Life at NaropaStudent SupportParent & Family Resources

Parent & Family Resources

Leaving for college can be an exciting and challenging time as it is a big transition for the students and their families. There are questions that you and your student may have that range from what to pack, will they make friends, what food will they eat, and will they will safe? Here at Naropa, your student’s safety and well-being are crucial. This page is designed to share resources that will help you understand what Naropa has to offer your student and yourself during their time here!

Tips for Parents & Families

A child leaving home is clearly one of life’s biggest changes and maybe one of the toughest transitions you’ll face as a parent. While your child’s safety and well-being is crucial, it’s also important to take care of yourself during this transition. Here are a few tips and resources you may find useful and helpful.

  • First, realize it’s normal to experience a range of emotions when a child leaves the home. Allow yourself to feel whatever emotions come up. Fighting them will only make them feel more unmanageable. If your feelings are becoming unmanageable, consider seeing a counselor or therapist. Asking for help is a sign of strength and resourcefulness.
  • Being a parent is just one aspect of your life. Stop and identify the other roles you play. Part of honoring yourself is seeing the entirety of who you are.
  • Consider what family means to you. Who is supportive of you? Spend time with people who know you well and who will honor the journey this transition represents for you.
  • Talk with your family about what this change means to you. How is your relationship with your spouse or partner different now? How is it the same?
  • Seek support from family and friends. Ask others how they’ve dealt with similar transitions.
  • Doing a ritual to mark this life transition can be deeply rewarding. A ritual can be as simple as burning sage to start anew, or as complex as holding a ceremony with others. Make it yours.
  • Consider creating a sacred space in your home. You might use it for journaling, meditating, praying, or making art. This space might be a corner, a table, or an entire room. Make it work for you.
  • Have a conversation with your family about how you’ll use the space that was your child’s bedroom. There is no right way to do this, but involving the whole family in the dialogue is important.
  • Times of transition can allow us to make other changes in our lives. What changes have you been waiting to make? Perhaps now is the time to implement some of your ideas.

Boulder, Colorado Location

Boulder, Colorado, is consistently recognized as a wonderful place to live, go to school, and start a business. The recently released U.S. News & World Report survey of the best places to live in America in 2021–2022 awarded the number-one spot to Boulder for the second consecutive year. An excerpt from the U.S. News & World Report article:

Snug against the foothills where the Great Plains give rise to the Rocky Mountains, Boulder is nothing if not a looker. This city reveals its spectacle at the crest of a hill on U.S. Route 36 from Denver with its iconic sandstone slabs rising from the mountains, prefaced by pine-clad mesas and cradled within the backdrop of the snow-capped Indian Peaks. Read more.

Campus & Community Events

Naropa offers a variety of events and activities designed to create a sense of belonging for all enrolled students. It is our hope that by participating in these events, your student will feel a part of the Naropa community. The experience between choosing to attend Naropa and graduating from Naropa can include opportunities for learning and engagement and it can also create lasting friendships and connections.

New Student Orientation: Friday, January 13, 2022

For questions or additional needs, please contact deanofstudentsoffice@naropa.edu

Creating a Culture of Care at Naropa

Meet Director of Campus & Residence Life Stephan Taylor (left) and Associate Dean of Students Jeremy Moore, EdD, and learn about their holistic and integrated approach to student support.  

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