Brooke Stier is an integral part of the Radi To Write team. This CSB senior wows me with her organizational and management skills! Not only is she carrying a rigorous course load, she’s also super-active on campus, serving as the President of the Marketing Club. And, to top it off, she’s wise beyond her years. Parents, you’ll appreciate her honest insight into the high school-to-college transition. Read on and get to know Brooke!

Area of study: Global Business Leadership Major, Mathematics Minor

Clubs & Extracurriculars: Marketing Club, The DIFFERbilities Club

Fun Fact about you: Started my own little baking business in 2014

Best thing(s) your parent(s) did to help you as you started your freshman year: Emotional and financial support. They helped me move in, contributed to everything I needed to buy the first year, sent me care packages, got a monthly care package from the school that they purchased in advance, checked in on me every now and then (but not too often!). Essentially I knew they were there for me no matter what, supporting me in my decisions with classes, work, and friends, as well as lending a hand whenever I needed them.

Best item(s) to receive in a care package: FOOD AND MONEY! Having cash on hand was so nice – especially as a freshman because I didn’t have a car on campus and couldn’t just swing by the bank whenever I needed cash. And of course food. But honestly, getting anything in a care package in general is a treat. The feeling of opening your mailbox to see that you have a package notification and opening it up to see it is from your parents – not a more exciting feeling.

What suggestions do you have for today’s PARENTS as they face the high school-to-college transition? Just remember how you felt when you were sent off to college, but keep in mind the changing times. Would you really have liked to talk to your parents on the phone every single night after they dropped you off at college? Maybe you would have, and that’s fine. But most students don’t want that. Maybe send them a text every now and then to check in – let them know that you still care and that you miss them. But don’t be overbearing. Give your child this time to grow, expand their relationships, figure out who they are as a person, make dumb mistakes from time to time, or even fail an exam. They need this time to themselves to figure things out, without having mom and dad be there guiding them every single little step of the way anymore.