know you can VIEW where your Aggie spends Aggie Bucks (with their password- SEE AGGIE ACADEMICS above.)
AGGIE MOM’S CLUB
Be sure to become involved with Aggie Moms as you will meet lots of new friends who have so much in common with you. The friendships that I have made through Aggie Moms are special to me and I love getting together with other moms at the various activities that we have. If you’re down or have a question, call your AGGIE ANGEL! Aggie Moms UNITE!
KNOW YOUR AGGIE SERVICES
Aggie Honor Code – An Aggie does not lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those that do. Student Learning Center The Student Learning Center offers a variety of learning assistance programs designed to help students learn how to gain the skills necessary to succeed academically at Texas A&M. Their programs include tutoring sessions and academic skill courses. For more information on the Student Learning Center, see their website: http://slc.tamu.edu/ Student Counseling Services If your student is struggling with homesickness, concerns over financial matters, academics, or relationships, the Student Counseling Service has a wonderful staff of trained counselors ready to help. Students can make an appointment online at http://scs.tamu.edu There are also multiple online resources available, as well as a telephone hotline (847-2700 – this number is on the back of your student’s ID card) available on weekends and from 4pm to 8am on weekdays. AT Mentors Mentors are TAMU faculty, staff, and administrators who volunteer extra office hours to make themselves available to students who just want to talk to someone. We currently have about 165 mentors on campus. What do mentors do? 1. Mentors advise students in their area of experience and competence. 2. Mentors stay informed about current TAMU services so they can act as effective referral sources to students whose problems are outside the Mentor’s expertise. 3. Mentors provide a caring, nonjudgmental ear when a student just needs to talk. 4. Mentors provide a smile, a helping hand, and eagerness to serve as stepping stones instead of stumbling blocks – these are the nuts and bolts of Mentoring. To find a mentor go to http://atmentors.tamu.edu/ and search by college, department or area of interest.
CODE MAROON Have your Aggie sign up for CODE MAROON (NEW this year) Code Maroon is Texas A&M’s new fully operational emergency notification system. Code Maroon gives the University the ability to communicate health and safety emergency information quickly—by email and text message. Please encourage your student to register for the system by visiting http://codemaroon.tamu.edu/ . *Statistics and Service information provided by the Department of Student Life