Freshman Year.
This family weekend is the most exciting by far. Your family is still pretty unfamiliar with campus so you get to show them around. The highlight of the trip is getting to show them where all of your classes are or the exact table that you sat at for 9 hours straight stressing out for finals. The hotel that your family booked is most likely in bumblef!@# because you didn’t realize that everything starts filling up in May, but it’s okay cause you’re willing to take the hike to sleep over with your family. The whole squad is coming along for your freshman year family weekend, even your dog may make an appearance. You attend every single event that URI is hosting this weekend, are front row for the football game and you’re even down to go to Mews Saturday night even though there’s a 4 hour wait.
Sophomore Year.
Family weekend of sophomore year is still pretty exciting because you’re officially a pro at the 401. You are definitely going to see the comedian that the Student Entertainment Committee has organized to come on Saturday night, and you already knew to make your Coastguard House reservations for Sunday brunch one month in advance. Your family’s hotel is probably a little closer than last year, and you’re trying to figure out how to respectfully tell them “yes Mom and Dad, I’m going to ditch you at 10 o’clock because I have a social.” There’s a chance that one of your family members have ditched because they don’t really want to make the drive and you question if they even love you, but you forgive them. Your family doesn’t really need an eighth tour of campus so you avoid that, but it’s still a really great time!
Junior Year.
This one’s a little nerve wracking because you’re starting to realize you’re growing up, so you try to relive the freshman year family weekend days and try and make it awesome but you’re family is not having it. Trying to convince your younger sibling to come is a struggle, but you understand that this is their opportunity to throw a party at your house since your parents aren’t home. You’re also wishing your parents would go back to better times and bring your dog. You know what restaurants to not even make eye contact with this weekend, the football game may or may not be an option and sorry mom and dad but I’m finally 21 and have limited weekends left at URI so Charlie O’s is a 100% and you can maybe come if you stay 10 feet away from me at all times.
Senior Year.
You’d think that since this is your last family weekend it would be like freshman year all over again…dead wrong. One family member making an appearance is lucky. I’m not a senior but every senior I’ve asked if their family is coming has laughed in my face. Everyone’s over it, you’ve come to full realization you’re going to see them in a few weeks at Thanksgiving and you’re more than willing to stay in and do nothing all weekend instead of entertain people that have been here on the updside of 600 times. Driving to campus to see the comedian on Saturday night is an option, but then you think about the lack of parking and your bed just got thirty times comfier. If your family does make an appearance for senior year family weekend, you win.