<p>Proudmom- could you just pack some sheets in the luggage and just take a blanket as carryon? Ds school didn’t provide the linens at orientation but just told them to bring linens.</p>
<p>DS got his roommate assignment yesterday – another soccer player, which is good since they will both have the same practice schedule. The letter gave us his home phone and cell phone and college email, but of course, DS found him on Facebook! Hasn’t heard back from him yet though.</p>
<p>He had to take an online foreign language placement test; he has taken three years of Spanish in high school, but squeaked by this year in Spanish III. It’s one of those tests that isn’t timed, but it gives you the next question based on your previous answer, and if you keep answering correctly, it gets harder and harder. He said it took him 22 minutes and at the end it said he was cleared for Spanish II. We thought that made sense; we knew Spanish I would be a total waste of time, and we thought going back to Spanish II would be fine. But then he got an email saying he was cleared to take Spanish III, which was a surprise. I’m thinking that sticking with Spanish II is the way to go; it won’t hurt him to have some review, especially since he intends to minor in Spanish. </p>
<p>He also got a letter from his peer mentor, who is a current student, so perhaps DS should email him with the Spanish question.</p>
<p>The roommate letter also mentioned the size of the bed, so now we can use some of those gift cards he got to get some sheets.</p>
<p>Good luck to all this weekend’s graduates and Happy Father’s Day to the dads!</p>
<p>The general rule about college language courses is that they are 2-1 for HS classes. I wouldn’t take 3rd year college language with only 3 years of HS language, especially if it’s been a lukewarm experience.</p>
<p>D1 placed out of 3 semesters of German in college (after taking a combined German 3/4 as a senior in HS). She opted to repeat the 3rd semester, since she didn’t want to lose continuity and also felt the review would be helpful.</p>
<p>D2 took 3 years of Spanish but stopped as a sophomore. She’s dying to take a different language in college so I think she’ll just skip the language test (2 yr requirement at her university - I’d love to see her do it in a summer immersion, abroad if possible).</p>
<p>D1 had to take 6 semesters of language in college - she said the 3rd year level work was very difficult. They expected quite a bit of mastery at that point, in grammar, writing and speaking.</p>
<p>Another comment I’d make, especially for a kid who is bound to be taking some really killer classes in his field, or playing a sport, or otherwise significantly committed, is why not take it a little easy in Spanish? Everyone needs a class that doesn’t kick their butt. I’ve definitely seen kids who go over their heads in FL and it ruins their whole life. D1’s worst semester ever included her last, hardest German class, which she realizes she never should have taken - to “challenge” herself in German, along with Bio, Chem, lots of labs, extra science projects, etc. was just plain silly.</p>
<p>The 2-1 for HS classes sounds about right. Bluejr took five years of Spanish but didn’t take AP his last year. He should have tested out of the requirement. He tested into the fourth class which I thought was a fair assessment of his effort on the test. He handily got A’s all five years but didn’t want to take the online test since he doesn’t currently have a foreign language requirement (e’school). I wanted him to take the test in the event that he changes his major (yes, as parents we do know this phenomenon happens). My hard-core engineering kid was a bit insulted by this…too bad, take the test anyway. He did but didn’t prep for it, which was fine with me. He’s still better off then if he had to take it in a year if we all swap to an alternate universe where bluejr is a humanities major and has to finish out Spanish.</p>
<p>Agree with EmmyBet. Make the first semester easy. ShawSon had as his advisor the Dean of Freshman. He told ShawSon to make the first semester easier and replaced a hard course with a much easier one. Plus he repeated the second semester of calculus. He said, I want you to learn how to be a success here. He got great grades, while competing on the debate team, and this definitely helped his confidence (although that wasn’t a real area of deficit).</p>
<p>S doesn’t have to take a language thank goodness he hates FL. You bought up a good point BI about what happens if there is a change in major and now a FL is required. </p>
<p>Proudmom - S’s school provided sheets, blankets and pillows for orientation. If it is only for a day or two, I agree with GAmom that you can probably just throw a couple sheets and a blanket in a carry on, maybe a small pillow. </p>
<p>S is soured on his room mate. They met up on FB after the match was made. First thing the future room mate said was he was trying to get out of the assigned dorm (all male), made S feel he was alsobeing rejected. School has over enrolled and has assigned some kids to temporary housing so I don’t know where his room mate thinks he will go. </p>
<p>Flmathmom-thanks for the macy’s sale info. I only wish I could buy anything right now, I just mailed in money for summer camp for 11yo D. </p>
<p>MM- hope you are feeling better’</p>
<p>D is at her prom. Just uploaded some pix to shutterfly . I need to try to get some rest as I am working the after prom from 11 (set up) to 5 a.m !! Oy!!</p>
<p>Thanks for all the replies on the FL. That’s what I was thinking too – take it a bit easy at least the first semester. He will be fine in Spanish II, but III would have been “dificil” (that’s “difficult,” right??) :)</p>
<p>Argh haven’t had internet at home since Mon night. And only get a few chances during this busy busyweek to get a few min on the laptop out and about wherever I can connect. </p>
<p>so trying to read a bit here while D2 is learning some soccer reffing…</p>
<p>yay! D1 texted from home and said our satellite internet is working again, whew!</p>
<p>Woo hoo - all done! Graduation is in the past for our family! The ceremony was held in the gym but we snagged our six on the floor with nice back supporting chairs instead of sitting in the bleachers. My parents came up from South Jersey. My in-laws live in Colorado so were never expected to come. The kids were pretty well behaved with one attempt at a beach ball throw (quickly confiscated) and some random silly string outbursts. 250 students and they had us out of there in just under two hours, but then they had some really good appetizers and desserts in the cafeteria so we milled around taking pictures and talking to parents for another 40 minutes. I’ll post shutterfly pic’s tomorrow. Wonderful ending.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for the replies about orientation bedding. I’m just going to take a larger carry-on than I had originally intended and pack a sheet, small blanket and she can carry a small pillow.</p>
<p>On the foreign language topic… DD1 (now a junior in college) has had some challenges here. She took 3 years of French but that was 8th, 9th & 10th grade. She started at one college that didn’t require a FL for psych majors but then transferred sophomore year. Her new school not only requires it but, without a placement exam, placed her into French 3. After all those years, she struggled ALOT so ended up dropping that class and starting over the next semester in Spanish because they would let her drop back to the lowest level. She’s been fine since then but it was a tough situation for awhile.</p>
<p>Kath: Congrats on the graduation! So glad to hear that it was a “wonderful ending.”</p>
<p>Holliesue: I hope that you made it through the After Prom party.</p>
<p>I agree with others about going with the easier options first semester Freshman year. It’s a big enough adjustment without an overly difficult course load. My D1’s friends who switched majors and had to take language courses later on didn’t have too much trouble. Mamom, I wouldn’t have him take it “just in case” if he hates FL. </p>
<p>MOSB: I think that my daughter took your suggestion about the thank you notes. She whipped them all out yesterday afternoon! Thanks for sending her the virtual nudge. One less thing for me to nag about.</p>
<p>hollie - I hope you had a reasonable night! I thought of you as I was peacefully laying my head on my pillow at 10:30.</p>
<p>kathie - Yay! Isn’t it a wonderful feeling?</p>
<p>Another FL memory … H took 2 years of German in HS, placed out of German 1 in college. Waited until junior year to take German 2. We were dating then, and oh, what a misery it was seeing him drowning in German homework and tests, while also taking O-Chem and other pre-med subjects. It is AMAZING how quickly a FL leaves your head. D1 finished her 6 semesters of college German 2 years ago and says right now she’d be hard-pressed to hold a conversation in it (reading might be OK, but only OK).</p>
<p>I focused a lot on FL in HS - was taking college Spanish by the time I was a senior, and also had 4 years of Russian, including a grammar-intensive college course my senior year. I dropped that class after a semester: ALL I did was Russian homework, day after day after day. It was fascinating, but hard.</p>
<p>I did place out of my 2 year language requirement for college, considered continuing in Spanish and took a literature course. At the 3rd year level, the entire class was in Spanish, as if I were taking an English lit class. 10-page papers of literary analysis in Spanish were the norm. It was fun, but I was super-ready for it.</p>
<p>I never took Russian in college, and within a couple of years could only hold a “phrasebook” quality conversation. Spanish I can do OK in if I bone up (like before a trip - going to read a bunch of Spanish and refresh my grammar before I go to Puerto Rico), but I would say I was only remotely fluent for a couple of years back then.</p>
<p>I think we expect way too much from kids taking HS FL classes. The goal is to understand and hopefully be able to use the language. Nothing kills that faster than an ugly experience taking it. D2 wants desperately to be able to speak a FL; it broke her heart that our Spanish curriculum is so terrible, because otherwise she would have stayed with it. Interest in FLs has decreased abominably in our schools - we’ve dropped from 5 to 2 in the past 10 years, and not because of budget cuts. I do think there would be more interest if the experience were more rewarding: we have a couple of new German teachers, including a native speaker, and interest is high, and they’ve resurrected a summer trip to Germany which sadly had disappeared the whole time D1 was a HS German student.</p>
<p>With so much new and different, as much as D2 is chomping at the bit to learn French, I think she’ll wait until at least sophomore year (or next summer) to start it in college.</p>
<p>Just to clarify, I asked that bluejr take the FL placement test in case he changes majors, not take foreign language in college in case he has a requirement later. I had actually hoped after 5 successful hs years he would test ‘exempt’ and be done. Not so lucky, which is fine. If he does change majors he will have one class required. I viewed it as an insurance policy for a placement exam that took about 30min.</p>
<p>That was a great plan, BI. I’m not trying to be sour on FL - just have seen common mistakes (including my own) and hope to dispel myths. I would think after 5 years in HS bluejr will be OK to take that last bit in college (if he has to) even if he waits a year. He just might want to do some reviewing - and not assume like my H that it was going to be a piece of cake.</p>
<p>If D were at all considering taking Spanish in college I’d have her take the test, too - but she absolutely will not. She knows she’d place out of one year at best and really wants to learn a different language, so it’s really not much more time to invest, anyway. If she could possibly place out of the 2 years (if she’d had 4-5 years like so many of these kids), I’d force her to do the 30 minutes; then she’d have the flexibility to take a new language at her leisure, even after she graduated if there never ended up being time for it. Luckily she sees this as a nice opportunity; I just want it to be a positive one. </p>
<p>When she was thinking of a vocal music major, she knew then that she’d need 1 year each of French, German and Italian - she may yet decide that having those under her belt might be nice for continuing with operatic singing, or theatre in general. I imagine she could make a case for doing that at her school, rather than 2 years of 1 language. So really anything could happen.</p>
<p>At Tufts the 6 semesters of required FL can be divided into 3-semester stints at 2 languages, which provides a nice “out” for kids who pick one that doesn’t work out, or who place out of 3 semesters from their HS work but prefer starting another over continuing.</p>
<p>So today is June 18 … D leaves 7/5 for orientation - so soon! I was so OK with not going; there are no parent programs, and she’ll be busy every second, and it would cost me a fortune. When she said, “I’m going by myself?” I pooh-poohed her concerns and told her to get used to flying there, getting to campus from the airport (she’s flown alone before), etc. </p>
<p>I know she’ll be fine, but - OK, I’m getting sad and I’m envious of those of you who ARE going with your kids! Parent orientation at her school is at move-in, and I’m so glad H is going with me. I can’t even be a wimp and change my mind on this one because she picked a session when I’ll be away myself; in fact, I won’t be home for 3 days after she returns, wah. Just have to wait and be patient; I’m glad I’ve been to campus twice, anyway.</p>
<p>July 16 is her 18th birthday and suddenly time is telescoping. Wow! I’ve been helping a few rising seniors around here and on CC and the whole search/application process is starting to feel so long ago.</p>
<p>kathiep - Yay for happy endings! That’s exactly what graduation should be and I’m happy that’s what you got.</p>
<p>EB- DD’s orientation is next weekend (!) and I am attending because there is a full agenda for parents those two days. I’m glad I’m going but, like you, am starting to really feel the clock tick down. </p>
<p>Was talking to DD last night and telling her we need to pick a weekend this summer to go visit my husband’s family in PA before she leaves. They were here for graduation but I know they’d like to see her again before she moves so far away. She said she’d like that but would need to get it on the calendar asap as her summer is filling up. I looked at the calendar and there are only SEVEN weekends between the time we come back from orientation and the day we leave to move her in. How is that POSSIBLE?</p>
<p>Congratulations to this weekend’s graduates, and to the ones yet to come!</p>
<p>My D graduated a week ago. My grandma decided not to come, so we ended up having just enough tickets. The ceremony was really lovely. After having random bursts of crying earlier that day, I held it together for her graduation and just felt really happy and proud. Afterward, after all the picture-taking, we all went out to dinner. The grad party started at 10 p.m. that night and I heard it was a lot of fun. The next afternoon we had a family party at my mom’s house, and then the day after that we went to San Francisco for four days. Took D’s boyfriend with us. It was a lot of fun and a nice post-graduation trip for them.</p>
<p>Looking forward to settling down now for the summer. D is volunteering 3 days a week at the hospital. S will be home from his study abroad in New Zealand in a little over a week. We have a family vacation in Hawaii next month. Good times ahead! I’m trying not to think about the impending empty nest. After all the years of raising kids, it really went by in a blink of an eye, and I’m sad for them to be gone. :(</p>
<p>Omom: I’m glad to hear that your D’s graduation went well. I’m facing an empty nest in the fall also, and I agree that everything by very quickly. Your trip to Hawaii sounds wonderful. We took the girls to Maiu a few years ago, and it was great. </p>
<p>So far, this summer doesn’t feel too rushed for me. It started earlier than usual because the seniors graduate almost a month before classes end for other students. In fact, thanks to snow days, the last day of school around here is next Wednesday. We have some nice trips planned this summer: Boston for D’s orientation, Arizona trip to the Sedona and the Grand Canyon in July, and a week at the beach in Delaware in August. We still don’t know D’s college drop off date which makes me a bit crazy. She is applying for a pre-orientation community service program which starts 5 days before freshman move-in. The application just came out, and now she’s procrastinating on the essay (what else is new?). My H is being very zen and saying that it’s her problem if she doesn’t get into the program, but I’d like to get our plans set up.</p>