Nature vs Nurture
Michelle Balaun2020-09-10T12:10:45-04:00The Big Blue Beyond! Your first few trips down to Boca Raton were probably about seeing the school, orientation, and move in (which means shopping too) [...]
Putting Together Great Owl Outfits
Michelle Balaun2020-08-25T11:53:14-04:00Something to Hoot About Owl-always love football! I love going to FAU football games- there is nothing like game day. HaveUHeard how FAU got its colors? [...]
Owlthon – Dance, Dance, Dance
Michelle Balaun2020-10-23T13:53:26-04:00Marathon of Funk And Disco. Perhaps you have seen the Facebook posts from your student or friends’ kids that say #FTK or #ForTheKids. Maybe even fundrai [...]
Get Involved
Michelle Balaun2020-08-10T15:26:26-04:00Ways To Feel More A Part of the Community. With an undergraduate enrollment of over 25,000 spanning across the Boca Raton Campus, FAU can feel huge. The [...]
Health Insurance
Michelle Balaun2020-10-15T11:29:38-04:00All The Ways In And Around Getting Health Coverage. Florida Atlantic University does not require students to have Health Insurance (unless they are inte [...]
Books, Books, Books
Michelle Balaun2020-08-19T21:38:40-04:00You Remember, Those Things With 2 Covers And A Bunch Of Pages. A lot has changed since my daughter was a student at FAU but the one thing that has not i [...]
21 and Oh So Fun
Michelle Balaun2020-09-15T13:33:11-04:00Officially A Fun Adult At 21! My daughter turned 21 in March of her junior year at FAU, fun, fun, fun. At FAU, many girls who turn 21 have what is call [...]
Trouble in Paradise
Michelle Balaun2019-12-17T10:09:53-05:00OK, What's Done Is Done. Your student got in trouble. Or they are having trouble. Now what? It’s not uncommon. Sometimes even “the best kids” end up ge [...]
Dropping a Class
Michelle Balaun2020-09-20T15:20:02-04:00Drop a Class, Like A Mic Drop, But Different. When my daughter was a sophomore, she decided to take a heavy course load in addition to a math course. Yo [...]
Eating on a Budget for College Students
Michelle Balaun2020-10-15T17:50:25-04:00Teach Them To Budget And The Rest Is Easy. I have to admit, one of the most challenging experiences I had when my youngest daughter went off to school w [...]
Roommates and Residential Life
Michelle Balaun2020-06-26T16:32:25-04:00First Time Living With Someone You're Not Related To! For most students, freshman year of college is their first opportunity to live away from home. Dor [...]
Campus Resources for Students of Color
Michelle Balaun2020-07-27T10:39:49-04:00Campus Guide to Resources for Multicultural Students Campus diversity amongst students has grown considerably over the years and most colleges acknowled [...]
Student Accessibility Resources
Michelle Balaun2019-12-09T17:54:07-05:00Inclusive Environments Abound. Accessibility is Everything. FAU is a large, growing campus, but Student Accessibility Services is there to create an inc [...]
Paws at FAU…. All About Pets
Michelle Balaun2020-08-07T14:02:47-04:00The Paws Have It! Here is what you need to know about pets at FAU. When my daughter first started at FAU, she often called or texted daily asking for pi [...]
Sorting Out College Life – A Guide to Laundry
Michelle Balaun2019-12-09T17:55:34-05:00Washing Laundry 101 Should be a Mandatory Class! I spent the summer before they left for college teaching all three of my girls' things they would need [...]
What Not to Bring to College
Michelle Balaun2020-04-28T11:04:05-04:00Read This Before You Shop! If you're wondering what to bring and haven’t started shopping for your incoming freshman yet, whether for things for their d [...]
Where Will They Live- Managing the Gap
Michelle Balaun2019-12-09T17:56:45-05:00It's More Than A Visit. Manage the Gap. Although it feels like you just moved your students into their dorms, you now have to move them out. The worst p [...]
Mother-Daughter Time
Michelle Balaun2020-08-18T10:47:42-04:00Nice To Have Some Time Together. Whether you are coming down for a mother-daughter sorority weekend or just to spend time with your daughter, you will f [...]
Volunteering Turns Your Compassion into Action
Michelle Balaun2019-12-09T17:57:42-05:00While volunteering, you might have a life-changing experience. Volunteering in college gives students the opportunity to give back to the community whil [...]
An Insider’s Guide to Living on Campus at FAU
Michelle Balaun2020-03-04T18:20:45-05:00The Secrets You Need To Know About Living On Campus. You can certainly read about the dorms and places to live on campus on the FAU Housing and Resident [...]
Parent’s Weekend
Michelle Balaun2020-06-18T22:45:54-04:00You'll Want to Plan Early for the Best Weekend Experience. I had been accustomed to booking for Parent’s Weekend the second it was announced, based on m [...]
Places of Worship for Students
Michelle Balaun2020-09-10T17:51:50-04:00Continuing Worship Traditions. For all students, being able to continue to worship, pray, and adhere to their religious beliefs is extremely important f [...]
Lost and Found, How To Find It!
Michelle Balaun2020-01-29T13:46:34-05:00Oh No…It Happened! It’s Lost. Have you ever lost anything really important before? My three daughters lost more Student ID’s, keys, driver’s licenses th [...]
Owls Care
Michelle Balaun2019-12-09T18:06:43-05:00New Wings And A New Life Experience! Owls Care! Now you have your college student moved in and they are ready to embark on a new independent life, as a [...]
Are your Students valuables safe?
Michelle Balaun2020-06-12T11:23:53-04:00Are Their Valuables Safe? You worry about your student being safe, then one more thing to worry about is their stuff. Right up there with the call from [...]
Rushing his way
Michelle Balaun2019-12-09T18:08:16-05:00Are frats really that crazy? Going back to 1978 with the release of “Animal House”, which became one of the most successful comedies of all time, to 201 [...]
Staying Fit!
Michelle Balaun2020-08-19T11:21:00-04:00Keeping Fit Counts! Yes, it helps mentally as well as physically. The phrase “Freshman 15” happens; it may not be 15, it may just be 5 or 10 extra pound [...]
The First Few Weeks
Michelle Balaun2020-04-13T13:42:40-04:00We completed the drop. We unloaded the car in the treacherous Florida heat and we set up their rooms. The bed was made, everything had been put away and [...]
Rushing Her Way
Michelle Balaun2020-07-07T14:40:25-04:00Sororities Have Advantages. For parents of incoming freshman, you probably are starting to hear whispers about rushing, or sorority recruitment. What is [...]
Choosing or Changing Your Major
Michelle Balaun2019-12-09T18:11:21-05:00Find Your Perfect Major. Considering that Florida Atlantic University offers a multitude of degrees; how is one to choose? Most students begin college w [...]
Technology Services
Michelle Balaun2020-08-18T14:02:36-04:00Check Out The Technology Freebies First! HaveUHeard that Microsoft Office 365 is free for all enrolled FAU Students? For information about downloading [...]
Sorority Girl
Michelle Balaun2020-09-24T15:37:15-04:00Sorority, It's More Than Parties. She joined a sorority. Congratulations! Your daughter has found her home away from home for the next four years. Being [...]
Getting There – Transportation
Michelle Balaun2019-12-17T10:18:09-05:00Trains, Planes, and Automobiles… It seems easy enough, book a flight, take a train, jump in the car, but we know some details that will make that trip s [...]
Time to Move On…and Out
Michelle Balaun2020-11-11T10:18:17-05:00Here Is One Way To Make The Move. Moving out can be almost as hectic as moving into the dorms and apartments. You are typically assigned a move out time [...]
Cultural Resources for Hispanic-Latino Students
Michelle Balaun2020-08-31T17:12:34-04:00Support, Empowerment, and Connection for Hispanic-Latino Students Campus diversity amongst students has grown considerably over the years and colleges v [...]
Birthright Israel – Hillel
Michelle Balaun2021-01-14T16:17:41-05:00What is Birthright Israel? Birthright Israel is the gift of a free, 10-day trip to Israel designed for young adults of Jewish heritage, aged 18–32. Our [...]
Transferring to FAU
Michelle Balaun2019-12-09T18:15:08-05:00You Can Change Your Mind. Some students leave for college unsure of what to find and realize when they get there it is not the place for them. Perhaps t [...]
So your student wants to be an Owl?
Michelle Balaun2020-10-28T12:20:00-04:00Here Are The Facts. It's understandable that they want to be an owl; FAU is ranked as one of the top schools in the state of Florida. FAU is a great uni [...]
The Stress of College
Michelle Balaun2020-06-01T12:34:53-04:00It Happens To All Of Us! Stress. It happens to our kids too. As though balancing a full schedule, the welcome distraction of football season, sorority [...]
Where the Wind Blows
Michelle Balaun2020-09-01T13:37:52-04:00The Reality Of Living With Hurricanes. Having spent most of my adult life in South Florida, I have gone through more than 25 Hurricane seasons. I prepar [...]
Care Packages FAU
Michelle Balaun2020-10-27T20:47:33-04:00Who doesn’t enjoy getting a package delivered? We know you really care, you care a lot about your student and want them to be happy. Whether it is for a [...]
Away for the High Holidays
Michelle Balaun2020-09-01T12:56:10-04:00Celebrate with a New Community Generally, our kids get to come home for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but for those who celebrate the upcoming Jewish High [...]
Radio and TV Stations
Michelle Balaun2019-12-09T18:20:40-05:00Media and More. There are lots of media options, but if you still need it, here are the radio and TV details for FAU, the major stations are as follows: [...]
Best Coffee Shops at FAU
Michelle Balaun2020-10-21T14:33:30-04:00Coffee, Cup of Joe, a Cuppa, Java Caffeine is king for most college students and, while generally the most economically savvy way of getting it is makin [...]