University of Alabama Activities |
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Adopt-A-Student Activities for Adopting Host Families
and Their Students These are
some suggestions. Don’t try to do all
of them. The students should not feel
“smothered,” but, rather, should know that they are loved and have a place to
turn whatever happens to them during their college life. Offer them the opportunity to pick and
choose what they are comfortable doing.
Some might feel some apprehension about coming into your home early in
the relationship. We’ve tried to
alleviate some of this apprehension by pairing two students with a host
family in most cases. If you have any
additional suggestions for this list please
send the Committee an e-mail note or write them down and give them to a member of the Committee. 1.
Make
sure to look for your student each Sunday and greet him or her warmly before
the service starts. 2.
Sit
together in Worship Service if your student is not obviously accompanied by a
number of friends. In the latter
situation, invite them all to sit with you. 3.
Go out
to dinner in a restaurant after church. 4.
Take
your student home for Sunday Lunch after church. 5.
Have
lunch together at a restaurant near the campus from time to time during the
week. 6.
Invite
your student to your home to study if you are hearing about problems with
studying on-campus. 7.
Invite
your student to do his or her laundry, wash their car, or just hang out at
your home—if you are comfortable with that. 8.
Invite
your student to go along with the family on recreational outings or sports
events. 9.
Invite
your student to Wednesday Night Fellowship and Study at Trinity. 10. Call
your student occasionally just to see how things are going and to indicate
you are thinking of them and want to help if they need anything. 11. Prepare
and deliver “care packages” during exam weeks. These might include cookies, cake, healthy snack food, a
memento such as a card, a beanie baby, or a small desk bouquet, etc. 12. Attend
special events in the school life of your student (honors awards, graduation,
etc.) 13. Correspond
with the student’s parents to let them know the positive things that happen
in your relationship. You might clear
this with the student and definitely steer clear of reporting the student’s
behavior to the parents unless you and the pastor feel it would be warranted. 14. Provide
information about Tuscaloosa when your student asks for it. Prepare by making a list of important
agencies, contact persons and phone numbers for a variety of special needs occasions. The following is a partial list of such
contacts: a.
Health
professionals not available through the Student Health Service (encourage the student to get his or her health care needs taken care of
through the campus infirmary, because some benefits of the student insurance
program might be lost if they go to an outside physician first) b.
Towing
service c.
Locksmith d.
Good
restaurants e.
Good
automobile dealership service departments f.
Good independent automotive service people. g.
Good
hair care professionals We’ll be working on this list, too,
and will send it out to you later. 15. Pray for
your student. Pray for their health
and safety, the strength and will to study, the strength and will to avoid temptations,
willingness to take time to rest and relax and other needs as you discover
them. 16. Send
them e-mail and e-greeting cards, but don’t overdo it—especially the
forwarding of jokes and long correspondence. 17. Send
them birthday cards and other greeting cards on special occasions (Christmas,
Easter, etc.) 18. Introduce
them proudly to other members of the congregation. 19. If you
have an international student, offer to let them spend the school’s holiday
break with you (or, at least, get together for the celebration of the
holiday) if you have the facilities and are so inclined. 20. Encourage
them to use their special talents in some service to the church (choir,
instrumental music for worship services, child care, meal preparation,
creative arts for décor, helping in children’s Sunday school, VBS, etc.) |
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