The embrace of a hug; the warmth from a smile; a favorite food from back home. Whether it’s an all-day affair of traveling or a simple 15-minute drive out of Clemson, it’s the little things that remind us of our family and hometown. Even the shortest weekend visit from parents and siblings can make it feel as if we’re back home with them.
“It was cool to have some family over to get to show them around Clemson, which is not something I got to do before, really,” Adam Maitland, a freshman business major, said.
This past weekend, Friday, Sept. 20 to Sunday, Sept. 22, was designated parent’s weekend at Clemson University. It was a time for families to come and tailgate before the game, be shown around campus, and spend time with their kids. There were designated activities all around campus throughout the weekend like college meetings and movie showings that were available to both parents and kids. Some families, however, had their own agenda.
“We went to the Mellow Mushroom for pizza and then we went to IHOP for breakfast,” Clare Mazzeo, a freshman biology major, said. “It was fun to go out to dinner with my family and be together again.”
For Maitland, being from Southern California, this was his first time taking his father to a Clemson football game.
“The best thing we did this weekend was the football game. Just hanging out and tailgating was fun,” Dan Maitland, Adam’s father, said. “I’ve watched it on TV and it looks so amazing, but being here is crazy.”
Many families had only been up to Clemson once, which had been about a month ago to move their children in. Mazzeo’s family described how it was almost the ‘perfect’ amount of time between visits.
“This weekend has been great. I think it’s been the right amount of time. I don’t think we realized we were ready to see her. I think had it of been earlier, it wouldn’t of given Clare a fair shake and any later I think it might’ve been too long,” Hope Mazzeo, Clare’s mother, said.
The amount of independence college students gain in their first year is remarkable compared to the characteristics of living at home with their parents. It’s a huge adjustment with many differences and similarities from back home. So, getting to see one’s family for a weekend ensues a sense of reassurance. For everyone, there will always be a little piece of them that they brought here to Clemson with them.
“When I talk to my friends, they’re like: ‘Yea when I met you, I could just tell you were from California,” Maitland said. “They always say I give off a California vibe with things I do like riding my longboard around campus and things I say.”
This weekend was not only a way to hang out with family but also to get in the long-awaited grocery runs or hopes of being taken out to dinner. While it was bittersweet when the weekend came to an end, many parents expressed how Clemson is clearly the right choice for their son or daughter and how proud they are of the lengths they’ve already come.
Future trips to visit Clemson are already being planned and trips to go back home are already in the making. Whether it’s not until fall break or winter break, these families are already looking forward to when they’ll get to see each other next.