Homecoming weekend rekindles college memories for parents

Dr. Stephanie Takaragawa, the associate dean of Academic Affairs and professor in Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, welcomed parents of Chapman students with a Nov. 5 masterclass on the anthropology of Disneyland. DANIEL PEARSON, Staff Photographer

Many see college as a time for students to learn, make new friends and party a little along the way. Parents' weekend is no different, except for the fact it’s now the parents’ turn to go to class and meet new people. For three days, parents are able to revisit the nostalgia of their college years.

Chapman’s parents weekend will take place through the rest of this weekend, ending Nov. 7, and it will consist of masterclasses, dinners, mingling with fellow parents, and of course, the Homecoming football game. 

Emilie Haskell, a sophomore political science and documentary and broadcast journalism double major, had her parents drive down from Fresno, California to visit her for the weekend. She told The Panther the last time her parents came to visit, classes were mostly virtual and she barely knew where any of the buildings on campus were. This time, they’re looking forward to a proper tour. 

“(Last semester) I didn't have many classes on campus, so I was like, ‘Here's the three buildings I've been in,’” Haskell said. 

Will Mader, a sophomore screenwriting major who had his family fly in from Nashville, Tennessee, said his parents are most excited to see Dodge College during their visit.

“Parents geek over (Dodge College) so much,” Mader said. “They see a movie poster and get excited.” 

Although Mader's mom is eager to see her son, she is equally excited to be reunited with Haskell’s mom, who she became best friends with the last time they were both in Orange — so much so that Mader's mom moved hotels so she could stay in the same hotel as Haskell’s mom.

“I think there's a bar in the hotel, and that's going to be very dangerous,” Mader said. “I'm worried about what stories are going to come out from both of them.”

Mader’s mom is also looking forward to meeting all of her son’s friends; she booked a huge reservation at Citrus City Grill and said he could invite anyone he wanted to. It’s safe to say Mader’s mom will party it up this weekend. 

“Honestly, I think (my mom’s) looking forward to seeing not me but my friends,” Mader said. “My parents) seem to really like my friends.”

Haskell said she is also eager for her mom to meet her friends at the lunch hosted by her sorority, Gamma Phi Beta. The event will be catered by The Taco Stand, a Chapman student favorite, which Haskell is over-the-moon for, since she is a taco lover. 

Besides the scrumptious food that Chapman has to offer, there are also several masterclasses taking place over the weekend open to parents and students. Topics range from “The Anthropology of Disneyland,”which talks about why Disney is so successful, to “Food Fraud: An Economic Crime with Global Threats to Public Health,” which talks about how the increasing amount of food fraud can affect public health. There are also discussions about science such as “What's Eating the Universe? And Other Cosmic Questions. A Popular Physics Talk by Paul Davies,'' which talks about how there is a mysterious body of mass in the constellation Eridanus. 

Parents are also encouraged to venture off-campus to explore the city of Orange. Mader’s mom loves shopping in the quaint little boutiques and antique stores in the Orange Circle any time she comes to visit.

“I think my mom is especially just so geeked out for all the little restaurants and little antique stores,” Mader said. “Like, one day, she just kind of ditched my dad to go shopping on our own.”

Anna Balistreri, a senior business administration major whose parents are visiting from San Jose, said her and her parents’ go-to place in Orange is the Citrus City Grill, just like Mader’s parents.

Balistreri is a cheerleader for Chapman Cheer, so her parents are delighted to see her express her talent with her red and black pom-poms at the Homecoming football game on Sunday.

“It's fun for them to come to (the game) and finally get to watch me perform,” Balistreri said. “They love Chapman, and they like being on campus and seeing other people, and the sense of community I think is really important to them as well.” 

Mader’s parents are big fans of football and are hoping to see the Chapman Panthers beat the Claremont-M-S Stags this weekend. They also will venture off-campus to SoFi Stadium to watch the Los Angeles Chargers play their home team, the Tennessee Titans. 

Ultimately, it’s up to the parents whether they choose to hit the books and learn about Disneyland or taste-test the local ramen restaurants for a bowl of comfort. Either option allows them to bond with their college kids, who they haven't seen in a couple of months. And if your parents can’t make it out to campus this year, don’t worry — Thanksgiving is just around the corner.