Reassure your student often. Remind him/her of past successes.

Know that when your student comes home on weekends and holidays he or she might want some time to themselves. If, at school, they have a roommate, they may enjoy being in their old room by themselves for a while.

If you are concerned for your student’s health or safety, call your student's resident advisor if there is a major health or safety issue they need to be aware of.

Your student wants to hear from everyone in the family.

Don't worry about one upset phone call. The roommate issue that made your student inconsolable at lunch might be solved by supper.

The biggest thing that students want from home is encouragement.

Resist the urge to redecorate your son or daughter's room the first year they are gone to college. It will be a welcome refuge when he or she comes home for holidays.

Remember that when they come home, they have been on a different sleeping schedule. College students home on vacation often sleep even later in the morning than they did as high school students.

Expect that your child will need to do multiple loads of laundry when he or she comes home for a visit.