The beginning of college can be as hard for parents as it is for the actual students. Mothers and fathers are left at home hoping and wondering if their child is living a fulfilling and balanced life while they are away.

For those mothers and fathers who are missing their college student and are curious as to what their day-to-day life is like on campus, there are two main opportunities throughout the school year where they can come and see what their son or daughter’s life is all about. These two opportunities are Moms Weekend and Dads Weekend.

Dads Weekend comes first in the school year and usually falls on the first weekend of November. The 2016 Dads Weekend is already scheduled for November 4-6. During Dads Weekend, there are many opportunities to make sure he has a fun time. There is always a home football game that weekend and lots of tailgating opportunities.

Many clubs, sororities and fraternities will set something up to make sure that the tailgate is fun and low-cost for Dad. After a morning of tailgating, the stands are usually packed as students go to watch the game with their dad. During the football game, Dad of the Year is announced and usually goes to the father of a Illinois student who has gone above and beyond in his support.

After the football game, which is hopefully won by the Illini, many Dads go out to a college bar such as Firehouse or Joe’s to celebrate with good food, and if you are of drinking age, some drinks. Dads Weekend is a great opportunity for fathers to spend some time with their college student while they are away at school.

Moms Weekend is the same, and moms usually love getting to spend one-on-one time with their child, especially while they are away at school. Moms Weekend usually occurs in April, and Moms Weekend 2017 is already scheduled for April 7-9. Usually by then the weather is starting to get warmer and mothers and students can stroll around campus and enjoy the weather and blossoming trees.

During Moms Weekend, there are usually mom-friendly events to enjoy during the day. These include a craft fair, a flower show and brunch at Memorial Stadium. Of course, mothers would also enjoy eating at one of the campus restaurants, or just getting to know their child’s friends and their mothers. Sunday is usually filled with brunches and goodbyes, but mothers leave knowing that their child is having fun and working hard.

Moms and Dads Weekends are great excuses to make a visit to campus and spend some quality time with your student. It’s also a fun glimpse into the fun that their child is having, as well as an opportunity to learn more about the campus and the school in general. Moms and Dads from all over the country come to visit their children, and campus is usually filled with fun times with parents. This makes for an awesome weekend. If nothing else, these weekends serve as reminders to call your mother and father more often, and thank them for all that they do.

Courtney is a junior in LAS.
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