OCTOBER 2019
Is it possible: Halfway there?!
It's quite common on a college campus to hear one utter the phrase, 'Where did the time go?' The flurry of activity from classes to extracurricular interests seem to make college time move at a frenetic pace. As we are on the tail end of mid-term exams, sights turn to the final seven weeks and the goal of continuing to grow as a student in all phases of campus life. It's a great time to review mid-term grades with your student and remind them of the myriad of resources and tips noted below. The more students focus only on what they are in control of, the better off they will be! My challenge with this time of year is not so much with time but "Where did the sunlight go?" A discussion for another day. See below for Bulldog highlights, deadlines and activities on the horizon (pun intended).

Best,
Dave Drucker
Assistant Vice President,
Student Life & Dean of Students
Homecoming and Family Day
It was wonderful to see so many families at the athletic events and festivities held at Longley Athletics Complex and then back on campus for the historical tour, Fall Festival,
Showcase   and Family Fun Bingo!

The weather worked to perfection and the performances of all our students were phenomenal. We hope you had a great time and most importantly, a chance to catch up with your student! 
Spring Registration 2020

Registration for Spring 2020 starts Tuesday, October 29! All students have received communication from their Success and Career Advisor about meetings to plan courses with our new Student Planning software. It’s an exciting and busy time, but we know it can also be stressful for students to plan their courses. We welcome you to reach out if you have questions and hope you encourage your student to meet with their advisor! 
Opportunities Fair

The Opportunities Fair is just around the corner! On Thursday, November 14 th , we will welcome more than 70 businesses and graduate schools to campus promoting internships, full-time and part-time positions as well as providing information about their graduate school programs. Remind your student to keep an eye out for our “opportunities fair ready tips” in their residence halls, and encourage them to stop by the Robbins Family Center for Advising & Career Planning for a resume check!
Take advantage of Peer Tutoring in the Learning Center
Peer Tutoring is in full swing! There are peer tutors available for a variety of courses and the majority of meetings will take place on the second floor of the Library Learning Commons. Appointments are scheduled or available via drop in at no additional cost. This semester, we are piloting peer tutoring in the first year residence halls. Tutors are looking forward to supporting students through the remainder of the fall semester!
The 2020-2021 FAFSA is now available!

The 2020-2021 FAFSA is now open and available for parents and students to complete. You will need to complete the 2020-2021 FAFSA in order to receive financial aid for next year. Visit https://fafsa.ed.gov to begin your application today. Please be sure to have your FSA ID username and password with you so you can electronically sign the FAFSA. As always, if you have any questions you can contact the Center for Student Financial Planning and Services at [email protected] or via phone at (508)-541-1518.
Thanksgiving and Winter Recess

It’s never too early to work with your student on plans for traveling home for semester breaks. The Office of Residence Life has published the following important dates for students and families. The residence halls will close on Tuesday, November 26th   at 6:30pm for Thanksgiving Break. The halls will re-open on Sunday, December 1st   at 12noon. Students in need of a late departure, early return, or need to stay on campus during the break must register with Residence Life by Wednesday, November 20th. The residence halls will officially close for the fall semester on Thursday, December 12th at 6:30pm. Students are aware of their final exam schedules so check with them before coordinating travel plans. More to come on semester closing in the November newsletter.
Travel Preparations
  
If your student is making use of mass transportation for the break there are a few different ways to get around. There are multiple ways to get to South Station (train and bus terminal) and Logan Airport. Students can download the mticket app to get MBTA tickets sent right to their device. A one way ticket from the Franklin/Dean College MBTA station to South Station is approximately $12. There is a free bus from South Station to Logan Airport. Students can also make use of a car sharing service with both Uber and Lyft in the Franklin area. Students should reserve these rides with their phone/ device 24 hours in advance to ensure an on time pick-up. Estimated rates for rides to TF Green in Providence are around $55, Amtrak in Providence is $45 and Logan International Airport is around $70. Rates can vary based on time of day and season. If your student can find another student to share the ride they can split the fare on their phones. Your student can always ask staff members here at Dean to help them examine the best ways to Boston or Providence terminals. We're happy to assist!
Calendar Planning

When seeking information about Dean College calendar dates, please use the Official Academic Calendar that is listed on  www.dean.edu under the Academics tab  . Please do not use Google or other internet search engines for the calendar as it is likely to produce outdated and incorrect information.
Dean Dining: Convert to Boomer's Bucks and Save!

Don't forget that you can add Boomer's Bucks to your student's ID card using this link https://shop-deandining.sodexomyway.com/. There is a huge advantage to using Boomer's Bucks on campus because there is no sales tax: that represents a 7% savings, an average of $.50 on every purchase they make. Over 50% of our current transactions are by credit card, so they lose out on the tax savings. Have your student convert their sale to Boomer's Bucks. It saves time at the cash registers and money. We call that a win win!
Campus Fun!
The activities calendar has been plentiful during the month of October with several on and off campus entertainment opportunities. The Speakeasies Improv Group delighted the masses with a Halloween show in the Atirum. Dean After Dark featured Oktoberfest with a mechanical pumkpin and inflatable pub! Laser Tag and Dodgeball were a hit in Pieri Gym and students have traveled to the Big E, Canobie Lake Screamfest and soared amongst the trees at Tree Top Adventures. The Halloween Dance, Haunted House and Halloween Murder Mystery will round out a ghoulish month.
Fall Athletics
The Bulldogs are entering the home stretch of the fall season with many teams still in contention for a post-season berth. 

Football has won back to back games and is now 2-0 in conference play with three games left on their schedule. 

Men’s and women’s soccer are both in contention for a playoff berth as they complete their regular season slate this week. 


Women’s Volleyball sits in prime position for a post-season spot with three games left on their regular season schedule.

Men's golf finished up their season with a third place showing at the Mitchell College Invitational in Groton, CT.

Field Hockey will look to finish strong on the road with contests at Thomas College and New England College. 

Follow the teams all season long at DEANBULLDOGS.COM. Fans can also download the app DeanBulldogs Front Row to follow scores and watch live feeds of many contests.

Let's Go Bulldogs!
Fall Performances
The School of the Arts will continue its fantastic fall run with Wonderful Town on November 20-24. The Palladino School of Dance will showcase Arts Mosaic on November 8-9.

Pictured left is the cast of Radium Girls that took place last week in the Main Stage.

Tickets and ticket packages can be purchased throughout the year at http://www.dean.edu/boxoffice .
Don't miss out on seeing the wonderful talents of our students on stage!
Easy Tips for Encouraging Positive Sleep Habits
from Counseling Services

Doors slamming, voices in the hall and roommates coming in late… No doubt sleeping in the residence halls can be challenging! There are several small things students can do to practice healthy sleep.
   ·  Encourage open communication with roommates, discuss bedtime schedules, when guests need to leave the room and when to turn off music/TV. This will help set boundaries and develop nightly routines.
  ·    Block out external noise by utilizing a white noise machine or investing in noise canceling earphones (many have an alarm clock setting).  Room darkening eye masks can also help with blocking out any unwanted light. 
  ·    Practice good sleep hygiene by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, turning off electronics at least an hour before bedtime and avoiding alcohol and other substances.
  ·   If students are having trouble falling asleep, healthy relaxation techniques such as sipping chamomile tea, practicing yoga/meditation, reading a book or completing a crossword puzzle can all be helpful. Weighted blankets can provide a sense of calm and comfort when having difficulty falling asleep.

Continue to check in with your students about their sleep. Making small adjustments can improve mental and physical health and improve academic performance.
Staying Healthy During the Winter Months
from Health Services
Winter will soon be upon us, bringing with it a season full of fun and excitement. Winter also brings with it, viruses. How can your student continue to enjoy the best parts of winter while avoiding the worst, you ask? Let’s review:

1.         WASH YOUR HANDS ! -  Can't be said enough! It’s the easiest thing we can do to prevent many of the illnesses we are faced with every winter. Viruses live and breed on surfaces, some for as long as 2 weeks! Everything you touch can potentially carry flu, colds, and other illnesses. Best to wash your hands with warm soap and water before meals, or as often as you can. Make sure to give yourself enough time, at least 20 seconds or time enough to sing Happy Birthday. In a pinch use sanitizer, but washing hands is always best.

2.        GET THE FLU SHOT - This can be controversial and thanks to rumors and old wives tales many people shy away from it. Let me clear the air, it CANNOT make you sick (it takes 2 weeks to be effective, and yes you could get the flu right after the shot, but that’s unfortunate luck, not the shot). While not 100% preventative, it can prevent hospitalization and can shorten the length of the illness. We often have the flu shot at Health Services so have your student visit us.

3.         CONSIDER A DAILY MULTIVITAMIN - Vitamins can help boost immunity, because we can’t always get the nutrients we need, especially in college. Have your student get one that contains C, D and B vitamins. 

4.        GET ENOUGH REST -  I know with the rigorous routine of being a college student there are late nights, and early mornings, but try to make sure they are fitting in enough sleep. College students should be getting at least 6-8 hours a night. This is how the body resets for the next day by letting the immune system catch up.

5.         EXERCISE -  This helps the body to build more immunity by shedding toxins and strengthening your heart and lungs. 30-60 minutes 5 days a week is recommended by the American Heart Association.

If your student is dealing with a fever, cough, body aches and sore throat, please have them come by the health center so I can help them feel better and we can talk about preventing the spread of flu and other viruses this winter.  
Fresh Check Day
The College held its 3rd Annual Fresh Check Day on Friday, September 27. Fresh Check is a national mental health initiative. The program is run by the Jordan Porco Foundation, which was started by a family who lost their college age student to suicide in 2011. 
 
Fresh Check Day is a celebratory event which displays a number of interactive booths, each geared towards a different mental health concern. The booths were staffed by students, staff and faculty, who led interactive activities and engaged students in healthy conversation about mental health, as well as offered resources.

The mission of the foundation is to prevent suicide, promote mental health, and create a message of hope for young adults.  

It was an inspiring day which saw over 350 students take part. You rock Bulldogs!
Dean Resources
As always please feel free to reach out to any of our offices if we can be of further support to you or your student.

Advising and Career Planning: 508.541.1536
Athletics: 508-541-1816
Campus Safety: 508-541-1888
Center for Student Financial Planning and Services: 508.541.1518
Dining Services: 508.541.1564
Health Services:  508.541.1600
Morton Family Learning Center: 508.541.1768
Residence Life: 508.541.1838

Go Bulldogs!
Wear your Bulldog Pride all year long!
Not on campus to purchase your favorite Bulldog Apparel? We've got you covered. Visit the online bookstore anytime and show off your Bulldog Pride!

Dean College | 99 Main Street, Franklin, MA | Email