Parents Weekend: Dos and Don'ts

Howdy! Happy Parents and Family Weekend to all! Far and wide the folks have travelled in to be with you, our wonderful student body. Now, I know what you’re probably thinking: “I just left, can’t they let me have some space?” or maybe it’s more something along the lines of “I really hope they bring cleaning supplies?” In either case, it’s important to take this weekend as it is and make the most of it. Heck, you’re at one of the most beautiful locations in the west; why not treat the fam to it? I’ve been at this beautiful university for so long I feel like I’m most at home during Parents Weekend, but thankfully this has allotted me an understanding of what the parents really want to see. So, without further ado, here are some do’s and don’ts of Parents Weekend 2019. 

DO: Food It Up 

Treat your fam to some lovely IV food. We might not call it lovely, but let’s get real, where else can you find most of your sandwiches and burgers with fries, chips, or mozzarella sticks already inside the buns? Almost nowhere, and that’s just tragic. If the rare isn’t your folks’ speed, we do have some rather delicious pizza palaces, burrito depots, and snack shacks just waiting for you to be the middle men and women between your parents’ wallets and satisfied tummies. Don’t forget, for something more special, State Street offers some rather nice sit down options that range from casual evening eateries to those places where you have to use the right fork for the salad, lest ye be judged (it’s third from the left).

DON’T: Put Off Your Studying Until this Weekend

Imagine this: your mom, dad, and grandparents all file into their car at approximately 7AM on Saturday, pack up all the necessities you swear you hadn’t forgotten at the end of summer, have a hardy breakfast at a pancake house in the middle of nowhere, and finally arrive to find out that you haven’t finished that trigonometry booklet that you had all last week to complete. That would be so sad. Please, we urge you to make some time this week, wrap up some work, and get ready to show your parents what all their years of love and devotion have paid off with. The biggest present you can give your loved ones is the present of time, which is why they’re coming here in the first place, right? 

DO: Sight the Seas.. Seas the Sights? 

We touched on this earlier but the Santa Barbara region is home to some of the most underrated sights in California, possibly the United States, and most likely the earth. I’ve said it many times but will continue to now, our little slice of paradise is not to be taken lightly. What might Grandma like more than anything on the trip? Perhaps a cute pic with her granddaughter during golden hour at Douglas Family Preserve? Did I mention there’s a dog beach right next to this? Oh, it gets better. We have Lizard’s Mouth, Knapp’s Castle, the Old Mission, OUR OWN CAMPUS, the Chromatic Gate--heck we have two piers! The possibilities are endless, but the moral of the story is that while the family is in town, might as well show them some terrific spots and get a little bonding done on the way there. (Don’t forget about the time change this weekend, which will likely affect golden hour.)

DON’T: Get Your Parents in Trouble!

It is still the noise ordinance this weekend, and no matter how well your folks can hang, I’m sure they don’t want a huge fine trying to do so. In short, if you party too hard you’re gonna have a bad time!

DON’T: Forget to Drop By Our Shop!

Okay, is this a shameless shop promotion in an otherwise meaningful article? I wouldn’t say shameless as we have rolled out some killer deals this weekend. If you really want to show off some UCSB, IV, Goleta, or Santa Barbara style, why not let your parents do the same? We have been rolling out a slew of new products which your parents will literally be begging you not to buy because you’ll be stealing their vibe. Plus, there’s a special sale for a free Mom or Dad sticker with a $40 purchase.

Do: Enjoy the Moment

Someone once said “It’s sometimes difficult to realize the good times are in fact the good times until they’re gone,” to which I say “why not make the good times now?” Take the time and appreciate the special moments in life. If you have family coming in, treat that as the gift it is. If you don’t have family coming in, maybe see if you can join a friend’s. Trying not to get so wrapped up in the everyday stressors is what can make or break this weekend, and we fully implore you to do the former. Enjoy the moment, laugh the laughs, smile and such. This simple formula is key to everything else on this list and we truly can’t wait to hear all your awesome parent stories from this weekend.

Give us a shoutout with your best Parents Weekend 2019 stories in the comments, on our Facebook, or Instagram. Even better, drop by and tell us about in person, we’d love to hear. Best wishes from the team at IVO. 

Brock Clark would like to give a shoutout to all the families making time to see their Gauchos and Gauchas this weekend.