Moms Weekend is a two-day affair during which the Moms Association hosts a number of family-oriented events, ranging from musicals to art exhibits to accommodate all of the families that will be visiting their students on campus. 

Many of the activities planned strive to include everyone by catering to different interests, but for a number of people such as international student Maryam Shehzad, junior in LAS, “it’s not Moms Weekend when your mom is not here.”

However, this doesn’t mean that Shehzad hasn’t made plans to celebrate Moms Weekend in her own way. She is planning to attend the “Legally Blonde” musical in Lincoln Hall this year.

“Moms Weekend can be celebrated with friends, as well,” she said. “We usually just go for a walk around campus, and it’s nice to see so many families — that’s my favorite part. It creates such a festive atmosphere.”

Shehzad recalled how last year she went out for dinner with friends. 

“I saw so many moms around that I kind of missed my own, so I went back home and called her. I’ll probably FaceTime her this year. We’re usually both free on weekends,” she said.

Similarly, Hayley Conley and Macey Coppinger, both sophomores in LAS, have decided to make the most of the weekend with their own plans. They’ve chosen to carry out their tradition of eating brunch at Panera every Saturday before visiting the Illini Union Craft Fair on April 10. 

“I’m a crafty person,” Conley said. “It will be interesting to see what kind of crafts they have. I frequently go on Pinterest and feel that craft fairs are like Pinterest in person at times.” 

When asked about her favorite part about Moms Weekend, Coppinger replied, “I like the stories you get about moms dancing on bar tables. Frat and sorority mom stories are probably my favorite. They’re terrifying but they’re so funny.” 

Conley, on the other hand, expressed amusement at the different types of shirts Illinois moms wore. “Every single mom thinks that they need to wear some kind of Illinois apparel. If they went to school here, they’ll wear something from when they were here. I just find that interesting,” she said. 

Both Conley and Coppinger agreed with Shehzad that it’s not necessary to have your mom on campus to celebrate the weekend.

“Not everybody has a mom,” Conley explained. “Or if your mom can’t make it to campus, don’t just write off the weekend like it’s boring. You can still do something fun.”

Coppinger gave one last bit of advice for students who may not have a mom attending Moms Weekend. “If anyone can, they should give their mom a call,” she said. “That’s one way to share Moms Weekend without her being here.” 

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