Is it weird to bring parents to open houses for m.arch 1 programs? My mom is driving me to an upcoming open house and wants to join me for some of the programming. I'm not sure if that would make me seem immature? Do people even care?
Non Sequitur
Mar 6, 18 11:14 pm
No, not immature... but asking about here might be.
Peter Normand
Mar 7, 18 9:36 am
Not weird, your parent might see or notice things you did not. Is there a series of open house visits?
I would recommend, just to keep Mom occupied and involved, that you ask her to take on a check list to investigate so she is not just following you around or getting bored. If you assign her something meaningful to do she will be less likely to want to rush.
Some items for a parent's Checklist that might be interesting:
Method of getting into the studio buildings after hours
Is there a decent local art supply store(s)
will you NEED a car, and how much would it cost to have one.
How close is the dormitory or residential area to the studio buildings and is there a safe route
Rec/fitness center proximity and hours
Coffee shop proximity and hours, and which one is the best.
The hours for the library(s)
the hours for the model shop and where is it
What tools and equipment are in the model shop
How much does it cost to use tools in the model shop (for example some schools charge and hourly rate for the laser cutting machine)
What are the student clubs and their dues
how clean are the restrooms in the studio buildings
I am sure there are other things but this checklist might be a nice way to allow your parents to be involved in a helpful way allowing you time to focus on other things. You going to school is a big change for them too and this might be a meaningful way for you to express gratitude to your parents. The best flattery is to ask for advice.
Over and OUT
Peter N
thatsthat
Mar 7, 18 11:45 am
This is great advice.
Bloopox
Mar 7, 18 10:31 am
In my opinion it depends which programming she attends. For instance many open houses are scheduled to coincide with a lecture series night, and those are open to the public and usually well attended, so anybody's welcome and not likely to raise eyebrows. Same with attending a lecture reception or gallery opening, or tagging along on a regularly-scheduled campus tour. In most schools it's also pretty normal for random guests to drop in to watch studio crits.
Where it is weirder to have parents at open houses is at smaller meet-and-greet type events. I still remember the one parent sitting awkwardly in the little conference room with the 30 or so prospective grad students when I attended one school's open house. It was a setting where the dean and some faculty talked for a bit, then asked us all to introduce ourselves - everybody said a little about where they were coming from and what they'd studied before - and when we got to this one guy he said "um, I'm Sarah's Dad, I'm an anesthesiologist." Then we mingled with the faculty and some current students, and he just followed Sarah around standing silently. Later there was a barbecue with just current and prospective students and he just seemed a little out of place and uncomfortable. Of course this might have more to do with Sarah's dad's personality - maybe your mom is more adept at socializing with students.
thatsthat
Mar 7, 18 11:44 am
A few of the open houses I went to for grad school had programming especially for parents where they covered what it's like to attend this school and how what parents should expect from their kids during this (traumatic) time. I brought my mom and I think she really enjoyed getting to be included in the process. (Neither of my parents went to college so it was all very new and exciting to them.) It was also very helpful to have her along when we sat down with the financial aid people because she knew what questions to ask when I very much did not.
If they have accepted students events, I would see if there is something she can do off on her own. (Exploring the city? Finding the nearest good coffee place?) My mom did tag along for most of the day, and I was glad she was there. Then we did a dinner out with all current and accepted students, and she went off on her own for that so I could get to know the other students a little better.
geezertect
Mar 7, 18 12:27 pm
If you're going to grad school open houses, that suggests you are already close to graduation, i.e. in your early twenties. If so, yes, having mommy along does seem a little childlike. Having her drive you there, rather than driving yourself, doesn't help. JMHO.
JBeaumont
Mar 7, 18 12:49 pm
It might depend on the school's version of open house too. I went to 3, and 2 of them went something like: an hour of faculty and administration talking, then some mingling, then some kind of lunch reception with more mingling, then basically free time - to drop in on crits, have an appointment with an academic advisor or financial aid person if you wanted to, take a tour of campus or wander around by yourself, and then if you wanted to stick around for it a lecture that evening. One had an informal dinner, the other you were just on your own. For that kind of open house your mom could wander around campus, go to the university museum, or something like that while you're busy with parts of this. But for the 3rd one the school put people up in a hotel for the night and had a solid 2 days of programming with field trips and sitting in on classes and more formal meals with faculty and alumni. Nobody brought parents and I don't think that would have worked because there were only so many tour bus seats, tickets to local events, and assigned dinner tables. That was a long time ago though before helicopter parent was a common thing, and I don't know if any of the open houses are still that elaborate.
Is it weird to bring parents to open houses for m.arch 1 programs? My mom is driving me to an upcoming open house and wants to join me for some of the programming. I'm not sure if that would make me seem immature? Do people even care?
No, not immature... but asking about here might be.
Not weird, your parent might see or notice things you did not. Is there a series of open house visits?
I would recommend, just to keep Mom occupied and involved, that you ask her to take on a check list to investigate so she is not just following you around or getting bored. If you assign her something meaningful to do she will be less likely to want to rush.
Some items for a parent's Checklist that might be interesting:
Method of getting into the studio buildings after hours
Is there a decent local art supply store(s)
will you NEED a car, and how much would it cost to have one.
How close is the dormitory or residential area to the studio buildings and is there a safe route
Rec/fitness center proximity and hours
Coffee shop proximity and hours, and which one is the best.
The hours for the library(s)
the hours for the model shop and where is it
What tools and equipment are in the model shop
How much does it cost to use tools in the model shop (for example some schools charge and hourly rate for the laser cutting machine)
What are the student clubs and their dues
how clean are the restrooms in the studio buildings
I am sure there are other things but this checklist might be a nice way to allow your parents to be involved in a helpful way allowing you time to focus on other things. You going to school is a big change for them too and this might be a meaningful way for you to express gratitude to your parents. The best flattery is to ask for advice.
Over and OUT
Peter N
This is great advice.
In my opinion it depends which programming she attends. For instance many open houses are scheduled to coincide with a lecture series night, and those are open to the public and usually well attended, so anybody's welcome and not likely to raise eyebrows. Same with attending a lecture reception or gallery opening, or tagging along on a regularly-scheduled campus tour. In most schools it's also pretty normal for random guests to drop in to watch studio crits.
Where it is weirder to have parents at open houses is at smaller meet-and-greet type events. I still remember the one parent sitting awkwardly in the little conference room with the 30 or so prospective grad students when I attended one school's open house. It was a setting where the dean and some faculty talked for a bit, then asked us all to introduce ourselves - everybody said a little about where they were coming from and what they'd studied before - and when we got to this one guy he said "um, I'm Sarah's Dad, I'm an anesthesiologist." Then we mingled with the faculty and some current students, and he just followed Sarah around standing silently. Later there was a barbecue with just current and prospective students and he just seemed a little out of place and uncomfortable. Of course this might have more to do with Sarah's dad's personality - maybe your mom is more adept at socializing with students.
A few of the open houses I went to for grad school had programming especially for parents where they covered what it's like to attend this school and how what parents should expect from their kids during this (traumatic) time. I brought my mom and I think she really enjoyed getting to be included in the process. (Neither of my parents went to college so it was all very new and exciting to them.) It was also very helpful to have her along when we sat down with the financial aid people because she knew what questions to ask when I very much did not.
If they have accepted students events, I would see if there is something she can do off on her own. (Exploring the city? Finding the nearest good coffee place?) My mom did tag along for most of the day, and I was glad she was there. Then we did a dinner out with all current and accepted students, and she went off on her own for that so I could get to know the other students a little better.
If you're going to grad school open houses, that suggests you are already close to graduation, i.e. in your early twenties. If so, yes, having mommy along does seem a little childlike. Having her drive you there, rather than driving yourself, doesn't help. JMHO.
It might depend on the school's version of open house too. I went to 3, and 2 of them went something like: an hour of faculty and administration talking, then some mingling, then some kind of lunch reception with more mingling, then basically free time - to drop in on crits, have an appointment with an academic advisor or financial aid person if you wanted to, take a tour of campus or wander around by yourself, and then if you wanted to stick around for it a lecture that evening. One had an informal dinner, the other you were just on your own. For that kind of open house your mom could wander around campus, go to the university museum, or something like that while you're busy with parts of this.
But for the 3rd one the school put people up in a hotel for the night and had a solid 2 days of programming with field trips and sitting in on classes and more formal meals with faculty and alumni. Nobody brought parents and I don't think that would have worked because there were only so many tour bus seats, tickets to local events, and assigned dinner tables. That was a long time ago though before helicopter parent was a common thing, and I don't know if any of the open houses are still that elaborate.