Tips for Parents!

As your high school senior begins to prepare for PBA, you, as a parent, may begin to feel like you are losing them. You're not! They will always be your little one. The picture on the left is of a freshman that now lives in Baxter Hall. Her name is Skye and she is from Sarasota. Like Skye, many students and their parents come to visit the school. This jpicture just happens to be at one of the very many events we offer for students and their parents.

When I came to college (Fall 2008), I was a commuter, which meant I lived at home with both of my parents. It was very hard to adjust to PBA, because I felt like I was not part of the community. When it came to friends, I had a very small amount. I was miserable.

In the summer of 2009, I worked at Admissions. It was a whole lot of fun. They offered me free housing, because I was working 40 hours a week. I brought it up to my parents. At first, they weren't too thrilled. They didn't want to lose me. I am their only child, and I have always been over protected. They eventually agreed that it would be a wonderful experience.

After the summer of 2009, it was time to leave dorm life and return home for my second year of college. I could not figure out why God had given me such a huge blessing, and then taken it away just as fast. As much as I love my parents, I really was starting to enjoy living away from home. I had learned a great deal and God knew that.

I received an email that was said that my scholarship was going to extend onto the Fall/Spring semester. This meant that I would not be leaving dorm life! Words could not describe the excitement. Now my parents really felt like they were going to lose me. This idea of now moving into Weyenberg Hall instead of home was confusing for them. No doubt we were all nervous about the changes.

Since then, I have been living in Weyenberg Hall, participated in multiple clubs and organizations, met many wonderful friends, and felt comfortable being called a PBA Sailfish. I love PBA's community, because it is a home away from home. Moms and Dads, it will never replace real home; don't even fret about that.