Family Weekend is upon us once again.
Albeit much earlier than previous years, it's the annual three-day hodge-podge that brings parents and siblings back to Muncie, yielding traffic and restaurant delays paralleled only by move-in weekend.
While we must admit, the idea of willingly bringing kin into town and entertaining them for hours or days isn't the epitome of a good college time, it does provide some benefit.
Benefits like free stuff.
From groceries to a Mommy fix for homesick freshmen, having parents descending on Muncie for a weekend has many perks.
Free food is always good - four weeks is enough time to get sick of the same meals you've been eating; be it residence hall food or Ramen Noodles. With parents in town, the opportunity exists for a free lunch ... and dinner ... and a snack ... and maybe lunch the next day.
Anything forgotten at home, like warm clothes, when the season changes in less than 24 hours for, can be brought from home or new ones can be purchased - with parental assistance of course.
At the end of the weekend everyone is happy, students get free stuff, Muncie stores sell merchandise, Ball State fills seats at the football game and Mommy gets new pictures of her precious college student - who is, of course, wearing a new Ball State hoodie bought the day before.
So here's to you, Family Weekend, if for no other reason than providing us with a better snack selection.
And Dad - bring the credit cards.
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