College life in the year 2010 bears little resemblance to the college days of years past — a fact that Family Weekend tries to prove to UA parents.

UA classes are open to parents and are the first activity to start off this year’s Family Weekend, put on in part by the Associated Students of the University of Arizona.

“”It started because parents wanted to know a day in the life of the UA students,”” said Lindsay Baille, associate director for customer relations of Family Weekend.

Planning for Family Weekend started in May, but Friday entertainment plans posed problems because classes are still in session.

“”We have to take into account sound because students are still in classes, so if we would like to play music, we have to put our entertainment activities later on in the day,”” Baille said.

Diversity and access are also main features of this year’s Family Weekend.

Activities like the Wildcat World Fair, Think Tank information tables and tours of Career Services and the UA campus accompany back-to-school activities for parents.

There has been little complaint from professors, as most know of the weekend’s festivities, and most parents feel enlightened by the experience.

“”For parents, they see how much it takes nowadays. It is just a lot of work,”” Baille said. “”For (professors), they see the parents are really interested in what students do on campus.””

Baille, a liaison between ASUA and the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership, sees the yearly tradition as a way to bridge the gap.

“”It is open to everyone in the community, and we are having people from all over come out. It is a good event for everybody (because) it connects the student life to the parents,”” Baille said.