<p>D2 is excited she gets to register early for second semester classes! Since the school accepted all of her AP credits she is counted as an upperclassman/woman after the first semester. Hooray! 
She is checking other schools she is interested in for possible transfer credit and planning on taking classes that they will accept just in case.</p>
<p>SoCal that rocks, I have to try it. I have limited texting (then it gets expensive) but it’s such a great way to keep in touch w/hub during the day/friends/son.</p>
<p>I just came in to check up on posts and was struck by the increasing number of H1N1 cases here and the tragedy. </p>
<p>missypie–I’m very sorry. That has to be awful for his family and friends. My prayers go out to all. </p>
<p>Our state and county has received very small amounts of H1N1 mist or vaccine. I’m stunned given the 40,000 young people that attend college here. (no politics intended there btw) A few weeks ago I did make an appointment with our pediatrician to get DD and DS the vaccine. I was not willing to wait until the public schools or the university had the planned clinics as the dates seemed very uncertain. I bribed DD with breakfast at her favorite morning restaurant if she allowed me to pick her up for an early morning trip to the Dr. I’ll take DS tomorrow. When I mentioned this to a co-worker today she seemed stunned I would go to the extra effort to get this done. After reading about all the cases here on CC and the death of missypie’s friend I know I did the right thing. I also just read that last week about 1 in 4 cases at our local emergency room are for flu related symptoms. The previous week was 1 in 5. </p>
<p>I have some good tales and woes to share since I’ve not been here for a bit, but it just doesn’t seem right at the moment. DS has the next two days off. I’ll be back in the morning to catch up on posts.</p>
<p>I have seen no reasons for why some areas get H1N1 before others. I know S’s school had the mist, but not injections yet. Hopefully I’ll hear from him today (Thursday!) but I did get a text from him the other day that he was having dinner with professors. Have to say I am curious as to what that was about. </p>
<p>Unlike you NMN, son is feeling a little overwhelmed in what to take. They have J term so has to pick one class to take over that term as well. He’s been so used to hearing what he has to take or should take throughout HS and the first semester of college didn’t leave much flexibility except for perhaps one class. He knows he’ll have to take chemistry, but that’s about it.</p>
<p>S2 doesn’t have any electives yet–none this semester and none next semester. He met with an advisor and they confirmed the courses he will take (which are printed out by semester for all four years in the curriculum for his major), but I don’t think registration with the actual times are until next month. He has an 8:30 am class five days a week this semester and prefers the early morning classes, but generally I don’t think he is that particular about times. As long as they fit in somewhere he will go with it and since none are electives he probably doesn’t think it’s his problem. </p>
<p>He seems to be feeling better. I asked him if he were straight and his answer was “the purest.” I hadn’t heard that one before. The foreign language of the American teen.</p>
<p>Tomorrow our county is having its first public clinic to distribute the 3000 doses of vaccine they have to high risk individiuals. Our county has a population in the neighborhood of 1.8 million. Talk about a drop in the bucket.</p>
<p>It works out rather nicely that Son is coming home the weekend before he is supposed to register for classes Monday morning. I want to talk him through it all.</p>
<p>Missypie, my thoughts are with you today for your friend’s funeral. I know first hand it is difficult to console the disconsolate, but trust the process. Sendin’ ya the light.</p>
<p>Ok, help needed: one of my best friends has a daughter who has a major roommate issue. She is a very sweet kid who is in a dorm wing where the girls all close their door and don’t socialize. Meanwhile, the other wing of her dorm is very social and happy. Ok, she can handle that by getting to know her roommate, right? No, her roommate won’t speak to her and, in fact, just stares at her all the time. She feels increasingly uncomfortable doing everything from talking on the phone to her family to getting undressed. This girl is lonely–having a hard time connecting with other kids, because everyone else seems to be finding friends and there are some established cliques with students who come from the same high school as each other. The girl has spoken to her RA and the head of RAs. Her mom finally called the head of all RAs who is about 24 and could not care less about her daughter’s situation. She’s tried to call the dean of whatever (student life?) and has literally not had two calls answered. She is NOT a helicopter mom, but her daughter calls and is unhappy, though she likes her classes and teachers. She’s trying to make the best of it, but it’s an expensive school, and she deserves better. What should they do?</p>
<p>Sorry to hear about that. All I can suggest is she go to the top now and contact the chancellor/president and let the s**t flow down. It should chronicle all communication made and what responses were given. Keep being a pain at the highest level should get some results. If not, it’s time to transfer.</p>
<p>Hi–just want to remind everyone that tomorrow–10/31–is the last day for the Sigg bottle recall. Google Sigg recall and you can find out how to send it in (postmark by the 31st).</p>
<p>SJTH–so sorry to hear about you friend’s daughter. First, have the student go to the residence hall office and put in for a transfer for next term. Then see if they have a counselor available and just maybe talking will help and just maybe–if she is really suffering–the counselor would put a word in for her for a room transfer.
I know that is not going to help for the immediate days ahead but if she knew she had a limited time she might feel better. Other than that–make sure she has joined some clubs and is trying to make friends outside of her dorm. And if possible, a visit home might give her a respite.</p>
<p>Off to PW this afternoon. D says she is feeling better, but it will be good to see for myself. Have a great weekend, everyone!</p>
<p>Hope all the Ds and Ss are beginning to feel better or soon will be.</p>
<p>Chintzy: Have a great time.</p>
<p>SJTH: So sorry to hear about the trouble your friend’s daughter is having. Any way she can request a transfer to another room after this semester? I know that at some schools where there are triples they start to de-triple and there are times that there are others who need roommates. Like the idea about getting out and meeting people by joining clubs etc. If she is interested in any sport type activities joining an intramural team is also a possibility. Even just going to the gym and working out she may meet people that are more outgoing. Has she tried approaching others in her classes? Perhaps that is a way to get out there more. It is difficult if there are groups of students that went to HS together but perhaps she can find others like herself that are not there as a “group”. Just some ideas.</p>
<p>D’s wing was like that–not toomuch socializing with the othe wing having a grand old time. She managed to gravitate toward the other end for after-dinner hanging around - it’s right by the elevator. She still likes the quiet of her end however, for study time.
Leaving work early for PW today!</p>
<p>For some reason, having PW over halloween seems a little bit like bad timing. Either that or the administrations are hoping that the parents temper the party atmosphere. I know Colgate’s is this weekend but I doubt the added company will dim the festivities.</p>
<p>Look for tragic news to come out of Wisconsin. I believe it’s just about the biggest party weekend of the year there.</p>
<p>Son didn’t call yesterday. 
I think my mistake was telling him I was beginning to count on it. Also… I am feeling a little under-appreciated. I guess I am just here to remind him to say thank you to those who do nice things for him and it hasn’t yet occurred to him that perhaps he could thank me?</p>
<p>modadunn- I appreciate you - your posts absolutely crack me up!
Ds school is huge - Parents weekends start first week in October for Srs, next weekend for Jrs, etc. Not enough hotel rooms to go around.</p>
<p>We don’t get a PW until February.
But I get to see my kiddo in person soon. 
Busy week and it’s still going. Glad to hear of kiddos recovering; hope the rest will soon. Have a great weekend everyone. :)</p>
<p>Asked S if he ever checked his mailbox (sent a postcard from Maui 10 days ago)…uh, no, “but I will”. By the way using the computer to text him is fabulous! I forgot to tell him that I was doing that and we were going back and forth in our usual infuriatingly annoying way (he is so stubborn :mad:) and I left the computer and did not have my cell so he no doubt thought I had just stopped answering my phone. It was hours later that I saw his response. SO he actually called to argue with me. He is coming home this weekend to spend Holloween with GF. He is also wanting to avoid the heavy party weekend. He is taking the last train back at 9pm and cannot see why this is not a good plan. It is only only one hour but…what if he misses it due to a flat tire,etc. Trains get delayed, they get stopped…and I could not think of all this last night but just got so annoyed with his insistence…
Seems like all I do is complain about this kid .
Ok now I am trying to think of something lighthearted and funny to say but am coming up empty. Oh–he is bring his roomate home for Thanksgiving so at least I know he will be more pleasant with an audience. :)</p>
<p>Although S is definitely better now, that flu bug hit at a very inconveniet time for the internship with the Oct. 31 application deadline. He would have had to order the official transcript last Monday or Tuesday for it to be received in time. Although I think he could still give it a shot with a sob story cover letter on being sick, he is in Halloween mode today and “not feeling it”. I’m going to be sad for a few days. This was a cryptography internship position with the NSA; my military position as a cryptographer back in the 1970’s worked closely with the NSA, so it got me excited but I guess S can take it or leave it. They want engineering students, welcome freshman, and I thought he had a chance. It would have gotten him a clearance, which would have positioned him well for next year with private sector defense contractors. Oh well. He has agreed to apply to other internships after he gets his first semester grades and give this a shot for the summer after his sophomore year. For others thinking about internships with the federal government for next year, their application window seems to be Aug. 31 to Oct. 31.</p>
<p>I hope everybody enjoys their parent’s week-ends. H goes back out to see S next week-end for a football game. I sure wish they could move his school a lot closer and then I would go as well.</p>
<p>SJTH, I’m so sorry to hear about your friend’s daughter. My older one eventually found friends through his part-time job, so if she isn’t too overwhelmed by classes that might be an avenue to explore. Modadunn, second the appreciation here. Your support when S was ill and out of touch was exactly what I needed.</p>
<p>where is everyone today?
TA–sorry your S did not go for the internship for now–sounds like he will eventually.
S is home now and is trying to offer some info and talk so maybe the weekend will be a good one.</p>
<p>oregon, I’m here. I love your story on the texting. I have started using it to text S2 to say I have sent him an email. I keep expecting him to tell me to stop already but so far he has seemed to like it. Let me know what you learn from your S. Always great when they will talk to you. </p>
<p>A neighbor was sharing some stories about her son today (a freshman) and I was surprised at how casually he is taking his classes and the mother’s relaxed attitude about it. I told S that if I had stories to share about my son walking in late to class to find a test he forgot about going on and walking right out, I would not be relating the story as something cute that happened. S tells me that most of his friends don’t have it too hard with the exception of the commercial art major at VCU. That one apparently is working like a dog. Very interesting to hear about the divergent experiences. </p>
<p>WVU game comes on TV at 8:00 and H and I are going to the UVA/Duke game tomorrow (even though S1 isn’t even there). At least football season is relatively short. Basketball season goes on forever.</p>