Parent & Family Newsletter, November 2021

NOVEMBER ISSUE

Welcome to the second edition of the

Parent & Family Newsletter!

Susan Wolff, Office of University Relations

Thankful for ONU parents! What a great Homecoming & Family Weekend we had in October. I've been hearing numerous stories from families about the special time they had on campus. I'm sure you're looking forward to the Thanksgiving holiday so you'll get to soak up some time with your student!

I hope the information in this second edition is useful to you, but if you have recommendations for items to include in our upcoming bi-monthly newsletters, please send those to ONUcares@olivet.edu.

The students are planning for next semester!

Registration for spring classes is in full swing—it started Nov. 8 for upperclassmen and freshmen start this week!

This is a good time to ask your students if they've met with their academic advisor to help determine course selection for spring since advisors have to sign-off on their registration! Having a four-year plan is really ideal and encouraged. Some classes cycle every other year so planning ahead is important.

Parent Resources

Frequently asked questions of parents

Click the image for a direct link to the ticket info for the

presentation of

Handel's Messiah

For the athletic news and schedule, please go to onutigers.com/

For a full listing of University events, please go to olivet.edu/events

Click on the image for a direct link to ticket info for upcoming School of Music performances of

Sounds of the Season

From the offices of....

Counseling and Health Services

(notations taken from their newsletter that went to students but some great reminders and talking points for parents)

Most people experience at least one depressive episode in their lifetime, which can be caused by a multitude of things, including:

Negative life events (i.e. death of a loved one, break-ups)
Difficult transitions (i.e. moving to a new place where you don’t know many people)
Winter months where it’s colder and there is less sunlight

Luckily, there are many proven effective steps you can take to keep your mind in a healthy place to either avoid a depressive episode or make it so a depressive episode is not as severe or long-lasting!

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: You don't need to be a varsity athlete to move your body. Exercise releases natural antidepressant hormones in your brain.
FOOD: Your body and brain respond to what you feed it with. Enjoy that dessert, but also make sure you are eating plenty of fruits and vegetables.
SOCIALIZE: Alone time is good and necessary, but depression typically makes you want to isolate. Regularly talking to friends about your life, thoughts, and feelings reminds you that you are cared for and connected. Hopefully your friends also make you laugh, and you know what they say about laughter - it's the best medicine!
PLAN: Even if it's small, having events on the calendar remind you that you have things to look forward to. In the middle of a stressful week, knowing that you're seeing a movie with friends on Saturday or carving pumpkins with your roommates can be just enough to help you get through the week.

Transportation

Shuttle services are available for the upcoming Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break holidays to Chicago's Midway & O'Hare Airports, click the details below!

Holiday Airport Shuttle Service

Need to know when your student has a University break? Check out:

Undergraduate academic calendar/schedule

Center for Academic Excellence

Department of General Studies

Encourage your student to take GNST 101 Essentials of Learning (3 credits) in spring 2022 to master academic strategies like time management, note-taking skills, test-taking strategies and more. Has your student already taken GNST 101? Encourage your student to take GNST 105 Learning Success Strategies (3 credits) to master skills related to the 4 C’s: critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. Students can work with their advisor to register for these classes.

Learning Support Services, lss@olivet.edu

Encourage your student to use the academic accommodations provided through the LSS office. If your student would like to meet with someone to talk about services and/or discuss additional accommodations, email LSS and we will connect with your student.

Academic Coaching Center, acc@olivet.edu

Encourage your student to take advantage of FREE academic tutoring, academic coaching, and writing assistance. The ACC is offering weekly walk-in hours to help students finish the semester strong. Tell your student to stop by the 2nd floor of Benner Library to talk with someone about all the services available.

Connect with other parents through our new network!

Olivet Connect is a new platform for alumni and friends, and it is a great place to connect with other Olivet parents! Follow the sign-up instructions at olivetconnect.com. (Make sure you mark that you are a parent!)

Once you're approved, find the "Groups" tab on the homepage, and scroll down to find the Parent & Family Network group. Students have not yet been invited to make their profile on Olivet Connect, but take a look around the site to see what a powerful network your student will have access to very soon!

Holiday tips from fellow parents:

Discuss expectations in advance: curfew, family meals, borrowing car, communication, work, etc. Life has changed drastically for them so be upfront about your desires and give grace.

Let them sleep. Give them time to destress and be ready to listen when they're ready to talk about their semester, classes, friends, challenges and upcoming opportunities.

If they start talking about missing their Olivet friends, be grateful; this is a wonderful sign that they've adjusted well.

Ask open-ended questions versus opinions on their grades and past choices.

Stock your fridge with their favorite foods.

An Encouraging Word from

Tammy Chenoweth

The Bible is full of encouragement to be more thankful. The word “thank,” and variations of the same, are used at least 139 times in the Bible—most often with the thanks being directed at God.

Your student is a few months into the school year. Parenting has shifted from being involved in their daily lives, to learning about their days on a weekly basis or even less. Ugh, right? You could be experiencing uneasiness because you really want them to make wise choices and use good judgment.

The verses I pray over you are Colossians 3:15 and Philippians 4:6.

“May the peace that comes from God rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be THANKFUL.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and THANK Him for all he has done.”

I hope you are THANKFUL that your student is at ONU because there is a host of faculty and staff speaking the powerful name of Jesus over your student. Praise His holy name!

CLICK HERE to recommend a high school junior or senior and get some ONU swag!

This month we're highlighting College Church University Avenue.

Sunday services are at 9 & 10:30 am. Coffee and donuts every Sunday in the café and lobby.

We encourage college students to find a church they can get plugged in to regularly, whether that is a college-specific service or volunteering in some capacity!