Family Conversations

Most college students make good choices about their behavior, but nearly all college students will be faced with choices they haven’t made independently before. Recent research by Professor Rob Turrisi at Penn State suggests that parents who talk with their sons/daughters about alcohol abuse before coming to college can have an impact in preventing risky behavior. We also believe that similar family conversations about substance abuse, sexual health, and financial responsibility can positively impact student behavior.

Young adults may already have a great deal of good information about these topics, and you might already have discussed these issues with your loved ones. It might, however, be a good idea to revisit these conversations during this transition period before attending CU. Sometimes these conversations may be more appropriate for several members of your family and other times a more intimate conversation with one parent might be most effective.

These issues exist on most college campuses, and we are hoping incoming students and their families will work together to positively impact the environment for students at CU. As you will see from our resource lists, we have a great deal of programming available to support students in these areas.

We do believe it is important that sons/daughters/loved ones all receive quality information about sexual health, substance abuse, and financial responsibility, because all students will be faced with choices that impact themselves and others. In addition to avoiding personal risks, knowledgeable and responsible students can also have a positive impact on their peers.

All families are different and so are the individuals who make them up. We value those differences and we also recognize that the resources and information we provide may not fit your particular family constellation. We hope the information we provide will be adaptable to your needs.