“So, what have you been up to?”

Most Baker University freshmen have heard this question from their parents since leaving for college.

“My mom didn’t believe me when she called me and asked me what I did over the weekend,” freshman CJ Hess said. “I told her ‘I don’t remember much,’ and she just laughed.”

After arriving at Baker, Hess went out to meet other Baker students on his first weekend. After a quick “what’s up” with his roommate, the two became friends. He said there was no conversation about cleaning, organization or rules. It was simply fun.

Recently independent freshmen like Hess often do not want mom and dad checking up on them daily, partly because their actions upon arriving to college aren’t always appropriate or easy to discuss with parents.

Freshman Bethany Oeser admits that she hid some “not-so-hot” grades from her parents.

“It is nice not (living with) parents at some points, but there is no extra reminder, so it can get you in trouble, too,” Oeser said.

Pursuits that students may choose to keep hidden include getting a first tattoo or piercing since most freshmen are turning 18-years-old and do not need parental consent.

Last year, sophomore Hayley Seibel got two tattoos during the first semester without telling her parents.

Seibel’s first tattoo was on the left side of her chest above her heart and reads: “Seibel” and “Bross” within an infinity sign representing both sides of her family.

Seibel got her second tattoo to represent the love she has for her mother. It reads “I love you to the moon and back” with a crescent moon and three stars symbolizing Orion’s belt and wishing stars for when they are missing one another.

Eventually, Seibel’s parents saw that she had taken money out of her bank account and called her to find out why. When it came time to discuss the tattoos, Seibel started by telling them about the first one.

Since the tattoo represented the bond between her two families, she talked to her dad first, thinking he would appreciate the meaning behind the family-inspired tattoo. Her dad’s surprised reaction shocked her because he wasn’t mad. He only asked was if she was smart about the process. <br/>

Seibel’s parents found out about her second tattoo through her brother.

“They cornered me,” Seibel said. “They made me breakfast, said they loved me and asked about the tattoo I had not yet told them about.”

The choices that students, especially freshmen, make in college may not provide satisfying answers for parents who ask the question, “What have you been up to?” But, making one’s own decisions is just another step in preparing for the real world.