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 [...]
Wake Up Canes, It’s Game Day!
Michelle Balaun2020-10-22T11:19:25-04:00Get ready for the big game with these attire tips! The best feeling for any college student, particularly if you’re a Cane, is waking up knowing its gam [...]
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 [...]
Graduation Is Sooner Than You Think!
Michelle Balaun2020-10-29T14:36:24-04:00Time Flies This is an unusual and unprecedented Spring (2020) and the situation and circumstances continue to evolve daily. Please start all your gradua [...]
Care Packages
Michelle Balaun2020-07-30T14:24:33-04:00When my first child left for UM, I wavered between giving her space to find her way and wanting to hear all about her life at college. I had such a wonderful college experience myself, I toggled between exuberant excitement for her and overwhelming sadness for me.
Fix it, Fix it Good
Michelle Balaun2020-06-11T15:42:38-04:00Repair and Fix-It Shops Car, skateboard or bike, oh my! At UM, you will find all in large numbers. Talk to any student about which is the most useful a [...]
Retail Therapy, Lots of Shopping in Miami
Michelle Balaun2020-01-09T09:58:56-05:00This Means Plenty of Retail Therapy! There is plenty of retail therapy in Miami – may be too much – and although your student is up there for school, th [...]
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 [...]
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.
Moving In?
Michelle Balaun2020-01-28T11:44:41-05:00Once your student has been given their move-in date and dorm or residence assignment, the process of handling what can be a stressful, labor-intensive and often expensive process begins. The moving in scenario.
Books, books, books
Michelle Balaun2020-08-27T12:59:38-04:00Books, they STILL use them! A lot has changed since I was a student in college, but the one thing that has not is that textbooks are expensive. Sure the [...]
The Next Four Years
Michelle Balaun2020-01-09T10:20:29-05:00Your Next Steps. So you have a student ready to spend the next four years at The University of Miami? That means you will undoubtedly be visiting once o [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Grocery Stores
Michelle Balaun2020-07-20T13:13:58-04:00Easy-peasy get your pantry staples! Whether your student lives on campus or off, they will need groceries. Miami has plenty of places to shop right near [...]
College Majors to Pursue at UM
Michelle Balaun2020-05-15T11:26:30-04:00Perhaps It’s Time to Consider Majors that are Sustainable in Tough Times Students usually choose a major over a period of time. I have always been a fan [...]
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 [...]
Breakfast, here’s the list!
Michelle Balaun2020-07-30T14:19:14-04:00Let's do breakfast? Who doesn't love breakfast? It is the most fun you can have at the weekend! There are plenty of options and here are our favorites. [...]
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 [...]
Putting Together Great Hurricane Outfits
Michelle Balaun2020-08-28T09:54:10-04:00Who doesn't love a Hurricane? I love going to Hurricane football games- there is nothing like game day. HaveUHeard how UM got its colors? In 1926, UM, c [...]
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 [...]
Mother-Daughter Time
Michelle Balaun2020-01-09T11:32:25-05:00Our first mother-daughter weekend in Miami was such a wonderful, memorable experience. We took a long walk around the campus, strolling around Lake Osceola, through the Arboretum and had a picnic lunch out on the green.
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 [...]
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 [...]
Just Desserts! In a good way…
Michelle Balaun2020-07-30T14:27:57-04:00Our favorite meal! We love desserts! Sometimes, we think the best part of the dinner is the dessert, here are some of our favorites! (Note, several neig [...]
Just Dinner?
Michelle Balaun2020-07-30T14:15:45-04:00Our favorite places for dinner. Yes, there are tons of restaurants where you can eat your dinner...here are just a few of our favorites! Gables / South [...]
Thousands of Dining Options in Miami
Michelle Balaun2020-01-09T11:37:44-05:00Food Glorious Food! Like any big city, there are literally thousands of dining options from fast food to fast-casual, from family-style to fine dining. [...]
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 [...]
Beauty and the Beast
Michelle Balaun2021-06-10T14:54:48-04:00Look Your Best! It’s not just for fairy tales, getting the beauty treatment makes her happy. As the mother of girls, I know all too well that not being [...]
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.
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Dress for Success
Michelle Balaun2020-08-18T14:52:16-04:00Taking Success To The Next Level! As they get closer to graduation, one of the greatest changes our students are about to experience is abandoning their [...]
Care Packages for UM Students
Michelle Balaun2020-10-12T13:31:54-04:00Who 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 [...]
Where the Wind Blows – Home of the Hurricane
Michelle Balaun2020-10-07T12:31:18-04:00Our Florida Hurricane Weather. Having moved to South Florida as a teen, I have gone through more than 35 Hurricane seasons. I prepared for my first majo [...]
Trick or Treat The College Version
Michelle Balaun2020-10-01T13:26:30-04:00Going to UM, students have plenty of Halloween events to choose from. Halloween also coincides with Homecoming this year – students can check out Homecoming Spirit Day at Lakeside Patio.