For some college students, calling home can be a chore. For others, it’s a long-awaited moment of respite. But regardless of how Brown students feel about making the call, most do it frequently anyway: One in five Brown undergraduates call their parents or guardians daily, and over 80% call home more than once a week, The Herald’s Fall 2025 poll shows.
Only 4% of students call home once a month or less, and 0.5% — a mere seven students — said they never call home.
The Herald spoke with several students about what motivates them to call home.
Aryan Narayan ’26 said he typically calls his parents once or twice per week. His last call home was just two days ago when he wished his dad a happy birthday.
Similarly, Nash Riebe ’27 calls his parents approximately two to three times per week. “I’d like to call home more,” he wrote in a message to The Herald, but it is especially difficult due to his family members’ early 9 p.m. bedtime.
When he does get the chance to call home, Riebe’s parents generally ask him questions about school or other goings-on in his daily life. “I also like to hear updates on my hometown (and) dog,” Riebe said.
“I rarely have a specific agenda when I call,” he added. “It’s just nice to hear from my family.”
Like Riebe, Caleb Schultz ’26 often calls home just to catch up and “stay connected” with his family. On occasion, he picks up the phone in search of advice, like “how to email a professor or start a new hobby,” he wrote in a message to The Herald.
But for students like Sophia Janssens ’27, whose parents live farther away from campus, calling home frequently helps make the distance feel less significant. She typically calls her family at least once a day.
Janssens wrote that she and her family talk about everything from family news to daily moments. “My parents tend to know about all of the things going on in my life and I know what is going on at home,” she wrote in a message to The Herald.
Jimmy Chen ’28 said he calls his parents most weekends, roughly one to two times per week. “I just feel like I should check in with them,” he told The Herald. Although his parents would probably want him to call more often, Chen saw benefits in fostering independence as he entered adulthood.
Although Carolyn Wu ’28 only calls her parents one to two times per month, she does text them frequently, she told The Herald. Calling often isn’t for everyone, she explained. “It’s your own personal relationship with your parents.”
Narayan said that while he has not always been the best at staying in touch with his family, he believes that remaining connected is important. “Even just maintaining text conversation is something I’ve found impactful and easy,” he said.
“Coming from an immigrant background — plus Eastern culture — there is more of a tightly knit nuclear family,” he said. “That probably keeps me texting and calling home more.” Narayan, who is Hindu, plans to call home for Diwali on Monday.
Last weekend, Narayan sent them pictures from a hike he was on. While the conversation was brief, even short life updates are “better than nothing” and “keep you connected,” he added.
Teddy Fisher is a senior staff writer who studies International and Public Affairs and is passionate about law, national security and sports. He enjoys playing basketball, running and reading in his free time.
