Honor Roll at FSU
Michelle Balaun2020-06-10T16:37:24-04:00Did you get an envelope? It is that time of year when students receive notifications that they have made a collegiate scholar society. The cream-colored [...]
Trick or Treat The College Version
Michelle Balaun2020-10-01T12:00:10-04:00It's Talloweek! Trick or Treat That Was Then… I would race home from school so my mom could put together some sort of costume for me then rush to meet m [...]
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 [...]
Eating Healthy while at College
Michelle Balaun2020-06-12T11:48:52-04:00Eating Healthy, Not an easy feat! It can be hard to eat healthfully when at college. Meal plans, rushing to and from classes and activities, budgets, th [...]
Eating on a Budget is More Than Just Ramen
Michelle Balaun2020-10-15T17:43:41-04:00Some students actually keep to a budget. I know this is true because I have had three of my own and they all struggled at the beginning, but eventually [...]
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 [...]
Sorority Girl
Michelle Balaun2020-10-02T16:38:55-04:00So They’ve Joined a Sorority Congratulations if your daughter has found a place to call home. Being in a sorority opens the door to so many wonderful ex [...]
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 [...]
Graduation – What You Need to Know
Michelle Balaun2020-10-29T14:28:47-04:00Time Flys! Remember how when our kids were little we couldn’t envision them leaving us and going off to college? Now, if you are like me, you can’t beli [...]
F.S.U. Move.In.Day.
Michelle Balaun2019-12-13T15:08:59-05:00F.S.U.M.I.D. Yeah, move. FSU’s move-in day is …well…a lot of work. Be prepared for many trips to the car and possibly one or two to the store for the in [...]
So your student wants to be a Seminole?
Michelle Balaun2020-10-28T12:21:08-04:00The Truth... I don’t blame them; FSU is a great university right down to the beautiful brick buildings, deep-seated traditions, and is filled with oppor [...]
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 [...]
Homecoming at FSU
Michelle Balaun2020-09-04T23:23:03-04:00It's about the game. Note: Homecoming 2020 has been postponed until the spring semester. Homecoming…no, not the kind where our kids announce they are co [...]
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 [...]
Family Weekend for the Parents
Michelle Balaun2020-09-21T18:21:21-04:00Early Bird Gets It - Parents Weekend Get the Deals Our first experience with Parents Weekend meant booking a hotel a year in advance, every weekend in O [...]
Budget 101
Michelle Balaun2020-10-15T17:45:33-04:00The Money Talk At orientation we were inundated with information about all sorts of things; from FAFSA forms to meal plans. No one ever really elaborate [...]
Football, are U ready?
Michelle Balaun2020-10-22T10:54:02-04:00Are U Ready For Some Football? Note: So things definitely look different this year, therefore....In order to keep the Tallahassee community safe preside [...]
Study Abroad FSU, Here’s How
Michelle Balaun2020-08-04T12:15:15-04:00The World is your Classroom I am a big believer in this adage. Apparently many students agree as Study Abroad programs have become increasingly popular. [...]
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 [...]
Books, Books, Books
Michelle Balaun2020-08-20T15:54:21-04:00Reality Starts, Books, and More Books! Now that our sons and daughters are settled at college the reality begins (not ours, which happened to me the sec [...]
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. [...]
Radio and TV Stations
Michelle Balaun2019-12-13T15:30:48-05:00Radio and TV Stations There are lots of media options, but if you still need it here are the radio and TV details for FSU. For students coming from larg [...]
Sports for Noles, Get ready to Chop!
Michelle Balaun2020-05-25T15:01:30-04:00Seminole Chop anyone? Way back, when your student was deciding on where to go to college, attending Seminole sports probably came into play. It’s just w [...]
Off-Campus Living – Apartments
Michelle Balaun2023-05-08T15:48:35-04:00…Economical to Extravagant, Apartments Galore Apartments happen before you know it. In October of your student’s freshman year, they will most likely te [...]
Entertainment for Noles looking for a good time!
Michelle Balaun2020-04-29T11:09:43-04:00Check out those 'Noles This is what we call entertainment, I’m going to go out on a limb here and tell you flat out; I wasn’t a sports fan until my daug [...]
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 [...]
Transportation, Getting There is easy
Michelle Balaun2020-04-27T09:54:53-04:00Trains, Planes, and Automobiles…Transportation to Tallahassee Freshman who brings their cars will quickly learn that parking during the fall and spring [...]
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 [...]
Retail Therapy
Michelle Balaun2019-12-13T11:08:50-05:00A Little Retail Therapy There is plenty of shopping in Tallahassee and although your student is up there for school, there is always something that he o [...]
Hotel
Michelle Balaun2020-08-07T14:26:36-04:00Choose a Hotel Nearby Keeping in mind that Tallahassee is not only a college town but also the state capital, there is a vast selection of hotel options [...]
Tax Time
Michelle Balaun2019-12-15T16:22:12-05:00What Month Is It Anyway? April 15th is right around the corner. As you are preparing your return or having a CPA prepare your return, do not forget to t [...]
FAFSA
Michelle Balaun2020-10-02T10:10:46-04:00First Applicants Find Substantial Assets, of course! FAFSA is the national Free Application for Federal Student Aid but, based on how aid is distributed [...]
Tutoring and Other Ways to Study Better
Michelle Balaun2020-08-20T15:59:32-04:00Challenges But Not Limitations, Tutoring Can Help Students who attend FSU, no different than many other highly sought-after colleges, will be faced with [...]
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 [...]
The Next Four Years
Michelle Balaun2019-12-13T15:36:20-05:00Have you begun practicing your Tomahawk chop yet? If you have a student ready to spend the next four years at FSU and plan to visit, you best get your c [...]
Rushing His Way, the Fraternity way
Michelle Balaun2019-12-13T17:17:39-05:00Frat. Rush. For parents of incoming freshmen, you have probably started to hear about the fraternity rush. The way rush is handled for fraternities is r [...]
Rushing Her Way – Sorority Pathway
Michelle Balaun2020-07-03T18:09:16-04:00Recruitment Whispers, Sorority For parents of incoming freshmen, you have probably started to hear whispers about sorority recruitment. The way recruitm [...]
Meal Plans
Michelle Balaun2020-06-30T16:22:58-04:00Burgers and Pizza and Fries… Oh my… A Guide to Meal Plans Some of us will miss those family dinners. Others will find some relief. Either way, we all wa [...]
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 [...]
Time to Move It and Move In!
Michelle Balaun2020-06-12T12:39:18-04:00It's Go Time! Once your student has been given their move-in date and dorm/residence assignment, the process of handling what can be a stressful, labor- [...]
Home Sweet Dorm – Make it Dreamy!
Michelle Balaun2020-09-24T16:45:27-04:00Dorm-o-Rama! You may be surprised at how one can transition a mass-produced, industrial-looking dorm room into a warm and inviting room/suite. And there [...]
Moving Out
Michelle Balaun2020-11-11T10:24:32-05:00Moving Out Moving out can be almost as hectic as moving into the dorms and apartments. It did not make sense for us to drag the entire dorm supplies hom [...]