Whether you live in the wider Puget Sound area or just a few minutes from campus -- you are always welcome at Seattle U!
Being an Undergraduate Commuter Redhawk at Seattle U is a great experience.
Commuter students have a lot to balance – keeping up with college academics, making new friends, and getting involved on campus.
But they can handle this – and you can help!
Attend the concurrent Parent & Family sessions. Being there shows your student that you are excited about their big step, even if you have visited campus many times or are an employee. Stay connected through Parent and Family Engagement.
Student involvement is important for student success -- doing well academically and socially in college. Help your student think through their hobbies and interests. Encourage them to join clubs or to start a new one. At SU, there are hundreds of clubs and associations to choose from. Student involvement is also a great way to gain leadership experience, build their resume, and explore career options.
If your student received on-campus work-study funding, encourage them to apply for an on-campus job. They will have less commuting stress if their job is just across the quad. They will also feel more at home on campus if they can spend more time here after classes.
College classes can be more challenging than what your student is used to. Though classes meet less often than high school, the academic workload is several times greater. Help your student set up a quiet place at home to do work, or encourage them to make the most of their time on campus to study at the library. The Commuter Link has computer stations, comfy chairs, and a specific quiet area. Lemieux Library also has special study spaces with computer stations.
Even though your student will be living at home, they will be living a different life. Talk with each other about what new expectations might look like, such as how late to stay out, letting you know if they will be home for dinner, etc. Your student will have a new and changing schedule with new obligations. Be flexible. Recognize them as an independent adult who gets to help make family decisions.
There are lots of college student rites of passage that you can work on together to help your student grow. If they don’t already: teach them how to do their laundry and make that their responsibility even if it piles up; have them get a debit or credit card and talk with them about budgeting, earning, and investing money; teach them how to cook and have them make a simple meal once a week. Other things to talk about: will you be on social media together? Let them decide. Lastly, print off the academic calendar and make sure you both have important dates on your personal calendars.
Starting at Seattle U is exciting. Living at home can be a wonderful experience for a college student, but it can also be challenging. If you have any questions or would like to talk with someone about the experience of being a family member of a commuter student, reach out to us!
We’re here to help!