Safest Places to Visit Your Student This Semester
Michelle Balaun2020-10-14T10:59:10-04:00We Still Love to Visit Our Noles Let’s face it, these are odd and crazy times! Things look very different at FSU this semester but one thing is still fo [...]
Care Packages for FSU Students
Michelle Balaun2021-02-17T11:48:29-05:00Who doesn’t enjoy getting a care package delivered? We know you really care, you care a lot about your student and want them to be happy. Whether it is [...]
Cultural Resources for Hispanic-Latino Students
Michelle Balaun2020-08-18T15:18:38-04:00Support, Empowerment, and Connection for Hispanic-Latino Students Campus diversity amongst Hispanic-Latino students has grown considerably over the year [...]
FSU Coronavirus Update
Michelle Balaun2020-09-18T11:23:03-04:00Update on Latest Plans Seems like finding the right update in this unusual time is tricky. I don’t think I have ever used the word unprecedented as much [...]
Campus Resources for Students of Color
Michelle Balaun2020-07-27T09:51:53-04:00Campus Guide to Resources for Multicultural Students Campus diversity amongst students has grown considerably over the years and FSU vies to maintain an [...]
Diversity and Inclusion for LGBTQ College Students
Michelle Balaun2020-07-10T17:38:13-04:00LGBTQ Campus Support and Resources College can be challenging for all students which is why finding ways to make connections with others who identify si [...]
How Will Students Stay Safe, Sane and Happy this Fall
Michelle Balaun2020-06-22T11:34:05-04:00Where is a Safe Spot at College? Safe, Sane, and happy, is that possible? As colleges are doing their best to come up with ideas as to how to keep our s [...]
Sending A Package?
Michelle Balaun2020-09-29T11:51:19-04:00Make Sure Your Package Gets There There are many reasons that a student receives a package. Whether it is just their usual Amazon delivery or a care pac [...]
How to Transition
Michelle Balaun2020-04-20T11:42:11-04:00Becoming an FSU Transfer Student Transferring to a university, especially one as large as Florida State, can be nerve-racking, but if there is one thing [...]
Flu Season Ahead
Michelle Balaun2020-10-02T14:18:00-04:00The Flu ends with “U” It’s that season again – and I don’t mean hurricanes. Flu season is generally from October through May. Given that the flu is easi [...]
Advice to My Freshman Self
Michelle Balaun2020-08-06T21:10:31-04:00Advice Every Freshman Should Know Moving to an unfamiliar place where you don’t know the area or a lot of people can be intimidating and challenging. It [...]
Away for the High Holidays
Michelle Balaun2020-09-01T12:57:27-04:00Celebrate with a New Community Generally, our kids get to come home for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but for those who celebrate the upcoming Jewish High [...]
The First Few Weeks
Michelle Balaun2019-12-13T15:38:06-05:00We 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 [...]
Because Balance Is Important
Michelle Balaun2019-12-13T16:25:44-05:00Leach and Campus Rec FSU Going to college isn’t just about studying; no matter what parents think. Finding your balance while at school is incredibly im [...]
Food for Thought
Michelle Balaun2020-07-01T15:02:08-04:00No Student Hungry Much like the national campaign No Kid Hungry®, there are many students at colleges throughout the United States that are barely getti [...]
Bucket List FSU
Michelle Balaun2020-09-15T12:21:27-04:00Check out these 'Nole' things to do! If you have committed to becoming a Nole, there are a few things that you might want to check out over your next fo [...]
Volunteering Turns Your Compassion into Action
Michelle Balaun2020-09-01T12:05:06-04:00There are many reasons... Volunteering lets you give back to the community to make a difference in the world, to gain experience, and to change a person [...]
Namast’ay – Yes Yoga Can Help
Michelle Balaun2020-09-21T18:36:43-04:00Namast’ay at FSU For years I tried to get my daughter to enjoy yoga with me, but she had multiple excuses. I knew it would be good for her mentally and [...]
Sorting Out College Life – A Guide to Laundry
Michelle Balaun2019-12-13T16:32:14-05:00Tisket-Tasket, sorting the clothes in baskets... I tried to teach my kids to do the laundry before they each left for college. Really. I did. Yet, someh [...]
Student Accessibility Resources
Michelle Balaun2020-06-29T16:45:23-04:00Everyone Has a Right to Easy Accessibility When my oldest began college, which can feel tremendous by way of size alone compared to high school, she was [...]
Delivery Services
Michelle Balaun2020-09-15T12:46:05-04:00There's a knock at the door! Taking time away from studying can be the difference between dinner or a bag of chips and a soda. Sometimes it pays to turn [...]
Trouble In Paradise
Michelle Balaun2020-06-02T13:34:56-04:00Trouble, It Happens... I began our conversations about walking alone at night, binge drinking, hazing, and drugs, among other things many months my kids [...]
Major Decisions
Michelle Balaun2019-12-13T17:22:23-05:00Choosing or Changing Your Major Considering Florida State University offers a multitude of degrees; how is one to choose? Most students begin college wi [...]
I’m Not Your Maid: Cleaning Services
Michelle Balaun2020-09-04T15:04:26-04:00Sometimes This Chore Is Just Too Much. I never thought I would be saying this, but sometimes it is a good idea to hire a maid cleaning service for your [...]
Study Places
Michelle Balaun2020-08-20T16:04:40-04:00You need a good place to concentrate? My son closes his bedroom door in his apartment and puts on headphones to study. My daughter likes to study in the [...]
Beauty and the Beast for Noles
Michelle Balaun2021-06-10T14:56:47-04:00Beauty & The Beast When planning for college, we rarely think about the fact that our kids may still have to visit hair salons and barbershops or ge [...]
The Stress of College
Michelle Balaun2020-06-01T12:39:10-04:00Stress. It happens to all of us, including our kids. As though a full schedule and trying to maintain a social life isn’t enough to cause a little stres [...]
After The Hurricane, here’s what you can do.
Michelle Balaun2019-12-13T17:15:23-05:00Post-Hurricane Prior to Hurricane Dorian, our blog talked a lot about Hurricane Irma which definitely left Floridians on their toes. Hurricane Irma will [...]
Bright Futures
Michelle Balaun2020-06-01T20:01:22-04:00The Future Is So Bright You'll Need Shades! SEE END OF BLOG FOR CHANGES EFFECTIVE WITH THE 2020-2021 ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR Bright Futures has been a grea [...]
Stay Fit in School, it Helps Your Grades!
Michelle Balaun2020-09-01T10:58:57-04:00It's Easy to Stay Fit! Note: Fitness schedules have changed; some are in person and others are virtual. Check out FSU's new fitness class schedules here [...]
Places of Worship Around Campus
Michelle Balaun2020-09-10T17:41:24-04:00Keeping The Traditions of Worship If you're wondering about keeping up the tradition of worship, here are some thoughts. Shortly after my daughter start [...]
Mother-Daughter Time
Michelle Balaun2019-12-13T16:15:28-05:00A Little Retail Therapy Is Good! Shopping in Tallahassee is not exactly what I am used to, but I assure you it is out there. There are plenty of big box [...]
Is It Safe? All that stuff at school?
Michelle Balaun2019-12-13T17:05:56-05:00Is Their Stuff Safe? Right up there with the call from my college daughter that she lost her phone, keys, student ID, (fill in the blank), is the call y [...]
Lost and Found – Try this first
Michelle Balaun2020-01-29T13:51:21-05:00Oh No...It Happened! My daughter spent the summer studying abroad. She was warned about pickpockets by friends. And, she has made it through almost two [...]
Sick at School, here is what you can do.
Michelle Balaun2020-09-29T11:52:15-04:00Mom......Dad...... It’s bound to happen. At some point in the four years that our kids are at college, the phone will ring and suddenly our mature, inde [...]
Where the Wind Blows
Michelle Balaun2020-10-07T12:29:48-04:00South Florida Native, Knows About Wind Having grown up in South Florida, I have gone through more than 40 Hurricane seasons, talk about wind! I prepared [...]
What U Should Do Before Heading to FSU
Michelle Balaun2020-06-11T12:08:04-04:00Before You Leave Before you leave to take your kid to college, there are a few items you will want to take care of that are extremely important. Most co [...]
Get Involved
Michelle Balaun2020-08-10T15:00:15-04:00Be a Part of the Action, Join the Fun With an undergraduate enrollment of nearly 33,000, set in Florida’s capital city, FSU spans 476 acres. It seems hu [...]
Health Insurance
Michelle Balaun2020-10-15T11:07:14-04:00Get clear on all the health plans. Students at many colleges today must have a health insurance plan that meets their university’s minimum requirement. [...]
Fix it! Repair is Better than New
Michelle Balaun2020-08-06T12:47:39-04:00Repair Shops Car, scooter, or bike, oh my! At FSU, you will find all in large numbers. Talk to any student about which is the most useful at FSU and yo [...]
Grocery Stores
Michelle Balaun2020-07-01T17:06:43-04:00Let’s eat, where's the grocery store? Whether your student lives on campus or off, they will need groceries. Tallahassee has plenty of places to shop in [...]
Safety Matters
Michelle Balaun2020-03-10T12:38:53-04:00Their Safety is Really All that Matters I’m not a helicopter parent. Really, I’m not. (Ok, some may disagree.) Regardless, once we have moved our studen [...]
Orientation, Find Out About Your School
Michelle Balaun2020-05-16T17:56:51-04:00Overwhelm Potential Orientation for incoming freshmen for summer and fall 2020 will look different than the blog below describes. Due to unprecedented t [...]