Bobcat Families
The Georgia College Parent and Family Newsletter
Inside September 2020
- Welcome, Bobcat Families!
- Overcoming Isolation
- The Learning Center & FYE Present: Academic Success Workshop Series
- Intramural Sports
- Important Dates
Welcome, Bobcat Families
The semester is well underway, and I hope your students are starting to settle into their new routines. The Office of Parent and Family Programs will continue sharing COVID-related updates, but it is high time we get to talking about the other stuff that matters -- supporting your student's everyday life in college!
The Office of Parent and Family Programs is here to support the families of our students as you navigate the transition to and through college. As your student is learning to be independent, they will still call on you regularly -- for emotional support, decision validation, financial support, and more. They will also challenge you as they make choices and explore interests and identities that help them grow.
At GC, we really believe that parents are our partners. As we educate them in the classroom, you push them to try their hardest. As we give them outlets to practice independence, you hold them accountable to your expectations. And when something isn't going quite right, you let us know so we can all work together to make sure your student has the best possible collegiate experience.
The Bobcat Families e-newsletter is a tool for you to be the most knowledgeable and effective supporter of your student. Here's what you can expect each month:
- Trends in higher education for Generation Z that let you know what college students today are experiencing
- Highlights of campus programs and services that can help your student be most successful academically, emotionally, and socially
- Important dates and deadlines so you can give your student a little nudge when needed
- Campus news that gives you a look at what's great about being a Bobcat
I am thankful to have each of you in our Bobcat Family, and I look forward to being a resource to you as you cheer your student on to success. Go Bobcats!
Emily Jarvis
Director of Parent and Family Programs
Hot Topic: Overcoming Isolation
For the most part, students are finding ways to interact. The new picnic tables dotting the front lawn are always occupied with small groups studying or sharing a meal. The Wellness and Recreation Center is still busy with students working out and participating in modified intramural sports. (More on that later in this newsletter!) Clubs and organizations are finding creative ways to hold events and meetings, both safely in-person and virtually.
Despite the things available for students to do, there are new barriers to getting involved. For one thing, it's hard to make new friends with face masks on. Missing the cues of facial expression and not recognizing people on the sidewalks makes it hard to form a lasting connection. We usually encourage students to leave their dorm room doors open to meet their hallmates, but this year we must discourage interaction in each other's rooms. And with some classes being held online, students have fewer reasons to leave their rooms, which means they have fewer incidental interactions of seeing a friend on the street or making impromptu plans to get off campus.
A survey over the summer by the American Enterprise Institute showed that Generation Z (those born 1997-2012) are more likely than any other age group to experience loneliness. Even before the pandemic, college students reported feeling intense loneliness due to a variety of factors:
- Over-reliance on technology to connect back home instead of living in the moment at school. If your student is in constant contact, they could actually be contributing to their own loneliness.
- Nervousness about putting themselves out there to meet people or try something new. Activities in high school are often so regimented that the fun always came to them. In college, students are more responsible for finding their own fun.
- Intense focus on academics, pushing socializing and making friends to the back-burner. Students must also realize the impact a social network makes on their future success and that the skills they learn from socializing can't be taught from a book.
The need for students to get involved in things on campus is so important now, not just to combat growing loneliness, but also to provide alternatives to risky activities like partying and going to bars that can spark COVID super-spreader events. In an L.A. Times op-ed, college professor Samuel J. Abrams explains why strict pandemic rules are so hard for students to abide by. They crave social interaction, and they will find it wherever they can.
While many organizations have modified their activities to be safer, there is still plenty happening for students to get engaged. Here are some ways students can stay informed of upcoming events:
- Log into GC Connect and search "Events"
- Download Corq, the app version of GC Connect
- Follow @gc_student_life on Instagram as well as any clubs of interest. Student groups primarily advertise this way!
- Download the GC Wellness and Recreation app to see intramural, skills challenges, and group fitness schedules
Finding your place in college requires students to put in a little legwork. It takes guts to show up to an event, log-on to a Zoom meet-up, or introduce yourself to a stranger. Remind your student that, while the risk of putting themselves out there may feel monumental, they have almost nothing to lose. At worst, the event isn't as great as they thought. At best, they meet a new friend who connects them to a whole network of people with similar interests. This is the growth they came to college for.
*If you are concerned that your student is experiencing depression, please reach out to Counseling Services at 478-445-5331.
Academic Success Workshop Series
Over the next five weeks the Georgia College Learning Center and Office of the First-Year Experience are collaborating to provide our first-year students with an Academic Success Workshop Series. These one-hour workshops will be co-facilitated by a First-Year Guide and Learning Center Tutor. Workshops will be offered both in-person and online across five topics including: note-taking, study skills, test taking & test anxiety, and critical reading for problem-based courses. Students can register for the first series of workshops on study skills by visiting https://survey.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9vn5zrwNlUDiL2t
Dates for the Study Skills Workshops:
- Wednesday 9/9 at 7 p.m. in Library 122
- Monday 9/14 at 7 p.m. in the West Campus Den
- Tuesday 9/15 at 7 p.m. (Virtual)
- Wednesday 9/16 at 7 p.m. in Library 122
- Monday 9/21 at 7 p.m. in the West Campus Den
- Thursday 9/24 at 7 p.m. (Virtual)
Please encourage your student to contact their First-Year Guide or follow @GeorgiaCollegeFYE and @GC_LearningCenter on Instagram for more details.
Intramural Sports at GC
There are a few things that set GC Intramurals apart from rec sports at other colleges:
- Students often worry about joining things too late. Luckily, intramurals has four seasons -- two each semester -- so a late start is right on time!
- Intramurals elsewhere can skew heavily male, but participation at GC is almost equally divided among male and female students.
- We are making intramurals work, even in the time of COVID. Some traditional sports have been modified to allow for distancing and reduced contact, and we've added E-sports to our leagues!
Joining a league is easy. The Wellness and Recreation Center uses the IMLeagues platform for sign-ups, game schedules, and team stats. Students sign up for a $10 Player Pass that covers their whole semester of intramurals. Everything players need can be found in IMLeagues.
Contact
Email: emily.jarvis@gcsu.edu
Website: www.gcsu.edu/parent
Location: Parks Hall 206
Phone: (478) 445-8566
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bobcatfamilies