According to D the 10 am deadline is not "strict" of course this is from someone who doesn't think she has more stuff now than at the beginning of the year I have pictures of plastic bags being tossed out of the window at 10:15 - I wish everyone luck esp MWFN - maybe she willed most of her stuff away!
From everything I remember the 10 AM deadline is pretty strict. They come around and tell you to get out and start really pushing you towards the door. I mean, they're not going to make you leave your stuff in the hall if you're not done by 10, but I remember them being very firm that that is the closing time.
Actually, it's a topic worth discussion. See also, "Evolution of boundaries and expectations." I'm too fried to comment directly right now but I've seen good posts by both parents and students in the Parent's Forum in the past.
I spoke to my daughter yesterday, and she has willed most of the big stuff away -- refrigerator (two friends are fighting for it), rug, and (I think) lamps. We took home two large tubs of belongings at spring break, but considering that she's been leaving most stuff there over the summer, I doubt those tubs made much of a dent.
My version of move-out day yesterday--pretty uneventful, actually:
Fortunately it was sunny, 70s, breezy, a perfect day! I was so glad we took care of the move yesterday as we had a cold, torrential downpour this morning where we live; I wonder how bad the rain's been today in Noho--I've been thinking of Overwhelmedma loading boxes in the van between the raindrops! I got there yesterday about 10:30, we worked on her room till about 1:30 when she took me to the media center to see the video she and her two STRIDE cohorts had created about the Smith Archives (check out YouTube) and then we broke for lunch. Went to Woodstar, a coffee/sandwich place right around the corner, took an hour out for a good sandwich and discussion of classes this semester and next, and then we were back to the packing for round two. Most everything came home except three fairly smallish boxes which went neatly stacked(!) into the trunk room. After TheDad's description of trunk room chaos, I have to confess I was very disappointed how organized it all was! Beautifully stacked, well-labeled--the epitome of organization! Our packing was punctuated with quick visits from many of her friends, with updates on the status of their exams/papers and their lively and varied summer plans. Hugs and goodbyes all around with promises to write and for New England Smithies, a possibility of a quickie Baldwin mini-summer reunion. We finished about 5:30, took a couple of pictures in front of the van which was mostly full to the windows, and I hurried home to vote in the town annual meeting (which lasted till midnight) on a number of articles, including a Prop 2-1/2 town/school override which passed so we'll have a decent town and schools--hooray! A long day, very uneventful, I hardly broke a sweat because we had her third-floor windows open, letting in a lovely breeze; got some good exercise going up and down three floors. I really enjoyed spending the time with my daughter, coordinating a useful task together. Now I just have to take it all out of the van, wash some linens, and find a home for all of it!
Sorry, TD, didn't get a chance to have pancakes AND lunch--another time. And CrewDad, I'll have to check out the art gallery also another time. Maybe at commencement or when we come to pick up our daughter May 23. Sorry to be so dull!
After TheDad's description of trunk room chaos, I have to confess I was very disappointed how organized it all was! Beautifully stacked, well-labeled--the epitome of organization!
Boggle! Who took over the trunk room from the students?
CB, you definitely owe yourself the art gallery along with waffles and ice cream. Though we hooted at Smithie who hadn't visited the art gallery until after she had graduated.
CB, I want to live in your alternate universe! Think pouring rain on Saturday am...attic crammed with boxes and low hanging pipes designed to knock your brains off...three flights of stairs...more books and jackets and shoes than should be legally allowed. But, all is well, we are now relaxing with a glass of wine back in Maryland and D. is hanging with her li'l bro like old days. The chick is back in the nest.
We have also landed though ours is semi passed out in bed from lack of sleep surrounded by plastic bags also full of more clothes and shoes than one would think could fit in a college room - a negative of Smith's big closets. Will take quite a while to sort through it - probably just in time to take it all back.
I always found the basement areas to be relatively organized. I get the impression that all that changes when the students move in and toss about other people's stuff in an effort to find their own. The first year, we did a little reorganization during move-out because some students didn't seem to understand the geometry of stacking. We found huge boxes balanced precariously on much smaller ones. And some boxes blocking empty space behind them. In my D's house (I'm not sure it is true of all), each class has a separate storage area, so it makes sense to me that the first years were generally less experienced in storing stuff. They probably also got the smallest area.
I woke up in Noho this morning...now I am back home. Here's my story. I arrived at Smith on Wednesday afternoon and packed for about five hours. I packed all day Thursday and part of Friday. Then I cleaned my D's room. All this so she could take her exams without having to deal with packing. Emptying my D's possessions out of her room required about twenty boxes, now full. And then there was her futon sofa, for which I had made storage arrangements with a local storage place. They picked it up and took it away in their truck, yay. They promise to return it in the Fall. That room was not clean when she moved in. I scrubbed a multitude of fingerprints/marks off the walls and some ancient, congealed substances out of the corners. Now it is clean.
I lugged cinder blocks down to the dumpster and sorted a year's worth of papers into recycling. I feel like a hero-mom, like the old Soviet images of muscular women raising their brooms into a red sky. The move-out has not conquered me...I have conquered the move-out.
But really, how is it possible for students to do all this at the same time that they are taking their final exams? Especially for first-year students, who don't know what to expect, the situation is chaotic. I wish Smith would allow at least twenty four hours AFTER the end of finals for the move-out to take place.
I have pictures of plastic bags being tossed out of the window at 10:15 - I wish everyone luck esp MWFN - maybe she willed most of her stuff away!
