Everything you don’t want your parents to know you’re doing at Virginia Tech

For most students, college is a refreshing break from parental supervision. Every student will call their parents from time to time to check in. They want to know how you are doing and what you are doing. But when they call, there are certain things that you just don’t share. Even though you are no longer living under their roof, they are still your parents and are (most likely) paying your tuition. You are going to go home eventually and when you do, you’ll inevitably to have to face them. Here are the top things you don’t want your parents to know you are doing in college.

Drugs, Sex and Drinking

Considering that most of these things are still technically illegal, I think it’s a given that you don’t share these acts with your parents.

Sex: Just as you don’t want to picture your parents having sex, they don’t want to picture you having sex. Yes, share your boyfriend/girlfriend, but not your body count. You probably don’t tell your parents that you got so drunk the other night and woke up still in The Village.

Drugs/Drinking: These two kind of go together. I am sure that most parents expect this in college (at least drinking), but even if they are aware of you drinking, they don’t want to know how much. Drinking is part of college, but your parents are probably expecting a light turn up only on the weekends. We all know that isn’t what happens. When your parents picture you drinking, they are picturing a few beers and they aren’t wrong. You did have a few beers, and then a few more, and some shots, and maybe you took a hit, and then maybe another one.

Those are the big ones, but there are smaller things that your parents don’t want to hear about you doing.

Sleeping and Skipping Class

If your parents are paying for tuition, do NOT tell them that you are skipping class. By skipping class, you are wasting their money and they will not be happy. Don’t tell them that you slept through your 8am every day this week. They also won’t be too happy to know that you are pulling all-nighters because you stayed up to 4am studying and then figured you’d just stay up.

You are failing class

In college, your parents don’t have easy access to your grades. This means that it is easier to hide your grades from them. If your parents can’t see your grades, then they can’t push you to study when you are failing and therefore it is easier to blow off school. Some students might forget that at the beginning of the school year, they signed that contract that allows their parents access to Hokie Spa after the first semester to view your grades. Good luck trying to convince them it wasn’t your fault. This isn’t high school.

Spending your food money on other things

This is your extra money, not your food swipes. Some students are getting money from their parents to buy food, but that isn’t what they are using it for. Guys usually need to buy beer to get into parties and sometimes it’s just easier to provide your own alcohol. Eventually it adds up and before you know you have spent all the money your parents gave you for food.  Sometimes it isn’t even alcohol. In college, you realize that there is stuff that you just need to buy. Those $10 ‘Blacksburg Fuckin’ Virginia ’ t-shirts are a must have. Some students also don’t realize that DX is full price after 12pm. So if you feel like your food money is running out fast, it probably is No dorm room is complete without snacks, but unfortunately your flex money can’t go towards chips at the convent store.

Eating right

It is really easy to miss meals. Sometimes I will go the whole day and realize that I forgot to eat. It is also really easy to not eat healthy. The freshman 15 is real. Don’t let your parents know that you aren’t taking care of yourself very well. They want to hear that you are eating fruits and vegetables and are regularly exercising. Use those group X passes and maybe cut back on the DX trips.

Your parents know that you are going to make mistakes in college. They probably made a few of the same mistakes when they were in college. I also wouldn’t tell your parents that everything is completely fine and perfect when it isn’t. Some things are better left unsaid.