THE BCT BLOG: Preparing Your Scholar for the NYC Omega Black College Tour

By now you have participated in the college readiness workshops leading up to the tour. You have watched your scholar receive an education on the historical perspective of HBCU's. You noticed his/her participation in the team building workshop. You related to Dr Bob Lee of 107.5 WBLS experience in sending his own children off to college. After almost of month of Saturday's participating in NYC Omega Black College Tour workshops and watching your child learn the song "Lift Every Voice and Sing", you are becoming comfortable with the program.

Yet there is the "800 pound gorilla" in the room, the 7 day 6 night college tour. The week your scholar will be away from home. Will my child be okay? I am comfortable with the program but am I really that comfortable? Suppose my child gets sick? Will he or she be okay? Suppose they do not get along with someone? How do I deal with the anxiety of my precious cargo being away for a week?

There are many things that can be done to manage the anxiety leading up to the time your love one goes on tour. Here are few suggestions to consider....

Talk to Your Children
It is a good idea to take some time and talk with your loved one. Get a feeling for how they feel about their overall experience being part of the NYC Omega Black College Tour. Give him or her time to express there feelings. Teenagers are usually not overly expressive. They may not come out and readily share there feelings with you as the authority figure. That is okay. Do not force or pressure them. The purpose is to give them an open door to share their feelings. Reminding them you are a "go to" person to express their feelings. After giving them ample time to express their thoughts, share with them how you feel. If you are experiencing anxiety, share that with them. You will be amazed how open dialogue will help to manage anxiety.

Review the Material Provided by NYC Omega BCT
By now you should have returned your signed and notarized Code of Conduct form. Returning the form indicates you have reviewed the document, in agreement, and believe you can adhere to the Code of Conduct. It is a good idea to take a few minutes and review the document with your scholar. Reminding them adhering to the Code of Conduct increases there chances of having a great experience. Ask your scholar if they think there are any aspects of the document they find especially challenging or troublesome to accept. Remind them it is okay they feel this way. It gives you the guardian an opportunity to discuss and address any concerns you or they may have regarding the trip. If need be, discuss any aspects you find troubling with someone from the NYC Omega Black College Tour planning committee. Challenges with the document does not necessary mean there is an issue. It just means there are things requiring further discussion. Now is the time to address them before the tour takes place. Talk to other parents, students, and planning committee members who have attended the tour in prior years. They are all veterans of the tour and have a wealth of knowledge to share from their experience.

Secondly review the document which covers the things needed to bring on the tour. Your scholar missing a necessary item from the document could impact their experience. Double check to ensure you have made provisions for the things required to bring on the tour.

Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing
Your loved one is on tour for one thing only, to evaluate their college options. The purpose is to get a first hand experience what college life is like. They should be constantly asking themselves "Could I see myself at this campus"? Remind them to be comfortable to ask questions while they visit the campuses. Pay close attention to the students currently enrolled at the school. Sure they will have fun being away from you for a week. Reinforcing the main purpose why they are attending helps to keep them focus on the task at hand.

Remind Them of Family Values
Your love will be representing themselves, your family name, and the tour. It is okay to remind them they were raised with good values. This is not a time to forget that. It is okay to remind them this is a dress rehearsal for college life. They are going to be expected to be responsible and not embarrass themselves or the tour in anyway. The way they act could impact opportunities for some else in the future. It is also a good opportunity to let them know how proud you are of them and are confident they will get the most out of this experience. Positive reinforcement goes a long way of building there confidence.

Mom/Dad you must have confidence in how you raised your loved one. Now is the time to have confidence in how you raised your loved. Instilling in them good family values will mean they will "push the envelop" but at the end of the day your family values will guide there decision making. Assure yourself of how you raised your child. Trust God that will guide them during the week away. (Train a child in the way they should go and when they are older they will not depart from it Proverbs 22:6).

Always remember the NYC Omega Black College Tour is an extended family. We are here to assist in making this experience the best it could be for your scholar.