<p>Today, I noticed a star from a thread that quieted down in the past 2 weeks. It is a unique story, and it made me realize that the CC has impacted my life. We have found people who are in our situation (children going to college) to answer our off the wall questions and hold our hands while we wait for the decisions to come down. We have friends that we will never meet face to face, but laugh with daily, and tease each about our dogs, spouses and houses. We have people to have political debates or what is the way to handle our children’s situation.</p>
<p>So how has CC changed my life? It made me realize that I am not the only one out there. It has shown me the true beauty of people. </p>
<p>I can’t say the same. I mean, in some ways, it’s really calmed me about certain things that I thought were only MY concern. And I do help others answer their questions. But, CC has really cued me into HOW nerotic kids have become about the whole college application process. Though, I must say-- I absolutely love the political debates on here.</p>
<p>I have found myself (over the last three years) talking about my CC friends just as if they were IRL friends. I “met” a young man on CC who was an upperclassman at the college my son wound up attending. He has been invaluable at providing advice, steering my son to a math tutor and otherwise being a neat friend.<br>
I have learned a lot from the posters on these boards and have shared my own experiences and expertise. That’s what it’s all about.</p>
<p>I too have been profoundly touched and comforted by many I have “met” here. And I feel privelaged to be a witness to such bravery and grace under tremendous pressure. And to laugh at some pretty darn funny stories!</p>
<p>I "met " someone here who helped me negotiate my S into the most fantastic vocal performance studio ever. We talked through pm’s and found out we actually had mutual friends in the town where I live, even tho’ my CC friend lives 1000’s of miles away. She has guided me so much in helping my S develop his talent, esplly at a time when he was w/o a teacher/mentor. Tommorrow we fly off for the first of 5 vocal audtions in 4 weeks (I am a nervous wreck) and S had a last go over with his voice teacher this morning. This thread makes me realize what a blessing CC has been in my life.</p>
<p>Good grief, I’m going to cry. At several critical points in my life, events have led me to places, people and resources that have made a profound difference to me and my family. CC is the latest of those. I am blessed and humbled by all of those who come here and share so much of their wisdom, experience, struggles and humor. I laugh, cry and yell at my computer while on CC – sometimes simultaneously. I wish I could share more specific examples, but know that there are MANY of you who touch lives in important ways, every day.</p>
<p>Without CC I would not be in the “know”, for there is no one where I live who “knows”. </p>
<p>To explain what I mean, I have to tell you where we are from. We live in a small midwestern town of 25,000 - the high school my children attended is the only one in town and mediocre (offers 2 APs) at best. I can tell you that virtually no one, and I mean no one, attends a college ranked in the top 50. Every few years someone “breaks out”, but it goes virtually unnoticed by the school system here. Our high school counselors are knowledgable only about the local U and the two large state Us. When DD aspired for something more challenging, their only words of wisdom were “she’ll get in anywhere she applies”. She filled out all of her applications without help, wrote her essays without anyone’s review, even typed her own NMF paperwork alone - geez!</p>
<p>In many ways, CC opened our eyes to the infinite possiblities DD had lying in front of her, but also gave us “tough love” by letting us know that the chance was great she wouldn’t get into some of these schools, even tho she was qualified. My first thread was something like “Daughter confused, parents clueless”, where I offered my DD, her triumphs and shortcomings, up to the CC family for their honest opinion about where should she apply and why they felt that way. They were honest, encouraging, cautious, and beyond anything I had ever experienced, knowledgable. When D got accepted by her #1 choice, she suffered what one CCer perfectly coined a “crisis of confidence” - D worried whether her lackluster high school education has prepared her for the rigors of the school she longed to attend. Again, the CC family rode in with their own children’s stories and tons and tons of encouragement. </p>
<p>I truly believe that there isn’t a question I could come up with regarding nearly anything having to do with any subject college related (or just ANYTHING for that matter) that someone on CC wouldn’t know the answer for. You all are like a drink of water in the desert.</p>
<p>As someone on here once refered to the CC comunity as my invisable friends! I really don’t know where my S would have ended up without CC and the huge amount of helpful advice and tips we have received. And I also gain great support in hearing of your kids and families struggles, triumps and laundry problems, it lets me know we are very normal! Mercymom, Good Luck to your son with his upcoming auditions! I’ll be thinking of you!</p>
<p>Okay, I’m not a parent, but I feel the same exact way about CC. It helped in a way that no other person could, my counselor, my peers, my parents, were all clueless. I was desperate for direction, I had no idea how this application process worked. Through CC, I saw tons of other kids in the same situation as me. I could get tons of advice and I learned so much about different colleges. Everyone here is so helpful. And it’s okay to be kind of geeky. But I also found debates about various topics etc. People around me think it is dumb to be intellectual and talk about important stuff, but not here. Thanks CC!</p>
<p>Wouldn’t it be great if there was a jr/sr class, that you were required to be on CC. You could talk about anything and everything, without anyone judging you></p>
<p>CC is important to me in many ways. I have met wonderful like minded people who have befriended me at a time in my life when my real life friends seem to be dwindling.</p>
<p>CC has kept me company through the throes of some awful empty nest moments.</p>
<p>I look forward to PM’s, debates, info, friendship and even cyberflirting.</p>
<p>I am also writing now because writing has become a habit. I look at it as my own free MFA. Thanks, all.</p>
<p>We are a community, and we enrich each other’s lives. We also lighten the load of the journey, because someone here knows anything that any of us could possibly need to know. I appreciate my CC friends. Cyber-hugs to all…Lorelei</p>
<p>Reading today’s post from UCD made me cry … and I don’t even know her. Reflecting on my feelings made me realize that CC has given me a community of people who are dealing with so many of the same things I am dealing with in life. I can ask for advice, share stories, seek knowledge, debate subjects, learn how to live through difficult situations, and even shed a tear for a family. It’s just a wonderful addition to my little world. I’ve even met 2 CC’ers IRL.</p>
<p>I was going to just “go away” when my D started college this fall. However, I found myself enjoying this forum so much that I still like to drop by & check things out. It’s not like I don’t have a family or friends. I just enjoy the extra “friends” I have found!</p>
<p>SRW,
I love the line about folks on CC being your invisible friends…that is a great image!! </p>
<p>CC has provided me with priceless college information…about the process…about specific schools, tests, timelines, shopping lists… gifts for teachers and students, book lists, places to get school books at discounts, info on athletic tips…info on financial aid and scholarships… it provides geographic information and it has also provided a lot of comfort to a lot of people. </p>
<p>I have met 1 CC’er in real life… coffee once and lunch another time… I have connected electronically with a couple of others on Maine… places to stay, things to see or do… </p>
<p>I like to think of it as a consistent pool of voices…all unique, different and yet compelling and caring… it can ratchet up the angst when you are in the depths of waiting for admission responses… but, in hindsight, it has helped me know that there are wonderful schools for wonderful kids… and living some of these experiences vicariously is not a bad thing…</p>
<p>What CC has done for me is provide an outlet/resource for my tendency to want to know as much as I can about something…without having to “own” the knowledge. I really like knowing I can come here for a state of the minute on whatever it is I am curious about… the Cafe is very rich with such an incredible variety of topics… it could serve as a contemporary journal of parents doing what they do best, parenting!!</p>
<p>CC has helped me so much with parenting advice - not just on college issues, but teens in general. Sometimes just the act of trying to write a post to explain the situation makes me view it in a different light. Other times, I’m looking for someone completely outside the situation to give me honest feedback. </p>
<p>CC has taught me that my kids are normal, that some kids are more driven and some less. I’ve learned that I’m not crazy conservative stalker-mom like my daughter thinks I am. </p>
<p>I hope I’ve helped some people, and I know the community here has helped me. Although I’m “between” college applicants at the moment, in another year or so I’ll be doing the college search thing again and at least I won’t feel like I’m the only one going crazy!</p>
<p>I meant face-to-face. Feel a little strange that I love my CC friends above all else. So sorry. Meant to be an accolade to you, bethie. So grateful. Put my foot in it again. Sigh. The need to edit and review! I should know this by now.</p>