I read The Observer's Friday editorial "Superficiality: Frosh O's real flaw" and agreed that changes are needed.
As a Frosh-O mom, I left campus with a heavier heart than anticipated thanks to Frosh-O. I hope the University does "tweak" the weekend.
We are not new to Notre Dame so we know the routine, the traditions and the layout. I understand the reasoning of Frosh-O and Notre Dame always does events with great thought and organization ... so I was sadly surprised that Frosh-O incorporated zero time outside of orientation meetings for parents to say goodbye to their children.
For me, living 2000 miles away, it was my only time on campus this year - most of which was spent with my husband and none with my daughter. Frosh-O incorporated about a total of four hours for move-in. From that point on, my cell rang with lists of wants from Target and Meijer with no way to even drop off the purchases since the dorm schedule allotted no further contact with our daughter at her dorm.Even the Alumni Legacy Reception on Saturday could not be attended as the dorm had "mandatory" events.
The event that put me totally over the edge was Sunday's Mass. I was looking forward to a peaceful mass after which I could say my final goodbyes. The final event found us segregated from our daughter once again. Hard to say "peace be with you" to a stranger when I wanted to turn to my daughter and say good luck sweetheart and have fun. So with only a short walk back to the car, I said a sad goodbye to my daughter - a goodbye that could have been a happy one but was destroyed by the final blow of Frosh-O Sunday Mass.
So I think the Frosh-O experience does need "tweaking."
Jean Palumbo
Parent
Aug. 26
