Families & Visitors
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A Valentine’s Day Heart-to-Heart
Love is on many people’s minds as Valentine’s Day creeps ever closer. Your student may be one of those people, whether he is in a relationship or not. The influx of lacey hearts and lovey paraphernalia can make uncoupled students feel crummy while folks in couples may feel pressured.
So, to make Valentine’s Day an overall celebration of all types of love, here are a few things you can do:
Get Pet Smart. Send a photo of the family dog, with a bubble coming out of her mouth saying something like, “I fur-get how much I miss you when you’re gone!”
Take Care of Your Heart. Make a pact with your student that you’re going to take advantage of the Valentine’s Day emphasis on hearts to both take better care of your own hearts, whether through adding 1,000 steps a day, signing up for an aerobic activity or checking out the American Heart Association’s resources.
Converse with Conversation Hearts. Send a pack of conversation hearts and challenge your student to make up a story using the phrases on them. Now you try. Fun!
Put Together a Valentine-Making Party. Send a pack of Valentine-making goodies, from stickers to doilies to fun scrapbooking paper. This will allow your student to hold her very own Valentine-making party with friends as a way to focus on love beyond just coupledom!
Capture Love Songs. Next time you’re on the phone, go back and forth with your student to see how many songs you can come up with that have the word “love” in the title. You’ll have a laugh plus you’ll each learn more about one another’s music this way, too!
Sic the Siblings. Drawings, phone calls or funny emails from brothers and sisters can be great distractions for most students. It also reminds them of others who love them and are on their side.
Create a “Love Collage.” Cut out a few magazine pictures or family/friend photos to make a “Love Collage” for your student. This will emphasize the many different types of love that make his world richer! On Valentine’s Day, it can be easy to focus on what he doesn’t have (a relationship) but you’ll be helping him shift his attitude.
There are all sorts of ways to connect with your college student. Consider a Valentine’s Day heart-to-heart today!
Lonely or Depressed?
Also realize that, despite your best efforts, your student may still feel lonely and depressed this Valentine’s Day. If you sense that she isn’t handling it well and that it’s more than a “passing thing,” encourage her to visit the campus counseling center, where she’ll find good folks who love students and want to help them live happy, healthy lives.
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