Western Michigan University's move-in schedule for first-year students is spread over two days to ease traffic congestion and chaos in the halls. We offer a hospitality area in a convenient location for parents and families to take a break, ask questions, enjoy refreshments, and enter raffle drawings. As an incentive for families to stop by, we offer the opportunity to write a note of support, encouragement, congratulations, love, etc. to their student. We then mail the cards to the students about three weeks into the semester. 

This has been a well-received initiative and occasionally students that stop by the hospitality area will write a note of thanks to their loved ones as well. Even if students know their loved ones wrote a card, usually by the time they receive the card, it's a welcome surprise.

The card doesn't have to be expensive and ordering in bulk to use over multiple years will lower the cost.

Tips:

• Make sure the family member includes the student's full name and address (and write the address legibly) 
• Let the mail room or residence life staff know that the cards are coming in advance 
• Consider having the cards in other locations during move-in (such as info tables in the residence halls) 
• Offer a family weekend package to encourage family members to stop by the hospitality