Now that many of the mechanics of moving out and switching to online instruction are behind us, it’s begun to sink in for our kids just how much they have lost, even if they are not (heaven forbid) faced with the loss of a loved one. Seniors have lost their senior spring and first year students had to leave just when they were getting the hang of it and solidifying new relationships. Gone are the 2020 spring formals, darties (day parties), career fairs, science labs, trips to the library, waiting for drive through coffee and just being with friends on campus for the best six weeks of the year.
As parents, we want to fix things and point out that everyone (hopefully) is safe and healthy and that “this too shall pass,” but we have years more experience coming into this and are thus less vulnerable to the various unexpected hardships life throws at us. Our kids are feeling cheated, and rightly so! They will never get these lost months back, and they are particularly exposed to the stress that comes with uncertainty about the future. Will they be coming back to campus in the fall? Will there be jobs for them when they graduate? How much longer will they be stuck living at home with mom and dad bugging them about the class work that they have already done?
Really the best thing parents can do is acknowledge that these are real and valid feelings and help our students recognize what they have lost while trying to find some glimmer of hope, beauty and love in these days we are all spending locked away together. When speaking with a parent is not enough, the UNH Psychological and Counseling Services (PACS) office is available 9 a.m. through 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays to help students – both current clients and those with new needs – learn strategies for coping with this incredible loss. You can learn more about PACS and the various services they’re offering on their website, here, and be sure to read the story “Campus Essentials,” below, which includes information about the ways groups across the university, from residence hall directors to Health & Wellness to fraternity and sorority life, are continuing to support our students from afar.
