With Fall Break over, students now are back, immersed in their semester, classes and campus programs. And, before we know it, Thanksgiving will be here! For those students going home for Thanksgiving, this can be a nice break before their final round of studying, papers and final exams.
For those students staying on campus, I will be sending an invitation this week to share Thanksgiving dinner with my family and me. Every year, we host a home-cooked (with much student assistance) Thanksgiving dinner at our house. Last year, over 100 students came over! My Thanksgiving dinner is actually among a good number of options that are offered at Pomona for students who are staying on campus. Students, faculty and staff also host students in their homes. Several student groups also prepare wonderful Thanksgiving dinners and programs on campus.
What to Do if My Student Is Ill?
It is almost inevitable that your college student will get sick at school. Students living in the residence halls live in close proximity to one another. They share rooms, bathrooms, lounges, dishes, personal belongings and germs. They may not be eating as healthily as they did at home. They are tired and often stressed.
One of the experiences that may be new for your student is having to determine just how sick they may be. When they do share this information with you, you can be helpful by asking them to identify symptoms by listening to their body and being mindful of the past few days and their schedule leading up to this moment. Of course, if your student is not feeling well, please encourage them to reach out to Student Health Services and schedule an appointment. After hours, students can call Campus Safety (909-607-2000) to speak with a student health provider and/or the on-call dean of students.