<p>Well done, harriet. That boxed lunch is a great idea! The lines at the dining hall were ridiculous. We ate at a hot dog stand after waiting a 1/2 hour and missed part of Dean’s welcome</p>
<p>Harriet…sounds wonderful! How nice to have casual lunch outside!!!</p>
<p>Woody…oh no! I worry about the flu/sickness thing! Glad she was able to navigate the system.</p>
<p>Will buy some of those clorox wipes… what are the odds that they MIGHT use them on their doorknobs if nothing else?? Probably not all that good, but all we can do is prepare them. The rest, fortunately and unfortunately, is up to them.</p>
<p>Son is now packing like a flippin girl! Well, a girl who would only wear T-shirts! There are PILES… of course some are for wearing, some are “undershirts” that aren’t really just undershirts. Some are good for working out, some are good for going out. We’ve got everything from solids to psychedelic tie dye. Short and long sleeve. It’s borderline nuts. In the process of looking for something completely unrelated, I did however find two pairs of my husband’s khaki’s hanging in son’s closet. I am not even kidding when I say that H was convinced the dry cleaner had lost them (he never holds onto the ticket because, of course he has a mind like a steel trap). He had actually switched dry cleaners because of it!! Unbelievable. </p>
<p>Tomorrow H is taking S golfing to prepare for the golf outing they;ve planned with S’s best friend and his dad. A father/son thing. And frankly all I can think is… it will give me a chance to weed through these shirts!!</p>
<p>Well, T-minus just a few hours now! I should be sleeping as we have an early trip to the airport for a morning flight. D finally packed! Including all 16 pairs of jeans, and I had to make her pack a few shorts as well. I know NYC is not Florida but it is warm there, and I think she will wear them. She had a 4-hour Skype conversation with her roommate last night so it seems they will be fine! Congrats to all who have completed this process! Hopefully our move in will be smooth as well. Since D is starting a few days early for a service project weekend, we don’t know if we will experience all those helpers that will be there during the regular move in a few days later, but hopefully ours will be smooth as well!</p>
<p>S thinks I should chill. it is 10:30 pm–has a dentist appt. tomorrow and is suppose to rehome his bird which means the cage needs to be cleaned. and we leave Thursday at 7 am. and not one thing is actually packed. But I should chill as “there is plenty of time”. Now H went off to college from overseas with a couple of suitcases so he just thinks doing any of this buying and packing and thinking it out is just nuts. Secretly, I know H is right–but I am too organized and compusive not to do it this way. I have actually been pretty chill for me. How long does S think it takes to have his shirts air dry? I should just put them in the dryer and throw them in a black bag…guess it is time for bed. At least after I get the shirts hung. I did hit Ikea today and have lots to take back but sure easier to take the store to him and not him to the store. Wish I could do all this with a better attitude :o</p>
<p>Gotta love that kid–it is 3 hours later and I am putting the last load of his clothes in the dryer and get a blast of peppermint gum from one of the pockets. Of course the whole load had to be redone. But at least he was contrite. :)</p>
<p>Another one is launched! </p>
<p>DH and DD went to campus yesterday morning. I followed later in the day with the younger sibling and most of her things. She packed lightly. Thanks to some great tips I picked up here unloading and arranging the room went fairly fast. She previously insisted she didn’t want the adjustable double closet rod thing, shelf boxes, and hanging shoe storage. She quickly changed her mind when she saw the closet again 
</p>
<p>We left campus after we took DD and her roommate out for dinner. It was nice to get to know her roommate a bit. (she’s been here for several weeks already). Not too many departure tears. I only cried when DD asked if I was going to do so. I had a big private cry at home after she left with her father earlier in the day. A few more tears at home last night. Younger sibling said at one point last night, “The house seems much bigger without DD.” That choked me up. Generally we were all very excited for her. </p>
<p>I know the logistics of our launch isn’t nearly as complicated as many since DD is fairly close. One bit of advice though for any 2010 parents reading this: if moving in early, even a day, is an option DO IT! I’ve witnessed traffic on this particular campus on move in day. Just a day earlier made it so much easier. </p>
<p>Oh yes, DD did take the blankie. She hid it in a pillow case. </p>
<p>Again, thanks for all the bits of wisdom from all of you here. It made it so much easier. </p>
<p>For those still packing and launching, the look of anticipation and excitement in your young person’s eyes when you arrive, and depart, will make all these prelaunch headaches worth it.</p>
<p>IF Oregon reads this today, the eyes will be blurred from lack of sleep – I’ve been there and we don’t leave until Sunday! But “to chill” is a common refrain here as well. My sister comes on Saturday since she is staying with D15 while we take S to school. If I am organized, she is me on steroids. We have the additional packing conundrum of packing for sports as well. How many socks? How often will the athletic dept wash this stuff (as I am pretty sure they do that).</p>
<p>So sad about Ted Kennedy this morning. You knew it was coming, but gee… it’s an end of a generation.</p>
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<p>I agree. I was not a big fan for much of his life (esp. when he ran against Jimmy Carter) but I love stories of sin and redemption.</p>
<p>rrah, woody and harriet, congrats on the successful launches. But lunch outside? Must not be 100+ where you went!</p>
<p>Modadunn, when Son was cleaning his underwear bin, we found his sister’s cute but outgrown boxers.</p>
<p>jpt mom, LOL on the 16 pairs of jeans, when we moms of sons were comparing notes a bit ago about our guys taking 3-5 pairs!</p>
<p>Husband - who couldn’t wait to get Son out the door! - confesses to spending time during the day in Son’s room. Funny, but it really doesn’t choke me up at all…I just go in now and then to try to figure out what can be cleaned out/gotten rid of without hurting Son’s feelings.</p>
<p>deleted double post</p>
<p>Harriet - congratulations on the S1’s excellent launch. What a perfect way to start college life! Those boxed lunches were a great idea for move-in day, especially since the weather was so cooperative.</p>
<p>Heard from D several times in the past few days. She seems to be doing really well but is snowed under with homework from the integrated science class which meets every day (and sometimes twice in a day). I just keep telling her to stay on top of it. She wants to do research but has realized she may not have time this semester. Sounds like she’s being cautious which is a good thing in my opinion.</p>
<p>She seems to have a bit more in common with another girl on her floor who has 3/4 of her classes with D than with her roommate but as long as it’s not turning negative I think this will work out. </p>
<p>Yesterday she called because she had a one paragraph paper to turn in and needed to know how to make the printer work. I had neglected to get it set up before she left so walked her through finding and downloading a print driver (good experience for her). At least her cell phone didn’t drop as we were doing this. </p>
<p>Yesterday was her first orchestra night so I’m waiting to hear how that went. She’s definitely a flute too many since they already had two but they’re having her play first or second part just no solos for the semester. She should have a better feel for where that will place her by the end of the semester. They have a wind ensemble but the course wasn’t offered this semester – maybe next semester.</p>
<p>In the meantime her brother keeps calling to give me new assignments (most recent was to find a GPS for his gf to use in her non-emergency EMS runs) because he figures I have plenty of time since we’re empty nesters (gee thanks).</p>
<p>Very sad about Ted Kennedy dying. We indeed knew this was coming but I had hoped he would last a bit longer.</p>
<p>Just wanted to send a note of encouragement to those of you missing the kids you just dropped off-----</p>
<p>my mantra is: We’ll see him at Christmas break-- only 3 and a half months away.</p>
<p>You’re made of stronger stuff than I am. Mine is we’ll see him Labor Day weekend!</p>
<p>Subject du jour: Laundry baskets.</p>
<p>Son has a pop up bin in his room currently but not sure if this will fit in his closet at school. We could go with the hanging laundry bag either canvas or nylon netting as we have both. Maybe an idea is to do the pop up thing to transport to and from while using the bag for actual collection.</p>
<p>I saw on S’s school blog that there is an unofficial orientation guide. It clearly warns about overpacking and that you don’t really need clothes for more than a week. Under the subject of “what not to bring” …</p>
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<p>It also mentions bringing ziplock bags and rubberbands (in line with 3-hole punch and stapler), but doesn’t really specify why. Still unsure why unless it’s to snag food from the dining halls? </p>
<p>And the best “what not to bring”?</p>
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<p>I liked that a lot.</p>
<p>downtoearth–a big warm thank you for your support–
and I love how you phrased it, “she is on her adventure…” that is beautiful, that you see it that way and that you know that your daughter is able to perceive this new stage as an adventure. that says so much about all that you’ve done as a parent…</p>
<p>harriet–thank you for your kindness. happy to hear how smoothly your s’s move in was. picture your little guy enjoying the fun, how’s he being the only one home?</p>
<p>rrah, sharon, et al—such great launch stories. congrats.</p>
<p>True about the HS identity…but it took Son until about junior year to even *get *a HS identity…I don’t think he’s looking forward to launching a new one.</p>
<p>Morning all…we leave in about 3 hours!!!</p>
<p>Harriet so glad it went so well you for your S1 and you and that S2 had an exhausingly fun day. I enjoyed picturing you having your picnic!</p>
<p>For the first time since decisions I had trouble sleeping so I wrote the girls letters. Sigh…my bravado is cracking.</p>
<p>Historymom, best of luck! I hope the move-in goes smoothly.</p>
<p>oregon, I think he was fouling the nest with that gum… ;)</p>
<p>history, I wanted to write a letter so badly…but I always dissolved into a puddle. I tried, though. Many times.</p>