Good Advice @ Texas Tech: An Advising Blog

Members of the Texas Tech Parents Association (Tech Parents) from across the nation have volunteered to assist Tech students as they travel on the road whether it be for a needed road break, information, or emergency help.

The entire list is printed in city/town order in the student newspaper prior to Thanksgiving and Spring Breaks and is also available on the website at http://www.depts.ttu.edu/parentrelations/resources/roadraiders101508.pdf.

You are invited to join those who make a difference in time of need. To participate in the program, visit www.parent.ttu.edu and select Join the Texas Tech Parents Association.

I know it is impolite to scream at people in all caps online, but you’ll have to accept my apologies because this is REALLY IMPORTANT!

In this day and age, email is the easiest and most cost-effective method of communication between the university and its students, so when anything happens that may affect those lines of communication, it is a big deal.

For those who set up their email prior to April of 2007, when many students logged-in to check their personal email accounts (i.e., gmail, yahoo, hotmail), they found email forwarded there from their official TTU email account (first.last@ttu.edu).  As of Monday, January 7, this will no longer work. 

As of January 7, 2008, at 8:00 am, for a student to check their official TTU email account, they must go to http://mail.ttu.edu and log in there with their eRaider username and password.

Besides important communications from their academic advisors, students will find the TechAnnounce messages that contain valuable information from all over campus, notifications about payments due, messages from their instructors, scholarship announcements, and even warnings about parking tickets, fines, and being dropped from classes for non-payment.

The bottom line here is that all students should check their TTU email accounts regularly, and beginning on Monday, all students will have to use http://mail.ttu.edu to do so.

Happy New Year,
JRB.

FamilyEducation Network (Pearson Education, Inc.)  They invade from every corner of the country, arriving in trains, planes, and automobiles. They’re sleep-deprived and burned out, bearing laundry bags instead of gifts.

Yes, the holidays are here, and our college students are back home!

Now that most universities have wisely combined semester final exams with winter break, many of us can look forward to four-week visits from our “independent” children. Welcome to the upside-down lifestyle of college students: sleeping ’til early afternoon and staying out late. While we can dangle curfew in front of high-schoolers, college kids are used to living without nagging parents and are unlikely to accept prohibitive rules without a fight. But, like it or not, they must balance their independence with the lifestyles and schedules of family members. A word of advice: Lower your expectations and be prepared for mixed results.

… Read the rest of the article here …

Information to consider if you are driving over the semester break.

1. Consider a membership in an automobile association that provides, in addition to other services, roadside emergency service, towing, etc.
2. Try to drive during daylight hours if possible, and keep your car gas levels above the halfway mark. Do not attempt to stretch your gas mileage when running low on fuel.
3. Plan your stops/breaks, etc. so that you reach safe areas in the well-lighted locations. Avoid short cuts that take you off the main road into deserted remote areas.
4. If possible, consult your map ahead of time, and know your route of travel. Try to keep from referring to roadmaps while you are in public places. This may call attention to the fact that you are traveling.
5. If you are waiting in traffic, try to maintain enough space between you and other cars, just in case you have to move quickly. Stay alert and aware of what is happening around you. Be ready to move if a problem arises.
6. Keep alert and aware while driving at all times. Pay attention to your instincts. If you are followed by another car, drive to a safe place, the police station, a business that is well-lighted, get help, and call the police at the first opportunity. Note the description of the vehicle following you, tag numbers, occupants, etc.
7. In the event of trouble, drive defensively, remain alert, and be prepared to take evasive action. Always look for a way to get out of the situation and escape. Pay attention to your side and rear view mirrors.
8. If your car breaks down, stop only when and where you think it is safe to stop. Pull the car to the side of the roadway and stay out of traffic lanes. Put flashers on, and wait inside. You might consider placing a white handkerchief on the front left window, or side facing traffic.
9. If someone stops to help, other than the police, do not get out of your car. Keep doors locked, and windows rolled up, leaving only enough window space to communicate. Make sure that the police officer shows proper identification. Be on guard at all times.

Please visit http://www.depts.ttu.edu/ttpd/cp_tips.php for more safety and crime prevention tips.

The Texas Tech Parents Association will be printing the Road Raiders list in The Daily Toreador on Monday, November 19 so students will have it in time for the drive home for Thanksgiving. Be sure to pick this list up and keep it in the car whenever you are traveling.

If you miss the Daily Toreador edition, you can also download and print the list at www.parent.ttu.edu.