On Friday, many students will ditch dining halls and dorm life to join their family members for Boston University’s annual Parents Weekend.
Shiney James, director of BU orientation, said about 5,000 people are expected to participate in Parents Weekend this year, an increase from last October.
Eighty-five percent of attending parents are those of freshmen “who are interested in seeing their students in their new environment,” he said.
“Upperclassmen parents generally come to the Weekend but do not register for the program,” he added.
Like last year, Parents Weekend falls on the same weekend as the Head of the Charles Regatta.
James said President Robert Brown enjoys holding parents weekend concurrently with the crew competition.
“It gives parents an opportunity to see a Boston tradition right on campus,” he said.
Joel Udwin, a freshman in the School of Management, said he is excited to see his parents because he hasn’t seen them since August.
However, Udwin said Parents Weekend would be a juggling act for both he and his sister Rachel, a College of Communication senior.
“[We had to talk] beforehand about how to manage our time with our parents [in addition to] our work schedules,” he said. “Sometimes my sister [will be] with my parents [while] I am studying, and other times I [will be] with my parents [while] my sister is studying. That way my parents always have one of us to be with.”
Although Metropolitan College freshman Kristen Powers lives at home this year, she said her mother still plans on attending the Science and Engineering Program Dean’s Reception.
“I’m excited [for her to] meet my teachers and advisers,” she said.
Others, like College of Arts and Sciences junior Bena Reiter, said their parents can’t come this weekend because Boston will be packed.
“They found out there were not that many hotels rooms open for a reasonable price because a lot of things are going on,” Reiter said.
Instead, her parents are visiting the following weekend, she said.
“I am really excited for them to come,” she said. “I am really close to my parents and it is also a lot of fun to see how they interact with my friends here at BU.”
Stephanie Capon, a CAS freshman, said although her parents aren’t coming, she still plans on participating in some of the planned activities this weekend.
“As part of one of BU’s many performance groups, The Edge, I have the opportunity to perform at one of the welcoming events,” she said. “Although I won’t be showing my parents how I’m getting involved in school activities, I’m extremely excited to show all the parents. . . the pride we Terriers have for our school.”
James said some of the more popular weekend events include the Second City performance presented by the Programming Council on Friday, men’s hockey game versus Providence on Saturday, Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore’s Jazz Brunch on Saturday, a Stage Troupe performance on Saturday and Sunday and the Saturday Night Extravaganza.
For a full list of events, visit the BU orientation website.
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