It's Not Too Early to Talk About Spring Break - Part 1

Contrary to popular belief, many students just go home, stay on campus, or take a long weekend instead of a full-blown beach or ski vacation for spring break. If your child is travelling with friends however, it's vital that you have a detailed discussion about your expectations during spring break.

Spring Break Tips for students - Part 1

Be Prepared - Remember the Boy Scout motto and plan ahead for the unexpected. A stocked first aid kit and road emergency kit are always helpful to have and keeping them in one's vehicle is a good habit to establish. Kits can be assembled from items on hand or purchased complete. If traveling to remote locations, extra blankets, an emergency hammer, water and food are good to have in the vehicle as well.

Write an itinerary - Even with everyone carrying a cell phone these days, asking your student to send you an itinerary can help you know approximately where they will be and when. It can also help your student plan their trip. Most students have never planned a lengthy trip by themselves, so creating an itinerary for you can actually help them see where they may be short on time or need an extra stop. If they're hiking or camping remind them that it is sometimes required, but always a good idea, to sign in with park staff before they hit the trail.

Have a plan "B" - The itinerary will help your student plan for the obvious, but what about those hiccups that invariably happen along the way while on a trip? This is a good time to ask your student about their Plan B and offer some advice on how to handle emergencies. Is the spare tire inflated? Do they have extra cash or travelers checks? Do they know that they can still call collect from a land line phone? (Try 1-800-CALL-ATT or a similar service.) If you belong to a motor club or have access to roadside assistance, this is a great time to remind your student about the benefits of your plan.

Career Assessment and Planning

Most college career or counseling centers offer skills and interest inventories that can help students clarify and focus their career plans. Your child probably took the EXPLORE, PLAN or another similar test in the 8^th through 10^th grade that helped him assess his skills, interests, and future college or career goals. Tests offered at colleges are similar to these and may include the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), the Strong Interest Inventory, or the Pearson Career Assessment Inventory.

While these inventories will not tell your child specifically, “You should be an accountant” or “pursue a degree in aerospace engineering.” they do help students focus their career search on areas in which they show both interests and skills. It is rare to see a student who is completely surprised by the results of an inventory because they tend to clarify what students already know intrinsically. The problem with these inventories is not usually in the administration or in reviewing the results with the student, but in the parents’ disappointment that their child simply doesn’t have the interest or skills to be a surgeon or whatever other prestige profession they had their hearts set on.