<p>Congrats to all who have sucessfully launched! We still have another month! I’m taking notes and what to/not to do, and bring from you all!</p>
<p>We went shopping yesterday to get (I hope) the last of needed items though we still don’t have her dorm info yet. I am already anticipating bringing stuff back as her ability to judge stuff vs. space available leaves something to be desired!</p>
<p>D’s friends are starting to leave, some how they are spaced out between last Sat. and when she leaves so hopefully she will have time to spend some one on one time with each.</p>
<p>She had her orientation last week and is now more excited than ever to go! We had met with her roommate & parents prior to that and they reconnected there as well as meeting a few others that are truely ‘her people’. She even managed to get most of her classes with one of her new friends! I am so excited for her and hope that she will continue fill me in on the details of her life as she has in H.S. otherwise sophomore son is going to really find out how true the ‘all you all the time’ comment is going to be for him! LOL!</p>
<p>50isthenew40: I just have to say hi, because my S is also doing FOOT. Will your D be in the Catskills by any chance? I have been flipping between this thread and the Y 2013 thread - for much needed emotional support and of course practical tips. My S leaves this Friday morning early, then we fly out a week later (Southwest also - love those free bags!) </p>
<p>And who can top this: The day S leaves our home is… my 50th birthday! I kid you not… We will see him a week later to move him in, but the symbolic launching from the home happens the exact same day I can join AARP. Yikes… I think DH and S2 are taking me out that evening. I still need to plan something fun for the daytime - a facelift perhaps?!</p>
<p>Thank you all - as we also enter the home stretch, the last week home.</p>
<p>Missypie - sorry to hear about the food. When I was there, SU had the best food in Texas But then there wasn’t anyplace else to go except the Sonic and a late night burrito shack.</p>
<p>Son had a “last supper” with his best friends last night - went to an Argentine steakhouse where they could eat “copious amounts of meat”. It’s hitting me that not only will I miss son, but also his friends.</p>
<p>It seems like most of the colleges have contracts with Sodexo, or some other corporate food provider. Everything they serve is previously frozen or out of a bag, pre-portioned, etc. I guess there are no lunch ladies or campus cooks anymore…they just reheat what arrives in a big truck.</p>
<p>Missypie, I agree that most of the larger universities do have contracts with outside vendors but I would point out that at least one of them is partnering with local growers and producers. Aramark is a case in point at James Madison. For D’s AP Enviro class they had to film documentaries on a subject of interest to them- so she chose locally produced food. In contacting folks to interview, she spoke with a local farmer who produced a lot of lettuce and other items for use in the dining halls. When she interviewed the chef at JMU, he was very quick to talk about the move to local food and how they tried to produce items that were available locally. So, not all campus food is bad!</p>
<p>I read Nations Restaurant News and can tell from the ads that a huge amount of restaurant food is not made on site but rather, is purchased frozen or from a can. But the quality varies widely. If I compare my homemade cupcakes to those I buy at Sprinkles and at Albertson’s, Sprinkles would be better and Albertson’s would be much worse. Food doesn’t need to be made on-site to be good, but it’s pretty easy to tell poor quality pre-packaged food.</p>
<p>Enjoyed reading everybody’s posts-we are leaving tomorrow & will be back Wed. evening, late, late, due to a parents’ session in the late afternoon. Sibling is old enough to be alone & he can take care of the animals. But I am always amazed at the families who bring their dogs! That is just another distraction! Would think you would have enough going on!</p>
<p>I’m not arguing that it’s difficult to tell poor quality pre-packaged food. Sure, there are always going to be things that are reheated but I think the days of students accepting cardboard food are over. Economically it would be a struggle for any business (restaurant or dining hall) to manage w/out pre-packaged. I do think there are folks in college dining services who do make the effort to spice up meals and think a bit outside the box.</p>
<p>I was chatting with a Senior yesterday about the food. Apparently, the vegan and vegetarian population is increasing and becoming more vocal, so that is where the “food improvement” efforts have been made. Maybe some of the veggie main courses will be good. </p>
<p>Son just called and rattled off how he had accomplished the four items he was supposed to get done today. Good for him!</p>
<p>He admitted to not liking the supposedly fun “Pirate Training” they had to do last night (more tonight). I can see where all the typical bonding/team building stuff would not be something a kid on the autism spectrum would like.</p>
<p>missypie–so glad the drop off went well, and the first report seems to be positive oversall–especially the roommate situation.</p>
<p>SLUmom–best wishes tomorrow</p>
<p>Younger sibs maybe okay at drop off if they are teenage brothers that can help schlep stuff up the stairs. Can you tell we are bringing the younger brother with us? Dogs, NEVER!</p>
<p>Missypie, does your S have any idea how many people “out there” are rooting for him? And while I am not on the autism scale, I too would find “Pirate Training” a little tough to take. I am much more of a “let’s sit around and just talk” kind of gal, made much chattier with either the aforementioned margaritas or a nice Pinot Gregio.</p>
<p>H and S have gone on a short road trip. It’s kind of mean, if you ask me, but no one asked me and it does make a lot of sense. They are taking s’s car to D24 since S is going to be at college and younger D15 wont be driving until at least the spring of 2010. The thinking is that older D’s car is just about to die, she is headed back to school, cannot afford a car payment at this point and this car, while heavy in mileage, has been well cared for and runs well. Plus, we just sunk some money into the thing (which also seemed a little confusing to me), but a just learning driver might kill the old gal, who also has a standard transmission. So H was thinking he’ll buy another used car for younger D in the spring. And although it will be a pain in mostly my butt during the day time, in the evening there is usually always a car here so son will have that over breaks until spring. Anyway… they drove two cars down, and will come back on Husband’s (which I thought they should have rented a car instead of racking up miles on his). </p>
<p>OK… I just realized I am sort of ranting here. And maybe that’s because no one really asked me what I thought about any of it all the way through! And I can’t really complain because I could care less in the grand scheme (and I like to keep an eye on the big picture). Still… This was kind of quick decision making during a time when there is SO much else to get done!! grrrrr But as to the mean part - Son has been driving that car since he got his license, it’s really been “his” car for all intents and purposes. And now he’s going to college and has to give away his car? Kind of sucks to be him. And you know the next car will be younger D’s by default of being the primary driver… H doesn’t think of this stuff, but if he does it’s not as if he thinks emotions are important. :)</p>
<p>Thanks so much to everyone who offered advice - believe me, I’m listening to everything! All is darkest before the dawn, right??
Another evening of (sweet) tears…Girl scout leaders put together a little beach party and the most amazing “years book” - all the events the troop has been involved with for the past decade and then some. Sooo fantastic! Of course, an impromptu sleepover was arranged. We’ll see d sometime tomorrow…
PS What a support group we have here!</p>
<p>D (21 months younger) was definitely the “car equality” enforcer. As it turned out, we even bought Son and D the same kind of car…didn’t start out to do that, but ended up that way.</p>
<p>No, Son does not know he has been discussed…don’t know if he would think it all is as sweet as I do.</p>
<p>Modadunn, I can relate. We moved D (the senior) down to school in two cars yesterday, and came back in one. She’s keeping the one that’s always been called hers down at school, where S1 will also be as of next week - so he’ll have some access to it. But as in your case, that car, though we bought it for her four yrs ago, has been here for the last three years while D was away, and S1 has driven it every day since he got his lic., and taken care of it. Yet now it reverts to D, so it’s all kind of odd. I know it’s not identical to your situation, just saying I can certainly understand some of the mix of feelings you’re experiencing.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t even want him to have a car as a first-year anyway - SO unnecessary at this school, where public xport is abundant and easy - it just feels weird.</p>
<p>woody - most of my GS troop will graduate from college next spring (two girls who were a year behind are rising college juniors). I still miss “my” girls.</p>
<p>You do have a great support group going here and I have been listening to everything as well. So much information to take in. DS leaves in 13 days and I think I have everything purchased but probably not. Going in for surgery tomorrow and I have been on such an emotional roller coaster between the surgery and the big “move”. Trying to keep my act together so DS doesn’t get stressed out because of me. You have all been an inspiration with your posts and successes. Thanks for all the tips and I will be looking forward to seeing your posts in a few days as I am so addicted to cc.</p>