Hey Pack Families!

Whether you’re excited, nervous, or a little bit of both, the fall semester is coming soon. Now is the time to prepare! Here’s our advice on what this might mean for you.

First-year housing assignments have recently been released, and with that information you can get started on planning for move-in. University Housing provides a packing list with both suggested and forbidden items to bring. We recommend students reach out to their roommate ahead of time to communicate about what items can be brought that will be shared- perhaps cleaning supplies, entertainment centers, or extra furniture. We also recommend that when choosing a move-in appointment, your student and their roommate allow a few hours between their appointments to reduce the chaos.

As for academics, now is a good time for students to start taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the university. All first-year students are automatically enrolled in Wicked Problems, Wolfpack Solutions, which is an opportunity for your student to earn two credit hours (at no cost) either for their GEP–Interdisciplinary Perspectives credits or as Free Elective credits. They can also start preparing for class by determining a study schedule and task list system to try out (bonus tip: Google Calendar is most commonly used by students and university departments). They can also begin gathering materials for their fall classes and familiarizing themselves with Moodle and their MyPack Portal. 

When your student begins their college journey, many of their existing relationships may shift. Summer is a good time to plan ahead on how to stay in touch with their friends and family who are not coming to campus with them. One way of doing this is to have a regularly scheduled time to call, so that there are clear expectations on the frequency of communication. However, it is also important to remain flexible and have mutual respect for each other’s time and schedules. Along with keeping up with their existing support network, your student may begin planning how to expand their network into the NC State community. Encourage your student to reach out to their professors in the first few weeks of classes, attend Wolfpack Welcome Week events and join clubs they are interested in to grow their network early on. The earlier they put themself out there, the easier it will be for them to build those connections.

Along with these main topics of consideration, there are a lot of smaller tasks and to-dos for students beginning at NC State in the fall. The Office of New Student Programs provides a New Student Checklist to help make sure that students are adequately prepared for their college journey and includes tasks across all departments- housing, financial aid, health insurance, meal plans and more.

Most of all, enjoy the summer! Planning for fall is necessary and will help ease the transition period in August, but it should not get in the way of enjoying the remainder of your summer with your student. Make memories and have fun!

Taylor Alford, Pack Family Ally