A letter to our daughter who, with tears in our eyes, we dropped off at college on Wednesday. I felt it was important to lay out our expectations. She, of course, has to follow her own path, but without knowing what we want she would probably be harder on herself then we would be.
I thought you should know what our expectations are for you at Hendrix. We have kind of talked about it, but if it is in writing you will know for sure. No reason to freak out when you don't have to!
Above All Else
Dad and I want you to be happy. We want you to like school. We want you to like Hendrix. We want you to make friends, join clubs, and enjoy your classes. If you had to give everyday a score we would want them to be 7's and above. There will be days where it is a 3, but our hope is that they are few and far between. So, find happiness.... that is our true goal for you at school and in life.
Grades
Do well. Do as well as you can. Try hard. Pass. Meet your own expectations. Fulfill the requirements of your academic scholarships and graduation. We want you to get the grades that you are comfortable with. This isn't Clear Spring and it will be different, harder, so you just have to find your place and work as hard as you feel you need to be successful.
School
We want classes to always come first. Studying, working on projects, study groups, all of those things are why you are there. There are a million things to do at Hendrix, but you probably won't be able to do them all. We hope that you will get involved in clubs, social events, and campus things. We just want you to find a balance to all of those things and remember that class comes first. The good thing is that "I have to study" isn't a lame excuse... it is reality! We do want to hear that you joined clubs, made forays into the radio station (if you are still interested), and did all kinds of silly things... don't sit in your room and study when you don't have to. Find a balance. Eat, sleep, go to class, and in the mix have some fun.
Connecting
We welcome you calling, emailing and chatting with us. We are here 24 hours a day for you. There will (I know this seems crazy) be a time when you are too busy and having too much fun to call us everyday and we are ok with that too! We would like to have you call at least once a week. Maybe Sunday evening would be a good time.
Drinking/Drugs
It is our expectation that you won't drink or do drugs while you are at Hendrix. I can't even imagine what the peer pressure is going to be like, but somehow we hope that you will find that solid place inside of you and not participate. This is a big request and we know that it is hard. You are too young, your brain is still developing, and our family history isn't one with competent social drinking skills. Unfortunately, you inherited that gene we think. Granted things happen and whatever does we will love you. Just try to make good decisions and find folks on the same level as you.
Finances
We left you with $200 cash, $300 on your One Card, and each semester you have $100 added to your One Card to use in the Burrow from your meal plan. Is this enough? We have no idea. Just keep us posted as to what you need and how you can help. We will restock on shampoo and stuff at Fall and Winter break, so unless you run out you should be fine. It isn't a lot of money to have, but we think it should last for a while. Keep your receipts, fill out your budget, and we can talk about money anytime you need to.
I hope this puts you at ease. You are there to learn who you are, to grow, make mistakes, triumph, succeed, have fun, and build paths to your future. On a day to day basis you are there to be the best you can be that day. WE LOVE YOU and are immensely proud of you. Love, laugh, and learn. The best three things in life!
Love Mom and Dad
