For many freshmen, the hardest part of adapting to college life is being away from family. In fact, students of all grades often feel homesick, especially as the quarter gets closer to Winter Break, where many will return home for the first time in months.

During the Oct. 20–22 weekend, Seattle University hosted Family Weekend, encouraging students’ families to visit, enjoy Seattle and learn about the school through numerous group events and activities.

The weekend included a campus garden tour, family brunch, an address from President Peñalver, trivia night, an improv show, women’s and men’s soccer and much more.  

Zooey Redmond, second-year pre-major student originally from Portland, Ore., reflected on her freshman year. 

“I was pretty homesick the first month, before I really befriended people,” Redmond said.  

Redmond, whose family attended the event last year spoke to how the event pacified her homesickness. During Family Weekend this year, Redmond and her family hiked in Snoqualmie, went thrifting and visited Elliott Bay Bookstore and the Fremont market. 

“We kind of just walked around Cap Hill seeing what was there. I showed them all the places I would go, like Volunteer Park, and then just showing them the spots I hang out at on campus,” Redmond said. 

Redmond returned to campus earlier than most students, so she hadn’t seen her parents for two months.

“It was nice to see them. It was really nice. I’ve been getting homesick because I came up early for job training, so it was nice to see them after two months,” she said.

She thinks events like Family Weekend are important, especially for first-years.

“I think they’re definitely important for adapting. For the first month or so it was just schoolwork and sitting in my dorm, and then I would go to events so that I could actually see someone. So they’re definitely important for that,” Redmond said.  

Family Weekend is also a way for students to share parts of campus life with their family. 

Third-year Alex Cruz’s parents come to visit from Santa Cruz, Calif. every year for Family Weekend. As an official Family Weekend event, Seattle U’s improv team, which Cruz is a part of, puts on a show, which his parents always go to see. Cruz appreciates the school hosting events like these. 

“I think it’s cool. I like having a reason for my parents to come up here. I really like it because we always do an improv show then, and it’s one of the times we have the biggest turnout because it’s not only students but also their parents who are looking for something to do,” Cruz said.

Cruz, whose family also visited during his first year, enjoyed showing his family around the area, but also appreciated the official activities organized by the school. 

“My freshman year we did some of the parents’ weekend activities. We did trivia night one night and there was a breakfast we did,” Cruz said. “If we are kinda stuck, cause y’know I’m on my third year, if we’re stuck on ‘what should we do,’ at least there’s stuff we can go do, and it’s nice that there’s a designated reason for them to come up.”  

Owen Rocque, a first-year mechanical engineering major from Santa Barbara, Calif., appreciated the opportunity to spend time with his mom, who came up for Family Weekend. 

“It was nice to show her around because she’d only come up here to drop me off before, so she hadn’t really gotten to explore that much of campus and the area, so it was nice to go out in the city and show her around the area,” Rocque said. 

Rocque and his mom went on the Seattle underground tour, to the Pacific Science Center, and walked around campus and Capitol Hill. They also went to the official Family Weekend brunch. 

“I think it’s nice to give the parents and families an opportunity to come up and see the campus and the area and give them an opportunity to come visit their children,” Rocque said.  

Family Weekend on campus continues to serve as an opportunity for students to connect with their families after school starts.