Our View: Too soon for Parent’s Day

KS Editors

This weekend the university became flooded with students and parents trailing the campus, showcasing new routines at the place they pour money at in return for receiving a proper education.

However, we believe it’s too soon for parents to visit while their kids are still adjusting to college life. Just a little over two weeks ago, students trudged toward residence halls across campus for move-in. Between the first week syllabus haze of class expectations and figuring out a schedule, students need time to find their place before hosting their parents.

The first weeks of school are a trial and error period, especially for freshmen. Most students haven’t heavily explored downtown yet and cannot lead their parents to a good restaurant they haven’t experienced. Some students still haven’t found their crowd of good friends or are trying to explore what gaps in their schedule work best so they can relax and eat.

We understand that many events lined up with Parent’s Weekend, such as Kent International Festival and Art in the Park, but students need more time to adapt to changes. These changes, such as sharing a room with a random roommate and feeding themselves while keeping on top of class assignments, shape students into more independent people, but parents can’t expect to see that development within two weeks.

We also encourage that if a parent could not make the official Parent’s Day, they should visit campus at their own convenience in order to witness their college student balancing multiple responsibilities.

The above editorial is the consensus opinion of the editorial board of The Kent Stater.