runnersmom

There are very few places to stay in Hyde Park proper. There are plenty of hotel rooms in Chicago however. We stayed at the Hyatt McCormick Place the first time and with friends in Lincoln Park the second time. The Orientation materials you will receive over the summer will have hotel suggestions. There are always inexpensive options out by Midway Airport, a 20-30 minute drive from campus and close to some big box retailers (Target!).

JHS

R-mom is right on about the first day of O-Week. Very, very moving, parents are accommodated beautifully and given a lovely reception after being separated from their kids. At which tears are much in evidence -- among the parents, that is. The kids go through the gate and are greeted by cheering upperclassmen on the other side, I'm sure it's thrilling for them.

My kids both thought O-Week was ridiculously overlong: Three or four days of activity packed into nine.

unalove

I did O-Week and move-in parentless (long story, but it was what I wanted, as the parents would have complained about silly things rather than do anything practical, like help me unpack). I also wanted to separate college from summer camp, and I wanted to emphasize to myself that college was my own journey, and that I was not hanging onto my parents anymore.

Didn't matter a lick that my parents weren't there. House O-Aides were great at helping me move my stuff in, finding where it was, and making sure I had what I needed to have.

I agree that O-Week is much longer than it needs to be, but that's on purpose. (I reference the extensive student life report from 10 years ago, the one to which I can't seem to find a link. Anyway, one of the big suggestions was making O-Week longer). A long O-Week gives people a chance to socialize, explore the city, get to know campus, and have college set in before the actual academics start.

By the end of O-Week, I was so stressed and exhausted that I was looking forward to starting classes, as at least I felt that I was familiar with what class is like.

CountingDown

We made reservations at the Wooded Isle Suites. Any reason not to stay there? We saw generally good reviews and were frankly surprised they still had space.

The current plan is that DH and S1 will drive out on Wednesday, visit a friend in Toledo en route, and arrive Thursday about noon. DH goes to Chicago a lot for work, so he may take S in to meet folks (several folks have offered to be in loco parentis if he needs anything), give him the tour, check out Metra, etc. S already knows the 55 Express. We know from dropping off S at a summer program two years ago that once we had his things moved in, he was ready for us to go.

I'll fly out Friday AM after getting S2 off to school and set up for the weekend. (He has a football game and doesn't want to miss it.) DH and I will drive home Sunday.

rap_mom

We stayed at Wooded Isle Suites during our first visit to UChicago. It was acceptable, but don't expect anything too spiffy. It seems designed for long-term stay and is decidedly dusty apartment-like, but it's conveniently located to campus.

cottonwood513

I really enjoyed the parents' day of O week.

Move-In: That was the easiest move ever. You just pull up to the dorm. The upperclassmen are there with giant bins on wheels. They put your stuff in the bins and deliver it to your room! I wasted all that time labeling everything with son's name, dorm name, house name, room number for nothing.

There is brunch, there are clubs/organizations tables outside, there is the
big send off. Somehow we were up in front in the chapel. The march to the
gate with the weepy mothers of daughters. The acapella singing groups and
the dorm houses greeting the new first yrs as they march to their class
photo. There is casual dinner for parents.