Supervise an Easy Budget for Your College Student
Michelle Balaun2020-10-19T10:42:12-04:00This is a budget lesson that will serve you in the future! I have experimented with various approaches to teaching my daughter to live on a budget. When [...]
Being Thrifty
Michelle Balaun2020-08-16T14:18:13-04:00Need to Stay on a Budget? Be Thrifty! Are you thrifty? Being a college student, it can be stressful to be thrifty and stay on budget throughout the seme [...]
Graduation Photography for UM Seniors
Michelle Balaun2020-06-30T18:10:09-04:00You’ll Want to Memorialize the Day with Photography The last four years (or so) probably flew by and commencement is around the corner. There is no doub [...]
Sorority Recruitment: What to Expect & What to Wear
Michelle Balaun2020-07-22T12:58:17-04:00UM Sorority Recruitment: What to Expect & What to Wear Tips & Tricks You are going to want to know what to wear for recruitment, University of M [...]
Money, Money, Money
Michelle Balaun2020-05-06T16:35:43-04:00When Will My Financial Aid Money Disburse? The time has come to pay for your college costs and money panic may set in. I remember that first tuition bi [...]
Raising Money For Camp Kesem
Michelle Balaun2020-04-20T17:36:46-04:00Students Share this Camp Kesem Volunteer Opportunity Kesem is a nationwide community, driven by passionate college student leaders, that supports childr [...]
Having a Car at College
Michelle Balaun2019-12-19T17:12:53-05:00Can You Get by Without a Car? Whether to let your students bring a car to campus will probably lead to many conversations. In order to try to have a stu [...]
Banks & Credit Unions
Michelle Balaun2019-12-19T17:27:59-05:00Places that Handle Money Leaving for college comes with so many new things, but handling their own money can be one of the scariest. We have all kinds o [...]
The ABC’s of 529 Savings Plans UM
Michelle Balaun2020-11-02T12:29:50-05:00What 529 Pays When you decide to have kids, your first thought is not how am I going to pay for college, but it might be your second. I made a decision [...]
Get on the Bus
Michelle Balaun2019-12-19T17:09:17-05:00A Guide to UM’s Bus System The University of Miami’s Hurry ‘Canes shuttle bus system can be a huge help to UM students that live on and around campus. A [...]
Food for Thought
Michelle Balaun2020-07-01T15:07:01-04:00No Student Hungry Much like the national campaign No Kid Hungry®, there are many students at colleges throughout the United States that are barely getti [...]
How to Transition as A Transfer Student
Michelle Balaun2020-01-09T10:18:46-05:00There is a Place For Everyone The first thing to know about transferring schools is that there is a place for everyone. When we are in our senior year o [...]
First Time Student Loan Borrower?
Michelle Balaun2020-07-09T12:15:58-04:00You'll Need to Do This. What is the Entrance Counseling? In July of 2016, the U.S. Department of Education made it a requirement that, in order to have [...]
Parking at The U Best Case Scenarios!
Michelle Balaun2020-01-09T10:39:00-05:00Getting That Last Spot! You sent them to college with a car and they are grateful. However, although it will make a weekly Publix run easier, no one rea [...]
Technology Needs for UM Students
Michelle Balaun2020-08-13T13:28:17-04:00Here Is What You Get Free! The vision of the University of Miami's Information Technology (UMIT) department is to be the best information technology org [...]
An Insider’s Guide to Living on Campus
Michelle Balaun2020-01-29T13:33:11-05:00Here's How to Manage Your U-Miami Campus Living At the University of Miami, with on-campus housing, what you see is what you get. Students are only requ [...]
Career Showcase – A Student’s Perspective
Michelle Balaun2020-09-04T23:13:05-04:00Get Ready For The Job Market! Every semester as students at the University of Miami, we have the opportunity to attend various career fairs that showcas [...]
Choosing or Changing Your Major
Michelle Balaun2020-01-09T11:57:51-05:00You Can Change Your Mind! The University of Miami boasts 11 Schools and Colleges and offers more than 180 academic programs and majors. Many students be [...]
I’m Not Your Maid: Cleaning Services
Michelle Balaun2020-09-04T15:07:39-04:00Maid, It Might Be The Best Solution... I never thought I would be saying this, but sometimes it is a good idea to hire a maid for your students’ apartme [...]
Dropping a Class – When Is It Time?
Michelle Balaun2020-09-20T15:00:38-04:00Here Are The Guidelines You Should Consider... It is inevitable. Sometimes your student will register for a class and, for a myriad of reasons, will nee [...]
Bright Futures – Shining Bright
Michelle Balaun2020-06-01T20:03:41-04:00The 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 [...]
Move-In Day
Michelle Balaun2020-06-12T12:50:45-04:00Getting Settled UM’s move-in day has come a long way since my daughter moved in freshman year. Gone are the days of endless trips back and forth to the [...]
Birthright Israel – Hillel has an Adventure for you!
Michelle Balaun2021-01-14T16:21:02-05:00Young Jewish Students Trip. What is Birthright Israel? It is the gift of a free, 10-day trip to Israel designed for young adults of Jewish heritage, age [...]
Finding an Internship to Start a Career
Michelle Balaun2020-09-09T14:38:15-04:00The Most Effective Way To A Starter Job. I am a big believer in internships. I received my first internship while an art student at school, working in t [...]
New Housing for UM Students
Michelle Balaun2020-01-09T10:24:36-05:00Updated New Living Environments Coming To UM Have you seen the housing? Freshman housing is the one area that most students can agree on, needs improvem [...]
Trouble in Paradise, Here’s What To Do.
Michelle Balaun2020-06-30T12:20:39-04:00Your Student got in trouble, now what? You send your student off to college with the best intentions. You’ve had the discussion about budgets, walking a [...]
Transfer Students
Michelle Balaun2020-01-09T11:40:48-05:00Everyone wants to be a Miami Hurricane! Students transfer schools for a myriad of reasons. Hopefully, your student will finally feel at home once they b [...]
Favorite Apartment Rentals for Students
Michelle Balaun2020-05-12T15:17:21-04:00We've Got The Scoop On The Best Rentals! Everything you need to know about our favorite rentals, right here. My daughter lived on campus her freshman an [...]
Roommates and Residential Life
Michelle Balaun2020-01-09T10:35:10-05:00Learning To Live With Others... For many students entering college, this may be their first time away from home for an extended period of time. While do [...]
Working While in College
Michelle Balaun2020-11-10T13:34:04-05:00Gotta Earn Some Cash? Some students have to work to pay for college, some consider their school-work their only job and others choose to work while at s [...]
Searching for Scholarships Look Here!
Michelle Balaun2020-09-08T14:34:09-04:00Now It's Time To Find The Right One! When our kids were small, we always knew to pay for college was something we envisioned, and were fortunate enough [...]
They’ve Been Accepted, Woo Hoo a Cane!
Michelle Balaun2020-06-23T18:27:09-04:00Here we go, they are a Cane! Accepted? So your son or daughter is going to be a Miami Hurricane! Congratulations! It is great to be a ‘Cane for so many [...]
What Not to Bring, Nope You Don’t Need That!
Michelle Balaun2020-04-28T11:07:00-04:00Read This Before You Shop! If you haven’t started shopping for what to bring for your incoming freshman yet, whether for things for their dorm or clothe [...]
Getting There – All the Transportation Options
Michelle Balaun2020-01-09T11:45:15-05:00The First Time Getting There... Transportation to college is not as complicated as it used to be. That first time you drop your student off at a college [...]
Computer and Phone Repair
Michelle Balaun2020-09-20T12:41:07-04:00When it breaks it is such an issue...Phone or Computer! My daughter has dropped her phone more times than I care to admit; so much so that even the insu [...]
Before Heading to UM Do This!
Michelle Balaun2020-09-10T12:29:07-04:00Read Our Tips Here First Before you send them to school! Before you leave to take your kid to college, there are a few items you will want to take care [...]
Tax Time
Michelle Balaun2019-12-19T17:14:33-05:00Seems like it's almost always tax time... April 15th is always right around the corner. As you are preparing your return or having a CPA prepare your re [...]
So your student wants to be a Cane?
Michelle Balaun2020-10-28T12:25:36-04:00Good School, Great School. That is understandable; U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Miami #57 on their 2018 “Best College List”. The [...]
Eating on a Budget
Michelle Balaun2020-10-17T21:01:25-04:00It Is Possible To Save Money! I have experimented with various approaches to teaching my daughter to live on a budget. She needed to be eating on a budg [...]
Lost and Found This may help.
Michelle Balaun2020-01-29T13:49:29-05:00OH NO…It Happened! It’s Lost. We have all had the misfortune of losing something really important. My daughter’s roommate was doing study abroad in Lond [...]
Orient Yourself – Find Your Own Way
Michelle Balaun2020-02-27T13:30:37-05:00If two nights and two days can make your head spin, these might be the two. It’s not a bad thing, of course; it is just the amount of information can get a bit overwhelming. They need to orient themselves to their new life.
Eating Healthy
Michelle Balaun2020-06-12T12:02:07-04:00As with other college campuses, the amount of burger, pizza, and fast food restaurants at the University of Miami and the surrounding campus is a big reason for the Freshman 15. This is no surprise considering so many students live on a tight budget.
Are Your Student’s Valuables Protected
Michelle Balaun2020-06-12T11:28:32-04:00One more thing to worry about, is their stuff safe? When they were at home you knew the valuables were safe, but now? 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 you get when they tell you someone took their cell phone, watch, or whatever valuable item your child has had stolen.
Home Sweet Dorm This Is Home Now!
Michelle Balaun2020-09-24T16:10:46-04:00You may be surprised at how one can transition a mass-produced, industrial-looking dorm room into a warm and inviting room/suite. And there is plenty of help out there to spur ideas and help you organize.
Sick at School and What To Do
Michelle Balaun2020-09-25T16:08:38-04:00Mom...I'm sick... I’m sick…It’s bound to happen. At some point, the phone will buzz and your independent college student will cry “I don’t feel well, I' [...]
Moving Out, It’s Time!
Michelle Balaun2020-11-11T10:13:01-05:00A lot going on at once. Moving out can be almost as hectic as moving into the dorms and apartments. You are typically assigned a move out time to keep t [...]
Off-Campus Living Economical to Extravagant
Michelle Balaun2020-07-06T11:59:56-04:00It is a lot different than being in a dorm! Living off-campus has its own challenges, here are some suggestions. Just a few months in from your freshman [...]
More Study Abroad Details
Michelle Balaun2020-08-18T14:22:02-04:00Deciding whether or not to study abroad, there are even more details to consider. There are specific recommendations that UM makes to the Parents & Guardians, as a parent you need to do what works for you and your student. Make a checklist of all the details before you push ‘go’.