Parents of the HS Class of 2011 - We're awesome! - Page 550

mathmomvt · 10-08-2012, 12:25 PM

I loved Organic Chemistry. I took it "for fun" even though I was a math and CS major. (I did consider switching to pre-med quite seriously for a while. I took a lot of biology/genetics/neurology classes for fun also.)

I too worry that my S does not seem to be enjoying himself very much. He seems to have a lot of work and said all of his classes this semester are "boring". He has a project class that is about to pick up though, and an extra-curricular project that is also about to pick up, so hopefully that will mitigate the boredom. (He also has classes he is looking forward to for next semester.)

We won't get to see him until Thanksgiving. It's too much hassle to come home for the 4-day weekend that is fall break.

VAMom2015 · 10-08-2012, 03:29 PM

MMVT: My father also loved orgo. Hopefully those genes passed down to DS. He was looking forward to the class rather than dreading it, but he's really focused on getting great grades and his school is one known for grade deflation. I think he was fine with how he did last year (which was VERY well) until he heard that one of the guys from ROTC that he knew didn't get picked up for medical school. I think he's worrying too much since that guy even told him that he didn't do too well his first two years in school (and DS did do well). In the end, it's his life, and I know when he was home he managed to goof off a lot, so I'm sure he has down time, but I want him to enjoy down time with others, not just his computer and the games he plays on them!!!! He's got good roommates, so hopefully they pull him out for some fun and he's just not telling us about it!

OK all, if we want to keep our thread alive lets all make an effort to check it and if it sinks below page one, post something to keep it going. More posts will hopefully get more reads and the circle of life will keep it going!!!

TessaR · 10-08-2012, 04:31 PM

D2 is enjoying her Sophomore year at school. She has changed majors a few times and still undecided what she really wants to do. Her EC's take up quite a bit of her time and she really seems to be enjoying the new school year. Since she is attending school on the East Coast she won't be home until Christmas Break

I looked at airfare for my husband and D1 for Thanksgiving but it was too expensive for all of us to fly out.

D1 graduates from college in May and has been filling out applications for Vet school. Not sure if she has made a plan B if she doesn't get in. I have heard it is very difficult to get accepted to Vet schools. Here is hoping!!

SlitheyTove · 10-08-2012, 04:50 PM

Oooh Tessa, good luck to D1 on the vet school apps, and to hopefully not needing a backup plan!

Envying those of you who get to have your students come home for fall break. Feeling grateful that D1 will be home for Thanksgiving. No idea when she'll be home for winter break. D2 is going to be in Boston at the end of December, and I was hoping that D1 would be home before D2 left so that D2 could borrow D1's winter gear. Just watch, it's going to barely miss working out, and I'll have to get D2 a heavy winter coat anyway.

This reminds me of when 11th grade D1 went to Chicago at the end of December. I figured that if we bought her proper winter boots and coat with the thought that she could use them in college then it would guarantee that she wasn't going to go to a school with seriously cold winters. Whereas if we didn't buy her good cold weather gear, she would go somewhere cold. Why does life work this way?

CHS2011Mom · 10-08-2012, 10:13 PM

I got a private message on Facebook from (chronically uncommunicative) DS the other day. All it said was, "hey guess what."

Uh...you need bail money? you got someone pregnant? you're dropping out to join the circus?

No, "I got Windows 8."

Ack. When I think about it, getting Windows 8 is *exactly* the kind of thing that, in his mind, would warrant sending me a personal message, but man. I've been so good about not pestering him for updates on how this year is going--every worry shot to the surface when I saw that "hey guess what."

He was so pleased with his Windows 8 news that he let me know that he has 4 big assignments to work on. My conversation extender didn't work, though; I asked, "Which classes?" and he just said "All of them." Too bad he can't earn interest on words, because he sure hoards them.

VAMom2015 · 10-09-2012, 06:52 AM

CHS-I can relate. I finally sent a text asking if he was getting my texts since he didn't answer them. His reply was he read the previous one late at night so didn't answer. (not the only unanswered one). Now he's forgotten to call hid dad on his birthday when I called him the night before to remind him. Sigh!

Sent from my DROID RAZR using CC

Pepper03 · 10-09-2012, 08:29 AM

I have another one who is definitely in the sophomore slump with classes! He hates Calc 3 with a passion-this is a problem since he is a math major. He is taking two other math classes which are "OK" and an Economics class but I can't remember if it is macro or micro. It's all about Calc 3 though-he spends so much time on it and he is miserable with it. I even suggested maybe he is in the wrong major but he said after he gets through this he will only have X number of math classes left for his major-he is a Math/Economics combined major and he hopes to be able to add a writing minor to that.

My children hate taking anything that they see no purpose in learning! He says this is useless since he isn't going to be an engineer. I told him if he wants the major that alone makes the class useful! I need some help from my math friends here as I am rather clueless about what he is talking about.

Socially though things are well! He loves the apartment living versus the dorm room of last year! He is involved in several EC's including a new one which he says is awesome-getting more involved with student government and specifically finance.

He will start sending resumes out this week for his coop. He is very excited and yet overwhelmed at the same time with the whole process.

I get random texts from him-usually on a bad day! I can go days without a word and then I get them in bunches but he usually checks in at night to say goodnight.

Meanwhile little sister is at home sick. She has been fighting a cold for a while-they now suspect she may have mono.

EmmyBet · 10-09-2012, 08:34 AM

Hello, everyone! I am glad to hear the news of our now quite veteran college students. I think there's a common theme that the work is starting to intensify - my D is in the same boat. She took an overload this semester, not so much out of overconfidence or enthusiasm, but because she's worried about staying on track and getting everything done. Now that it's midterms, she's really busy. She's kept up a heavy load in both theatre and academics, plus of course there are the performance commitments. I think she's really looking forward to next semester, when she can pull back on the coursework a bit. She, too, is doing a lot of thinking ahead. I can tell she's feeling like college is so short, that she will barely get to do a fraction of what she wants. I keep telling her that's what the rest of life is for!

There has been the expected shuffling and shifting of friendships, socializing, figuring out an independent lifestyle, etc. She's also realizing her study abroad next year gets closer all the time, and she's doing a good job of looking ahead for summer internships, etc. Her department and her peers are all very helpful in giving her leads (so to speak!) on that.

SlitheyTove, I had to laugh at your coat and boots story. My D1's first roommate was from Southern CA, and on move-in day her mom told me, "Look, we got her a coat - is it going to be warm enough?" I looked at it - it was the weight of an average blazer-type jacket - and said, "Well, maybe for October...."

I'm going to have the good fortune of seeing my D in a couple of weeks. I was steeling myself not to see her until December, but I am going east for a family event, and D joked that I should come through NYC and see her. It's really not more difficult or expensive (because she has a car there, which I can borrow to drive to see family). I'm so excited because I'll be there for a big production she is working on. But now she's afraid she'll be in rehearsal so much we won't get to hang out! Ah, such is the theatre world.

I'm grateful for this opportunity; D1 is joining me in MA, so I'll get to see both of them. H won't see either of them until winter break, won't have seen D1 since May. Poor guy.

keylimepie · 10-09-2012, 08:46 AM

Good Morning! Coffee and scrambled eggs for everyone.

DS is coming for the Fall Break this Friday. I can't wait. His University has the parents weekend in late October, but I can't go because of work. OTOH, if I want to visit him, I don't need a parents weekend to do so.

I have a nice problem on my hands. I just looked at my vacation balance and I still have 3 weeks that I need to take before the year end. The only thing is if I want to have a family vacation, it’s got to be over the winter break and travel is quite pricey then. We already went on European vacation in the summer and to NC coast in April, so I am on a budget here,

EmmyBet · 10-09-2012, 08:50 AM

Have you ever been to the Southwest? I have family in AZ and visited last year. Really such a beautiful and surprising part of the country, like being on another planet. I can't wait to go back.

Pepper, I hope your D feels better soon. It's so rough when they are sick on top of everything else.

keylimepie · 10-09-2012, 08:58 AM

EmmyBet - Thanks, I will look into it. DS really wants to go to San Francisco. But we were there once in April and it was freezing. Well, it was wormer than here in Midwest, but I definitely didn’t expect that from California. Have a great trip, EmmyBet. Sounds very exciting, I will be waiting for an update when you are back.

Pepper03 – Sorry to hear about your daughter, wishing her speedy recovery.

momjr · 10-09-2012, 11:12 AM

It's nice to see all the updates. Sorry to hear about the course challenges. I guess the party is over. D2 switched majors over the summer and is currently taking two lab sciences, which are tougher but more interesting than last year's communication classes. She's working hard and will take advantage of the tutoring program at her school so I think she'll be okay. She was just home for fall break and it was wonderful to spend some time with her.

ST: That's bad luck about the coat. If you have to buy one, maybe you can get one that D1 likes and she can take it afterwards unless D2 ends up in a cold weather location.

Pepper: I really hope it's not mono!!

Keylimepie: I like the idea of the Southwest. We've done family trips there and to Northern California and both were great. San Francisco might not feel so cold in December.

cgpm59 · 10-09-2012, 11:31 AM

Keylime, come see us in Texas! Winter would be a great time because it's not hot. Easy flights into DFW, Houston, Austin or San Antonio, all of which are at the most about a 3-4 hour drive from each other. Austin has Hill Country views, great food, music, museums. San Antonio has more great food and lots of cultural sites -- the old Spanish missions, the Alamo, etc. Houston has more of the same, plus tours of NASA, which is pretty cool. And if you still have "college shoppers" in the house, you can hit lots of great campuses.

arisamp · 10-09-2012, 12:58 PM

Pepper - hope your D doesn't have mono!

Had been to see D last weekend - was my birthday too, so was nice to spend it with her. She's doing ok with the classes, but is having an awful time socially. Girl drama - roommates are being mean. Too bad there's not much we can do to help - just listen to her vent. Slithey - Diff EQ is still tough, but she's hoping she can pull out an A (only one test has been bad thus far).

She made several several plans for fall weekend - none of them involved her coming home

We were ok with it though since we just got to see her. Most of the plans fell through - but right now, a couple of friends from other schools are driving down to spend at least a day and a half with her. Am so glad she won't be alone - with all the girl drama that's she's been facing, being alone during fall weekend would be bad.

Emmybet - have a great time in NY! It's a great feeling to see the kids - I am going through the withdrawal today, back at work

keylimepie · 10-09-2012, 01:05 PM

cgpm59 – Thanks for the invite. My next “college shopper” is in 7th grade this year, but our first ever college visit with our son was to the Rice University. We all loooooved it. Didn’t see a lot of Houston, though. But after visiting Rice we drove to San Antonio and had great time there. I wouldn’t mind going there again, but my family will be like “Been there, done that”. If my 7th grader keeps her grades up, I am sure she will have Rice U on her list.