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Pesto, your point is a good one and my D says she does miss the communal living aspects of house life. </p>
<p>I myself remember feeling a bit wi****l (sorry, filter at work! Think wist and ful.) when a housemate a couple of years ahead of D graduated, because this senior Smithie had been very nice to D when she was a first-year new to the house, and H and I had become friendly with this young woman’s parents over several shared Family Weekends. </p>
<p>Certainly, D had many teary times during Senior Week/Commencement Weekend at Smith, realizing all that she was saying goodbye to. </p>
<p>On the other hand, with e-mails, IMs, etc. those connections are easier to maintain than they were in our (or at least my!) day. She is in touch with many of her Smith friends regularly and has gotten together with several in the months since graduation. D even plans to take her first work vacation with another Smithie, even though they now live in different cities.</p>
<p>The Smith connection does continue post graduation. My D has attended an alum session chaired by Carol Christ on future directions for Smith. She was one of only two '06’s in this (regional) session and their feedback was particularly encouraged. D met and exchanged contact info with other Smith alums who live in her area.</p>
<p>Just this past weekend D got an e-mail from one of her favorite profs. He was updating her on the success of a program, implemented this year, that had gotten started through the class D had taken with him. She was able to tell the prof that Carol Christ had referred to the program several times in the alum session.</p>
<p>Several Smith organizations (Glee Club among them) have alum participation opportunities.</p>
<p>By the way, have you ever witnessed the Alum Parade on Ivy Day? (Because D sang with the Glee Club for Commencement Weekends before her own, we caught it when we picked her up each year end. It is amazing, with some of the eldest alums “marching” in wheelchairs!) The alums, attired in white with class year color sashes and banners for their class theme, parade through the seniors (each holding a red rose) lining the route, who then join the parade at the end to proceed into the Quad for the first time as members of the alum community. </p>
<p>So the Smith community does continue afterward, although certainly there is nothing like “being there.”</p>
<p>Best wishes to your D for her JYA experiences and senior year at Smith! (As well as to your h.s. senior. I have an 11th grader – a boy, so Smith is not an option – although his girlfriend is considering it!)</p>