Although the theme for this year’s Moms Weekend is “Keep calm and have fun with mom,” not all students will have their moms making their way to campus for the weekend. Instead, many have chosen to spend the weekend in other ways.

Sam Caravette, junior in LAS, said she plans to do homework and spend time with other friends whose mothers are also not coming to visit.

“I feel fine with her not coming because I feel like it’s more of a burden for her to come that weekend,” Caravette said. “We don’t go out to bars, so her coming a different weekend is more relaxing.”

In contrast to Caravette, Ellie Kaplan, senior in LAS, whose mom also won’t be visiting because she thinks “the drive from Chicago to U of I is really boring,” has a different plan for the weekend. She said she plans to hang out with friends whose moms will be on campus.

“It definitely made me sad when I lived in a dorm, being one of the only students without their mom there,” she said. “But my roommate was very generous with hers, which was nice.”

Brennen Van Mieghem, junior in ACES, also sees his friends’ moms when his does not visit on Moms Weekend. This year, he said his mom will be busy back at home with his younger brother’s prom.

“I won’t be too upset,” Van Mieghem said. “She’s a busy woman.”

Emily Coulahan, junior in ACES, understands the feeling of having a mom with a hectic schedule. Her mom will also not be attending Moms Weekend because she is returning home from another trip Friday.

“I am okay with her not coming down for Moms Weekend,” Coulahan said. “She usually comes down a few other weekends throughout the school year, and we have our Moms Weekend then.”

Instead of finding alternatives on campus during Mom’s Weekend, Coulahan thinks she might go home to see her mom in Rockford, Ill., “so that she has some time to relax after a long trip.”

Ethan Stites, junior in ACES, does not have a long drive to visit his mom, who is not coming for Mom’s Weekend. Rather, Stites lives at home with his parents and commutes to campus from outside of St. Joseph, Ill. He is the second child in his family to attend the University, and his parents are alumni.

“When parents have their first child, they’re more involved; they buy the T-shirts that say ‘proud parent’ or ‘My daughter goes to the U of I,’ that type of stuff,” Stites said.

Rebecca can be reached at [email protected].