Parents of the HS Class of 2009 (Part 1)

geek_mom · October 18, 2009, 2:01am

laxtaxi – During pre-frosh orientation at geek_son’s (nearly full-pay, and prestigious if not widely known) college, they emphasized (to my surprise) that their graduates rarely pay for grad school. Most of them go to grad school fully funded, with fellowships or RA positions. Also, several large employers will pay for grad school if it’s related to the field of employment. I’d suggest you don’t sweat this just yet; let him explore the possibilities over the next few years and figure out how he might pay for it himself.

geek_mom · October 18, 2009, 2:11am

Ugh. Heard that geek_son’s been under the weather for the past day. His phone is off, so he must be sleeping, which is the best thing he can do for it. Guess the upside is that he might sleep and recover through Fall break and go into his midterms rested and refreshed instead of exhausted from all the parties and crazy things his dorm has planned. But I don’t like this helpless feeling!

People are dropping like flies in my workplace too; around here, you can always tell when the stupid flu shot season starts. :p

_theorymom · October 18, 2009, 2:28am

Know the feeling geekmom.
Hope geekson sleeps through the worst of it

geek_mom · October 18, 2009, 2:58am

<h1>theorymom, you’ve earned your stripes!!</h1>

Just heard from him again. He’s better. And he listed all the work he’s doing over the break… :eek: no wonder he’s up so late every night! Any worries I had about him slacking off are long gone.
I thought the roller coaster ride was supposed to be over once we got them moved into their dorms?? sigh This is worse. :o

kmccrindle · October 18, 2009, 8:30am

<h1>theorymom – if s. does not get his phone back and you happen to get s. an iphone for xmas there is a neat little program called Undercover that will track it if lost or stolen…we know this b/c same program is on McS’s notebook computer, since mcspawn is the type who a few short months ago lost his passport and green card while IN FRANCE : ) (Swears the AirFrance stewardist stole it…) right before touring to Germany with a band. What fun.</h1>

Glad to hear you s. is happy and home.
My s. is also home for break til Monday night, somewhat unexpectedly and right on the heels of an equally unexpected breakup. Still loving his experience and pragmatic about being his new freedom but he did bawl publicly and somewhat uncontrollably at the movie, Where The Wild Things Are (which I’m sure was stolen from his childhood when they wrote the screenplay) and then asked me to buy chocolate cake on the way home. Overall, a cathartic weekend is being had by all.

_theorymom · October 18, 2009, 11:07am

Raises glass to catharsis. clink

SJTH · October 18, 2009, 11:58am

S2 is happy. Actually I should say HAPPY. Relaxed-ish for him. Definitely in the right place so far. Yea! Then he met with friends and stayed out until I texted him at 1:30 and said, “Dorothy, you’re not at college anymore…” He’s been very chatty. Nice

KM, sounds like a roller coaster over there…glad your son came home for some comfort.

Zinmom, I’m so glad you got NEWS. Hope there’s more frequent updates from here on.

CBBBlinker · October 18, 2009, 12:36pm

S, home on term break, went out last night with buddies after dinner with the family. They went to a late movie and then hung out at one of the guys’ homes. For the first time with him, I didn’t wait up til he got home. I simply told him what time he needed to get up this morning for church, and he did. Guess the ground rules have changed now that both kids are in college.

Cardinal_Fang · October 18, 2009, 1:12pm

Every time we call, Fang Jr sounds happy and relaxed. This time he put in an emergency order for Sriracha hot sauce-- California boy meets Midwest bland dorm food. I’d stick a bottle of Sriracha in my luggage when I go visit him for Parents Weekend, but I’m not checking luggage and the damn TSA would confiscate it from my carryon, so a care package will be on its way.

_theorymom · October 18, 2009, 2:04pm

CBB
How nice you can relax a bit now. I take it S is still happy with his school choice.

<h1>theoryson has not really hung out anywhere but here so far. Sleeping lots, playing the piano, NOT gaming (amazing), chatting a little (not as much as I would like) watching movies with us. Pretty relaxing really. Though he has lapsed back into hygiene optional mode. I am going to encourage him to go downtown today and find some people to hang with so he will feel a need to clean up LOL</h1>

_theorymom · October 18, 2009, 2:25pm

Cardinal Fang, #theoryson is not overly enthusiastic about the food at his school either. Not a big deal except the food plan is a pretty penny and I doubt it is worth it. Oh well.
It’s a great feeling to hear him sounding relaxed and happy, eh? Now me, I am just waiting for grades to see if maybe he is TOO relaxed and happy LOL

owlice · October 18, 2009, 2:35pm

:: hands kmccrindle oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for kmccrindleson ::

It’s good that he can share this with you, and I’m sorry that he has it to share.

:: hands #theorymom soap for #theoryson ::

Mine also went into hygiene optional mode. I’m excusing him (mostly) because he was sick the entire week he was home. (Well, except for the tissues thing; I might not forgive him for that!)

My owlet was at his dad’s for the past few days, so I went over there last night with cake. The four of us (kid, dad, dad’s SO, and I) ate some cake, and then ate some more. The rest of it, I packed into containers; left one there, packed the others for later.

Later in this case meant 2:30 AM, at which time my hatchling’s family and another Rocker family converged on the downtown DC Greyhound station, as we were told by ticket agents to arrive one hour before the 3:30 AM departure. Totally unnecessary, so now we know for next time. I handed out cake and cookies to our traveling students and the other kid’s parents (to get most of it out of my house, you know!), and we stood around and yakked – the parents did, anyway – until the kids boarded the bus. The students sat and ignored their parents as much as humanly possible. About 3:40 AM, they boarded the bus, and the bus left a bit later.

After that, I came home and slept, until late morning, and I’ve been slacking since I got up. Off to do things now…

Kids should have arrived back at school a while ago. I’m not worried because the other kid called his parents once he and my spawn made their bus change in NYC. There were other Rockers on the bus from NYC to school, so I’m sure things went okay.

Not that I wouldn’t appreciate an email from the kid or anything, saying “I’m here”…!

Modadunn · October 18, 2009, 6:38pm

Laxtaxi… Great news about son! He seems to have found some serious footing and his own comfort zone. I have learned to just nod or ah uh on the phone and figure we’ll cross grad school/med school bridges a little further down the road.

After H texted son asking if he was ever going to hear from him again, S alnost immediately called him back. Yes, I tell him all the news, but it’s not the same as hearing his voice. I must have asked H to repeat what he had said about four times!!

Today was a wonderful day here… walked nearly 6 miles and now can barely move.

kmccrindle · October 18, 2009, 8:35pm

: thanks owlice for generous cookies and takes a nibble herself, since impulse control is out the window around here with all the comfort food
: politely asks theorymom if she’d care to share the soap…hygiene-optional also seems to be a preferred man-in-cave response to breakups : )
All is well, though. Secretly believe there is some relief there, at least in terms of having one less thing in terms of time that requires attention…mixed with the sadness.
Cheers, all.
K

_theorymom · October 18, 2009, 9:22pm

K
Secret relief or not, it is hard to see your baby hurting, eh?
My kid cleaned up his act today. He is asking me to schedule a haircut for him.
I can’t keep up LOL

It was very nice today, #T-son hung with Dad and he sang while Dad played Beatles songs on the guitar (everything old is new again) then he fell asleep again. Well, he should be well rested by the time he gets back.

No word on grades yet - FFscout, Dragonlady, CBBBlinker - have grades been mentioned in your households?

We go to the first spate of educational testing tomorrow (3 hour drive to get there - so up early tomorrow) Wonder how that will go…

eddieodessa · October 18, 2009, 9:27pm

Four weeks after going off to college, dd’s bf broke up with her.

eddieodessa · October 18, 2009, 9:28pm

Owlice - You are near DC? I am about an hour away. Towards the mountains.

_theorymom · October 18, 2009, 9:33pm

awww
eddieodessa
how devestating for D - but certainly a common theme.
I hate to see them hurting

eddieodessa · October 18, 2009, 9:48pm

Yes, I cried too.
This was her first boyfriend and her first break-up.
It’s been 3 weeks now and she is doing well. 
And I know he was kind to her when he broke up with her. So no hard feelings there. 
It was just hard to see her hurting - like you said.

historymom · October 18, 2009, 10:27pm

kmccrindle: Your post brought tears to my eyes. cyber hugs going out to soothe your S’s mending heart. I loved Where the Wild Things are and am looking forward to seeing it but sniff believe I will respond as your S did.

geekmom your boys is clearly doing great stuff so sorry he has caught a bug!

owl: your S’s contentment in his new surroundings can be measured by his self sufficency. So very very very happy for him and you. Three cheers that you and ex, ex’s SO and S can enjoy the cake and terrific that you had some to share with the other Rockers!

Modadunn: Congrats on getting moving! an IRL buddy and I have decided to do the SJK 3-Day walk for Breast Cancer again, after a 7 year hiatus. So yeah I have to get myself moving too!

<h1>theory best of luck with the testing. I hope it gives you a dx and a direction to help your S with his writing troubles! Sweet that he hangs with you and your H even if he is a bit unwashed :)</h1>

zim your post brought a smile to my face. My D made a point of saying that she goes to her mail box daily only to be disappointed by its emptiness so I have to increase the mailings as well.

eddieodessa: hugs and salve to your D’s aching heart…and yours as well.

I am blue. Have said goodbye to my girls thrice now on the lawn by DK’s…aka as TwinK’s dorm…gotta say I am not a fan of the goodbyes. I have been sick DE was sick and DK was feeling cruddy today.

I am quite a crazy lady. My girls are shy, bookish, fuuny, loyal and fabbity fab. Somehow I was thinking that whatever makes them feel insecure socially would be wiped aside by being amoungst their people, their peers, other kids who care about learning and achieving and all. I think I expected the transformation to be quicker. I still find myself worrying about their friendships with others…hmmm maybe this IS all my problem. I think DK’s roommate, with whom D spends a lot of time may let her down hard and soon. Hoping she will then have forged strong enough bonds with others to help cushion the blow.

DE is doing great, trying new things pursing the interests that she has always had and yet I worry that she feels lonesome or alone because she simply doesn’t have the skills to make and cement friendships. She participates in a lot but seems to be on the periphery. I think I am nuts to worry as she is reporting that she is enjoying her activities tremendously. But when I asked her if her RA was turning into a friend as well as and RA she said “I think so”

I think I am just at the tail end of a bug, my period amd a visit with my girls and feeling pitiful.

Parents of the HS Class of 2009 (Part 1)

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