<p>HM
I understand what you are saying. But the campus is not tiny right? So they should be more “individual” than they were in their HS. Maybe they want to take this separation in smaller steps. It has to be a big deal being a twin. </p>
<p>I had a school all picked out for my S…</p>
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<p>Same thoughts here.</p>
<p>More hugs and three cheers to #theorymom, historymom and missypie! Hey…where is cpeltz hiding??? So many here have offered sage advice, support and companionship. It is truly appreciated!</p>
<p>Heading OOS this afternoon for D2’s registration for fall classes. She will miss the local awards ceremony tomorrow night. She has mixed feelings about this, excited to receive an award but glad she doesn’t have to be in front of the crowd and be talked about. Funny how it doesn’t bother her to play her sport in front of large crowds. Yet another quirk!</p>
<p>downtoearth, yes I am excited about D#3’s choice, it is a great fit & it was a fluke I suppose, because I got her on Alfred University’s mailing list (I thought it might be a good fit) & the mail just kept a coming! “Will apply, won’t apply, will won’t…etc.” Finally she just did it on the Common App, then said “I thought it was a free one, I think I made a mistake.” I said “No, that is not a mistake, some of them were no charge & some had fees, so I will go in and pay the fee.” I paid the fee and the acceptance came a week later. Rolling admissions-Then we visited on an Accepted Students Day, no pressure there, she was already accepted & the FA package was excellent. </p>
<p>Now on to Only Son in the Class of 2010 ! Sigh… no rest for the weary! Better stock up on the alcoholic beverages to calm my mother of four nerves.</p>
<p>Zetesis, prayers for your dad and so glad to hear of his positive attitude. A hard thing to have in the middle of all the milestones for your kids. We hope he’ll make it too, and wish your family all the best.</p>
<h1>theorymom, good on you. What a great balancing act you’ve pulled off here – helping your son get through the worst of it, modeling the organizational skills he needs, and then making him accountable for the work that remains and the outcome. Bravo! It’s all up to him now. Fingers crossed! But either way, a chance for him to break old patterns and not carry them with him to college. Good luck on your painting!</h1>
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Yes! Yes! Yes! After the pre-frosh weekend, I came away convinced that it’s exactly where he belongs. He made friends there who are going to pull for him in their dorm. He felt at home there, and I know the support he has access to will be profound – if he takes advantage of it. What he makes of it will be up to him, but I think he’s ready.</p>
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Life really is too short. That’s the conclusion I’ve come to this week, and geek_son too. Make nice, have fun, ignore any snottiness, and smile when you wave good-bye. Parting is such sweet sorrow… except when it’s just sweet!</p>
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historymom, do they find this lacking? Or is it one of those things that maybe they don’t know they’re missing because they’ve never experienced it? Anyway, I bet they’ll have some fun with it… bright, lovely twins in different dorms and different classes on a large campus, think of all the opportunities for mischief!</p>
<p>SLUMOM, isn’t rolling admissions fantastic? So nice to have that acceptance in the bag, and how cool that it turned out to be the right choice! :)</p>
<p>This is it, the home stretch for us. geek_son took his toughest final this morning; graduation is this weekend. I’m having a senior slump too. I’m stuck on the video thing. I have skillions of nice photos, a handful of really good songs, and no idea how to put them together for best effect and not too long, too sappy, or too boastful. Everyone will be expecting something amazing since I’ve been the “unofficial school photographer” for years… but I feel like I’ll be lucky to just put out something.</p>
<p>No margaritas and hair color today, but I do get to have a haircut! 
Hope everyone’s having a great day!</p>
<p>Thanks for the well wishes. </p>
<p>I think I’m gonna color my hair.</p>
<p>Hair cut - check
Hair color - check
Margarita mix - Unfortunately, the Baptist grandparents are coming rather than the ones who insist on a 4 pm cocktail …</p>
<h1>theorymom - you are a force of nature!</h1>
<p>I just returned from visiting my D at college. All I can say is wow! - they really do grow up and become competent. She’s navigating her life quite well. </p>
<p>Graduation on Wednesday!</p>
<p>Congrats to all…</p>
<h1>theorymom, I had some of the same worries this time last year. It worked out better than I expected; more of those time management and organization skills that I thought went in one ear and out the other mangaed to stick. It’s those classes S doesn’t care for that are the problem.</h1>
<p>Kudos for you for getting him to the goal, but making him cross the finish line. The consequences sound perfectly reasonable to me.</p>
<p>History,
If it doesn’t feel right for the girls, there is always the possibility of transfer, yes? Or has she turned down scholarships that wouldn’t be available later? I feel your ache right through the screen.</p>
<p>The Sam’s Club margarita mix can be frozen w/o the booze…so while the non-drinkers are having a slushie, you can have the real thing! :D</p>
<p>geek mom yes and YES!</p>
<p>Last summer one of my girls went to camp w/o her sister and really liked the fact that she was just her. No one asked “Which one are you?” no one called her by her sister’s name and no one said “Hey twin” All of these things happen here in our tiny community on a daily basis in spite of the fact that they have different hair styles, different fashion sense and names that neither rhyme or are alliterative. Tears have been shed because certain people didn’t ever bother figuring out who was who.</p>
<p>As for me I think I feel their pain as well as my own irritation so no doubt I am projecting and making it a bigger deal than it has to be. </p>
<p>Their campus has just over 3K students. Their high school has just under 500 so no doubt the bigger pool will be advantageous. Again, I am borrowing trouble and trying very hard…with quite a bit of success thanks to my online friends…to look at and accentuate the many many positives!</p>
<p>CD Yes! I think K is at SMC to stay and I would guess E is too but both have admissions offers that will remain intact + merit for 1 to 2 years Thanks for feeling my ache…it’s much duller now.</p>
<p>Okay, for all of us who get all weepy at the thought of our little darlings going off to live in the dorm…On another message board that I look at, a mom just posted that her D who just graduated is leaving for Navy basic training in three weeks. Yikes! If that was me, the worry meter would be off the scale. Of course, no trips to Bed Bath & Beyond required!</p>
<p>Zetesis - so sorry to hear about your dad. this sandwich generation stuff is hard, isn’t it?</p>
<p>downtoearth - a definite yes. D is so excited and as I describe Brandeis to people who’ve never heard of it, I am constantly reminded of why it is such a perfect fit for her. my only reservation is the distance, in spite of encouraging her to look at schools far and wide.</p>
<h1>theorymom - you continue to amaze me.</h1>
<p>JerseySHoreMom - thanks for the reminder! I just made hotel reservations for Family Weekend - I’m afraid if I wait hotel rooms in New England in October will be hard to come by.</p>
<p>Graduation yesterday and D leaves on Wednesday for the summer. I’m struggling to stay calm and insist she do the necessary (clean her room, fill out college paperwork, deposit grad gift money, write thank-yous, find MY camera, etc.) while she wants to shop, go out to lunch with friends, etc. I don’t want to spend these last few days fighting with her! </p>
<p>I will not lose my cool. I will not lose my cool. I will not lose my cool.</p>
<p>Ok, I just made airline reservations for Family Weekend. My sister said you only do it once in a college kid’s lifetime because next year and the years to follow, D will be looking to ESCAPE campus on family weekend.</p>
<p>Just looking at the calendar makes me dizzy:</p>
<p>Prom - DONE!
6/3 - senior day trip
6/4 - senior evening trip
6/8-11 Finals
6/19 - graduation
6/20 - graduation party
6/23 - fly south to school
6/24-25 - Orientation
6/29 - I am the parent of a college freshman! :eek:</p>
<p>YIKES!</p>
<p>For me I think it is just different than I thought. Different type of school. I hate being braggy My D did so WELL at her smaller school, at commencement she recived a big named award for just all around excellence based on acheivemnt and character. Because of the type of school she went to I felt she was protected. Also she tends to not take care of business as well as she should and will need to do so in a big school(beaucracy)I know this is good for her, but I will miss the comfort of someone taking care of her in a more “personal” environment.(thought she would go to a small LAC) She is not the kind of kid who rests on her laurels or peaked in HS and she is always up for some adventure. Even in preschool she was like"see ya" even though she is close to us, she also is very independent. I hate to sound like 'its all about me " because it is not, but it is “me” that has to deal with her being gone and I am really going to miss herand i will worry. although a pain sometimes she is an awesome kid. I know you ALL have awesome kids who you have a great connection to. (You can tell in your posts.) so I feel can be understood here. Please don’t take me the wrong way, I’m just a puddle today.I think it like theory mom said about her son going away , being different. etc…I will be ok when I see her loving her school . I do envy people who can’t wait to leave their schoolit would make it so much easier, What was I thinking putting her there…</p>
<p>downtoearth: No one will take it wrong. It’s a time full of conflicts both internal and external. I totally get what you are talking about and have shared some of your emotions but in the other direction. My D chose a very good school but she wants to be a vet and turned down Cal Poly animal science because she wanted the smaller LAC. I would have loved for her to attend the much larger public for a variety of reasons including the ones I’ve already stated but she fell in love and that’s that.</p>
<p>Your D will be fine, she will rise to the occasion because she will have to. Every fall there are posts here on CC about how astounded parents are that their kids are taking care of business so beautifully. In the mean time feel free to worry you are among friends. :)</p>
<p>I am really happy about my son’s choice, especially because he is excited about it. The whole music school thing is so foreign to me, though, that I feel nervous about an environment I have NO IDEA about. I also kind of egotistically wonder what it would be like to have had that Ivy degree, but am so thrilled that he could make a decision based on what is best for him for he next 4 years. </p>
<p>Zetesis, so sorry about your Dad. You’re a good daughter.</p>
<p>The timeline is staggering isn’t it? Congrats to everyone who has had their ceremony and is having the first colege-student summer! We have the last school jazz concert tonight and I may be a puddle–S2 is doing a duet with his (11 year) drum teacher…</p>
<h1>TM, I so honor your deep knowledge of your son, and compassion for him–AND the kick in his behind when he needs it. Of all of our kids, I want your son to flourish next year and be thrilled with his choice!</h1>
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<p>I am very happy and anxious. His choice combines a strong student body with real intellectual interest (what my son wanted and needs) with what we believe will be strong empathy and support that will help him compensate for his learning disabilities. I think it will be better for him than my alma mater, which I loved, or his first choice. Other schools had majors that were a little better, but this should work reasonably well. He loves discussion classes and the median class size is 10. Stunning.</p>
<p>That said, I’m anxious. He isn’t reading email from the college – and there are surveys to fill in to help them select your advisory and your freshman seminar. There are also the basic requirements of life – health forms, immunization forms, … . If I weren’t reading them, would he? He’s succeeded admirably despite his LDs by focusing on excelling at the 99.99% level on a few things and ignoring everything else. That works when there is someone to pick up the other stuff. [Sure, he can ignore his clothes and sheets, but what about the email from the school saying a bill isn’t paid?]</p>
<p>I suppose that just as HS is taxing for a kid like him because it doesn’t allow you to show any weaknesses, college is tough on kids who focus, and yet those who focus are among those who are successful. I probably did a lot of that and now I always have an assistant to take care of lots of the details of life for me (in addition to marrying well to someone who is good at some aspects of life that I’m bad at). So, maybe college is just a transitional state for someone like him until he can have his own assistant to take care of lots of life’s details. But, it does make me nervous.</p>
<p>Shawbridge, we were able to set up a parent account to get billing notices. S had to authorize it once he set up his campus online access, but he did so gladly. He is also not into the details (he is the quintessential absent-minded prof), but he has been very reliable about forwarding emails. (I don’t mention that I already get them here, because he is clearly trying to be responsible and I want to encourage that.)</p>
<p>He missed one important announcement, which he was quite upset with himself about, but then was cooperative (if pokey) about getting the info to us. It is definitely a <em>process.</em></p>
<p>Can someone offer some advice or help, as I am so upset right now. D’s Senior awards night is next week, today at school several students got invitations, but not D. There are 400 students in her class, her class rank as of now is # 5, and many of these kids arent even in the top 10 %. She is very hurt and upset and frankly so am I. How can she not be honored?
I am just beside myself.
So what do I do? I am considering making a call to her g.c. to see if a mistake has been made.
Please understand that I am not a parent who feels that my kid should always be recognized ( actually she has never been recognized at the school), but she has certainly earned something.
I know I am rambling here, but I am so upset…</p>