<p>Little late posting here but D is loving her house and the community at Smith. She made the journey there sans parents and handled it beautifully. The HONS have done a great job in her Green Street house of welcoming the first years. If one wants to go the fly student/ship stuff route it’s very doable. We have discovered that Fed Ex Ground is the cheapest and most reliable way to ship items (I think we’ve shipped about 200 lbs of stuff by now), but they do not deliver to the houses at the beginning of the school year – only UPS does that. One box of stuff of her stuff was lost by the US Postal System – the only box we chose to ship that method, thankfully.</p>
<p>My birthday was Thursday and my first-year daughter surprised me by coming home last night for an overnight–what a wonderful surprise birthday present! (I’ve never had a surprise like this before!) She had called my husband Tuesday to propose the scheme, and my in-laws colluded to bring her home (it’s a 1-1/2 hour commute). It was great to see her and hear all about her classes, friends and activities. She is supremely happy there. I drove her back to campus this afternoon and we had a delightful lunch at a little back street deli with outside seating and then I left. We live in a quiet, little Massachusetts town of 5,000 where there’s not much action, and she had become very confident within that context. Our town is very different from Northampton, but she now knows where she’s going and what she’s doing and she walks with a confidence that is a joy to see. What a difference four weeks makes! She truly is launched! And what a loving, wonderful birthday present!</p>
<p>Happy (belated) B-Day CarolynB and thanks for sharing the update on your D’s Smith experience. I’m counting the days until Autumn break to see my D. I’m amazed that she now thinks nothing of walking to town for a quick bite to eat or dropping in at the bank or drinking coffee at Starbucks …this from a stay-put-in-my room type! Not to mention her enthusiastic participation in the Sophian, Wailing Banshees, Russian Club…</p>
<p>What an awesome present, CarolynB! What a thoughtful D you have! I am counting the days 'till I see my D at family weekend. And wondering where in the world I am going to park that rental car in NoHo…</p>