Family Weekend starts today, and, although fears of allowing your parents into your place to see how you really live may overflow your thoughts, students should take this opportunity to show their parents what they’re paying for and reap the benefits.

After picking up your dirty clothes, hiding your “roommate’s” booze and taking down the “Girls of Northern Illinois” calendar, your place will be parent-proof, and you can show them around quickly and head on down to see the finally finished Altgeld Hall.

The castle only took five years to finish, which means, for some students, parents have been waiting since their student’s first year of school.

Although doors aren’t open to the public yet, take your parents down to see the exterior of the only castle they’ll ever have the chance to say they helped build. After they pat themselves on the back, it’s time to lead the way to Huskie Stadium to cheer on the football team.

Tailgating will be offered in the Convocation Center parking lot before the game, and, although it won’t be quite the same as tailgating with friends, it’s a chance to let your parents reminisce about their college days.

Football games do a good job of spreading NIU pride to the whole family. But the bonding experience between family members becomes more rewarding when the pride for the Huskies turns into the pride of having a college student and dinner at Johnny’s Charhouse becomes the final decision for last quarter.

So suck up the urge to tell your parents you are busy and think of the new NIU gear you will gain when they want to stop at the bookstore after the game and how much food will fill your fridge after a last-minute trip to Wal-Mart to pick up a “few things.”