The Conversations I’ll Remember After Move-In Day

Owen Mumma-Berman, a rising first-year student at Dickinson College, and his dads.

If you asked me a few months ago what I needed to prepare for college, I probably would have said a fan, dorm supplies, and a few extra hoodies. However, now that move in day is getting closer, I realize I need something else too. 

Conversations: 

Not the “have you thought about what you want for your room?” conversations. 

Those are important, but not on the same level as the ones that make you stop and think, the deep questions. 

“How are you really feeling?” 

“What are you most excited about?” 

“What are you worried about?” 

“What classes do you want to take?” 

As an incoming college freshman, ready to attend Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, I’ve had a lot of those conversations with my two dads. I’ll be honest though, they aren’t conversations I always want to have. Sometimes I’m tired, sometimes I think ‘I’m fine’ and just want to move on and do something more enjoyable.

But something that I have learned is that when they keep asking, they don’t mean it in a pushy way. It’s because they genuinely care, so eventually, I open up. 

And I’m always glad I do. 

I think a lot of teenagers are like that. 

We don’t always jump at the opportunity to talk about our feelings, school, or what’s going on in our lives. Sometimes we answer with one word. Sometimes we say everything is okay, when in reality it really isn’t. 

That doesn't mean we don’t care. Sometimes we just need time to process things ourselves before we’re ready to talk about them. 

For parents, that can be difficult, even frustrating. You want to help, but you also don’t want to overstep. The important thing is to keep the door open. Keep checking in. Keep showing your child that when they’re ready, you’re there. 

Because sometimes the conversation we don’t want to have becomes the conversation we need the most. 

Before students ever unpack their first suitcase or walk into their first college class- like I’ll soon be doing for American Government 101, there are important conversations every family should discuss. 

Questions like: 

What will you do when college feels overwhelming? 

Who will you turn to when you need help? 

How will you take care of yourself when you get busy? 

How will you balance your academics, friendships, and your own mental health? 

What does staying safe and making good decisions look like? 

Those conversations aren’t about expecting students to have everything figured out before they leave home. They’re about reminding students that challenges are part of a larger journey- and that they don’t have to face them alone.

As I prepare to leave for college, I know there will be exciting moments and challenging ones. 

There will be the days where I feel completely confident, and there will be the days where I miss home and need a little extra support. 

But one thing I know is that I have people who will continue to ask the questions that matter. 

Even if my first response is, “I’m fine”. 

Because sometimes “I’m fine” is just the beginning of a bigger conversation. 

And I hope that’s something other students and parents remember, too. 

College preparation isn’t just about what you bring with you on move-in day. It’s about the confidence, relationships, and support systems you build before you ever arrive. 

For me, those conversations with my dads are something I’ll carry with me into this next chapter. 

GapWell Resources

That is what makes GapWell’s 10 Essential Conversations to Have Before College so valuable. It gives families a starting point for discussion that can sometimes feel difficult to begin, while helping students, and parents better understand what the transition to college really looks like. 

GapWell’s College Crash Course takes those conversations to the next level, giving students critical guidance through videos and resources designed around the real experiences of college life. From managing independence to building healthy habits and knowing when to ask for support, those tools help students feel more prepared for what comes next. 

And for families getting ready for college, GapWell’s 10 Essential Conversations, the College Crash Course and GapWell Guide provide a meaningful way to start those conversations now, because sometimes the most important preparation or conversation happens before you ever leave home.

To download a FREE copy of GapWell’s 10 Essential Conversations to Have Before College, please fill out this link here: https://forms.gle/RjnGa9r5hCXseU7B7