As Family Weekend commences, students across campus will have the opportunity to show their loved ones their dorm room, their favorite study spots and the College’s museums. With all this excitement, it is important to be conscious of varying family dynamics and to be aware that not everyone’s family can travel to campus for the weekend.

There are a number of inhibiting factors—oftentimes economic or social—that could prevent families from traveling to campus. International students’ families may not have the logistical ability to travel thousands of miles and socioeconomic barriers prevent families near and far from attending on-campus events. Even the closest-residing domestic students may experience barriers to welcoming relatives to Brunswick.

Though it may have been a while since students have seen their loved ones—and we understand wanting to spend as much time with them as possible—we encourage students with family visiting to not forget their loved ones here at the College, especially those who don’t have family in town. Students could invite a friend to have a meal with them and their family, accompany them to an event or even check in on a friend with a text.

Opening up CampusGroups this week, it seems that Family Weekend has become somewhat of a defining label characterizing many of the events happening this weekend. Though events may be promoted for this purpose, they do not have to be restricted to just the students who have family visiting. Don’t feel that you cannot attend these events if relatives aren’t able to make it to campus; attend these events with your friends and stay engaged with the Bowdoin community regardless of how the event may be promoted. We hope that students can extend a welcoming hand to peers and embrace the idea that this weekend is centered on being in the presence of a chosen community, whether that includes friends, family or both.

With many students leaving campus with their families to enjoy a breath of fresh air and explore Maine amid a busy semester, having more distinct programming tailored toward students who do not have family visiting can create more welcoming places for these students to also have an opportunity to unwind with their peers. We hope that students who do not have their loved ones here for the weekend can still find joy and connection with each other.

“Family Weekend” encompasses far more than the traditional household community—it reflects an acknowledgment of our community and other support systems, regardless of circumstances. It is crucial we keep in mind the experiences of our peers, acknowledging the emotional weight that may accompany the upcoming days for those without loved ones arriving at Bowdoin. We urge students, campus members and those involved with the operation of Family Weekend to make sure that, while accommodating visiting families from across the world, they don’t forget the chosen families that are formed here in Brunswick.

This editorial represents the majority view of the Editorial Board, which is comprised of Grace Chang, Catalina Escobedo, Ella Ferrucci, Shawn Jiminez, Campbell Treschuk, Kristen Kinzler and Vaughn Vial.