Care Packages for USF Students
Michelle Balaun2020-10-01T10:42:48-04:00Who 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 [...]
Campus Resources for Students of Color
Michelle Balaun2020-07-27T09:44:33-04:00Campus Guide to Resources for Multicultural Students Campus diversity amongst students has grown considerably over the years and USF vies to maintain an [...]
Diversity and Inclusion for LGBTQ College Students
Michelle Balaun2020-07-10T17:16:32-04:00LGBTQ Campus Support and Resources College can be challenging for all students, therefore finding ways to make connections with others who identify simi [...]
How Will Students Stay Safe, Sane and Happy this Fall
Michelle Balaun2020-06-23T17:23:48-04:00Where 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 [...]
Who You Going To Call?
Michelle Balaun2020-01-10T11:18:24-05:00...When You Need Answers Over the years there have been only a few times that I, as a parent, have felt the need to call the campus to resolve an issue. [...]
Pets in School
Michelle Balaun2020-11-10T13:39:05-05:00Pets! Take Your Dog (or Cat) to College Every time I headed up to USF to see my kids, they asked that I bring our dog. Let’s face it; the pup is everyon [...]
Bulls Care – Make it Easier on Yourself
Michelle Balaun2020-01-10T10:37:42-05:00College is an Adjustment for Everyone Moving to college is a huge adjustment for every student. Many students don’t know where to start when they are on [...]
Is an A really a grade A at USF?
Michelle Balaun2020-01-10T11:08:23-05:00Get the Grade You Want College grading systems can be especially confusing when coming straight from high school. The biggest difference between the pub [...]
Flu Season Ahead
Michelle Balaun2020-09-29T13:17:59-04:00The Flu ends with “U” It’s that season again – and I don’t mean hurricanes. Flu season is generally from October through May; peaking in December. Given [...]
Sorting Out College Life- A Guide to Laundry, Dry Cleaning & Alterations
Michelle Balaun2020-01-10T14:01:32-05:00Laundry Never Ends! Every mom has thought or said this a million times, and now our college kids are (hopefully) learning the tedious task of doing thei [...]
Advice to My Freshman Self
Michelle Balaun2020-04-22T09:35:27-04:00What Every Freshman Should Know, Real Advice Being the oldest sibling in my family, going into college I had no idea what to expect. Of course, my paren [...]
The First Few Weeks
Michelle Balaun2020-01-10T15:14:53-05:00We 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 [...]
Volunteering Turns Your Compassion into Action
Michelle Balaun2020-01-10T11:53:46-05:00Volunteering with passion is key. When you first go off to college, you will find that there is no shortage of opportunities to participate in social ac [...]
Namast’ay with Yoga at USF
Michelle Balaun2020-09-21T18:12:13-04:00Breathe…..yoga in, breathe out. Very few things have been continuously practiced for over 5000 years with continued success. Yoga proves the mind, body, [...]
Food for Thought
Michelle Balaun2020-07-01T15:05:24-04:00No Student Hungry Much like the national campaign No Kid Hungry®, there are many students at colleges throughout the United States that are barely getti [...]
Student Accessibility Services
Michelle Balaun2020-01-10T12:48:27-05:00Consideration for Providing Accessibility for Everyone For students with a disability, the Students with Disability Services Office can help. Whether i [...]
More Veggies Please – Vegan/Vegetarian Dining
Michelle Balaun2020-11-05T12:11:23-05:00Eating Healthy is Possible at College. We LOVE Veggies! With our country’s focus on health and healthy eating, college students are growing up used to “ [...]
I’m Not Your Maid: Cleaning Services
Michelle Balaun2020-09-04T15:11:51-04:00Maybe It's Not A Luxury, But A Necessity? Does everyone need a maid? Ok, let me start by saying that yes, my children know how to clean their rooms and [...]
After the Hurricane
Michelle Balaun2020-01-10T15:47:17-05:00After the Hurricane - Getting Back to “Normal” Prior to Hurricane Irma, our blog talked about hurricanes that had impacted Florida. It had been twelve [...]
Where the Wind Blows
Michelle Balaun2020-10-07T12:34:13-04:00Where the Wind Blows As a Florida Native: Been there, done that. Wind blowing, we get that a lot. I was born in Florida and have never lived outside of [...]
What You Should Do Before Heading to USF
Michelle Balaun2020-06-11T12:15:08-04:00What You Should Do Before Heading to USF Before you leave... Before you leave to take your kid to college, there are a few items you will want to take c [...]
Trouble in Paradise
Michelle Balaun2020-01-10T15:24:41-05:00Trouble in Paradise Your student got in trouble. Or they are having trouble. Now what? It’s not uncommon. Sometimes even “the best kids” end up getting [...]
The Stress of College
Michelle Balaun2020-06-01T12:15:04-04:00The Stress of College It happens to all of us, even our kids. You probably saw this when they were studying for their AP exams or writing the dreaded c [...]
The Loss of a Pet
Michelle Balaun2020-01-10T15:44:05-05:00The Loss of a Pet More than half of our population owns at least one pet. For many college students, the family pet was acquired when they were a child [...]
The Best Places to Study at USF
Michelle Balaun2020-10-20T12:45:20-04:00The Best Places to Study at USF Just when we get our high schoolers into a routine of studying, they now have to learn to adjust their habits to fit col [...]
Staying Fit in College
Michelle Balaun2020-09-08T14:53:13-04:00Staying Fit There is so much to gain in college; new friends, experiences, knowledge, and yes, sometimes even weight. I remember hearing about the “Fres [...]
Safety Matters
Michelle Balaun2020-05-08T09:48:35-04:00Safety Matters At this time in our world, we all worry about the safety of our new adults. For me, a self-proclaimed worrier, I wanted to know everythin [...]
Sick at School While at USF
Michelle Balaun2020-09-20T13:49:54-04:00Sick at School Get ready…it’s bound to happen. At some point, the phone will buzz and your independent college student with a cry, “I don’t feel well, I [...]
Places of Worship
Michelle Balaun2020-09-10T18:14:51-04:00Places of Worship - Continuing Traditions Religion and worship are a big part of many of our lives, and college students and families may wonder how tha [...]
Health Insurance
Michelle Balaun2020-10-15T11:16:27-04:00Health Insurance Students at many colleges today must have a health insurance plan that meets their university’s minimum requirement. The University of [...]
Eating Healthy at USF, It Can Be Done!
Michelle Balaun2020-09-08T14:54:16-04:00Eating Healthy For most, eating healthy is a challenge in college. With priorities on being social, going out late, and needing quick meals, nutritious [...]
Care Packages
Michelle Balaun2020-10-01T10:38:05-04:00Care Packages So, your college student has been away and you and your family are getting used to your new normal. Even though your student is busy with [...]
Beauty and the Beast
Michelle Balaun2021-06-10T14:54:10-04:00Beauty and the Beast Beauty may be in the eyes of the beholder, but sometimes it is in the eyes staring back at you in the mirror. Being the mother of t [...]
Are Your Student’s Valuables Protected and Safe?
Michelle Balaun2020-01-10T15:41:33-05:00Are Your Student’s Valuables Protected? Keeping your stuff safe while at college is a priority. As we were preparing my daughter for college, one of the [...]