Advise for income freshman and parents
Dad of a freshman here. Any advice for a nervous kid (and nervous parents)?
We did early drop-off last Sunday. There was real excitement, but there was also a lot of anxiety in the room, and not just from my son. You could feel it coming off the other kids too.
Part of why it stuck with me: a couple of his friends from high school are taking a gap year for mental health reasons. Good kids, just not ready. I did my undergrad across the pond in a very different culture and climate, so I have nothing to compare.
I'm not trying to hover. I'd just rather hear from people who have actually lived it than guess.
Students and alums: what helped you most in the first couple of months? What do you wish your parents had done, or not done? Anything at Penn worth knowing about early instead of in November? Parents who have been through this: how often did you call or text, and do you have advise spotting issues early?
Thanks for reading. Blunt answers welcome.