Volume 124 Issue 20
kansan.com
Friday, September 16, 2011
FAMILY TIES
CONTACT
SIBLINGS ATTENDING KU TOGETHER DISH ON WHAT IT'S LIKE
College can be a pretty overwhelming time. Daunting classes, crazy weekends and crowds of students ready to steamroll over the freshmen makes it feel like there's no stopping the madness. Luckily, everyone soon falls into new friendships. For some students, there's someone even closer to them that they can turn to—their sibling. But having someone you've known forever right by your side isn't always easy.
ENTERING THE COLLEGE ATMOSPHERE
When Kelli Klecan, a sophomore from Topeka, came to KU last year, she looked to her older brother, Kurtis, now a senior, for advice. Whether it was showing her how to buy books without spending thousands of dollars, moving boxes into her dorm room or just answering the phone, Kurtis automatically assumed the big brother role.
"You want to help your sibling out and help her get in really fast." Kurtis says. "I could teach her where to go and what to do in Lawrence when she first got here."
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Sharing insider information with a younger sibling is often the go-to assistance an older sibling first offers. Dr. Don Lynch, a psychology professor at Unity College in Maine, says this can help strengthen the relationship right off the bat. "Having an older sibling on campus, who helps you learn the ropes with things even as simple as finding a classroom, really makes the transition to college go more smoothly," he says. "It's very valuable stuff."
Mark Krutty, a sophomore from Olathe, noticed the same benefits from his older sister Brittany, a senior. In their case, not only did Brittany help him when he first arrived, but she also had an effect before he even stepped foot on campus. "I knew what to expect," Krutty says. "Seeing her here definitely helped me know what I could look to later in college."
WHEN THE SOCIAL SCENE STEPS INTO THE PICTURE
While school is easy to handle, things get a little trickier when siblings and parties mix. And, if siblings have differing personalities, it can really start to jump off the deep end.
Kelli and Kurtis consider themselves opposites—Kurtis is more of the partner, while Kelli is more reserved. Kelli says it took her a while to see Kurtis in his partying glory, especially since they hang out in the same group of friends and live one block away from each other.
"When I got to KU last year, obviously as big brothers do, he was like 'come over, let's have some fun.' Drinking wasn't something I wanted to pursue, but I eventually learned that I could go over to his house and not drink with him and still have fun," Kelli says.
Brittany and Mark also hang out in the same group of friends. While both sets of siblings enjoy having friends in common, Dr. Lynch says in other siblings' relationships, this can cause some tension. "Competition can put a lot of stress on siblings," Lynch says. "It's part of your developmental growth period. When you have social stuff going on, having and hanging out with your own separate friends is important."
JD
CHRISTINE CURTIN
While Mark and his sister haven't had any huge fights, he thinks there should be some regulations between how siblings interact in social settings. "It depends on what your relationship is with your sibling before you come to college," he says. "But I think it's good to draw a line between how you socialize so you don't get too frustrated with each other at any given point in time."
Brittany and Mark Krutty
Contributed photo Kelli and Kurtis Klecan
MOM DOESN'T ALWAYS KNOW BEST
It's common for siblings to share with their parents what their brother or sister has been up to at college. Even the strong-willed siblings who swear to secrecy can crack under mom or dad's pressure. "There is potential for some real conflict when parents get involved in college siblings' relationships," Dr. Lynch says.
Like Kurtis and Kelli experienced, it's not always best to clue the parents in on certain activities. "If we fight even, it's about the fact that I tell mom stuff that she doesn't need to know exactly," Kelli says.
Brittany and Mark had it a little easier. Their parents would more so ask general questions about their relationship at college than get involved. "That type of conflict can not only damage the relationship between siblings, but also the relationship between the siblings and their parents." Dr. Lynch says.
MORGAN LAFORGE/KANSAN
Johanna Moon, a student at Cordley Elementary, leans on the front door of Lawrence Community Shelter early Thursday morning as she waits to go to school. There is a large number of families with children elementary age that are currently living here.
dmscott@kansan.com
"Kids are so adaptable. The stressors we see are getting used to a new school and the stigma that may come with the label 'shelter kid' or 'homeless kid,'" said Jennifer Davis, the case manager at the Lawrence Community Shelter. "Luckily, so many of them are going to the same school that they
Students know the challenges of waking up for that 8 a.m. class. But some students — much younger students — understand a different struggle. These students, along with getting up early, must make their way from the Lawrence Homeless Shelter. In the morning, a group of 17 children woke up and shared two showers and two toilers along side 14 adults. After getting ready they went up stairs and waited with 40 more adults for breakfast, or walked to school and received a free meal at school.
viduals here struggling. Their self-esteem is being damaged each day they're here. Their self worth is
According to the Kansas Point in Time Homeless Count for Douglas County, a biannual report, the Lawrence school district counted 100 children ages K-12 who were homeless in 2009 and 149 in 2011, accounting for a 49 percent increase.
the past, it would be just one new kid coming from the shelter. He or she would stand out a little bit more."
Students could also decorate bandanas in honor of a victim of sexual assault and learn more about what sexual assault is and what resources are available for assistance with a different
The school district defines homeless under the McKinney-Vento Act, which includes families that are double-up or staying with family or friends.
The main goals of the week were to increase awareness and educate the campus about sexual assault. Each day this week, volunteers had a table on Wescoe Beach set up where students could take a pledge to hold others accountable for their actions and try to put an end to sexual assault.
The shelter began its Family Program at the end of 2008. In 2009, there were 14 families with 24 adults and 24 children in the program. In 2010, there were 50 families with 67 adults and 83 chil-
tion about the issue up front rather than waiting until the end of the year would help them navigate potentially dangerous situations better, she added.
Davis has seen a dramatic increase in family homelessness in Douglas County.
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"We want to make sure they know how they can help and how they can be an advocate," said Heath. "And we want them to know its not just a women's issue. We want to make it okay for men on this campus to be able to talk about it seriously and try to help prevent it on our campus."
Today, volunteers will discuss the importance of bystander intervention. The GaDuGi SafeCenter will also host two events over the weekend to raise awareness and money to prevent sexual assault.
Edited by Josh Vantor
CLASSIFIEDS 9
CROSSWORD 4
CRYPTOQUIPS 4
OPINION 5
SPORTS 10
SUDOKU 4
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Forecasts done by University students. For a more detailed forecast, see page 24.
HI: 61
LO: 52
see page 27. This weather is awesome
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