<p>I sent D with a nerf gun and she added the water gun to the cart. H saw the “weapons” for the first time at move in. He was baffled. (LOL, he never did see the condoms that I bought because I was instructed to on this thread.)</p>
<p>Class of 2015 - I went to school 2000 miles from home and I don’t think I went home for Thanksgiving once. Lots of out of staters who have to fly don’t go home for T’giving. Don’t feel guilty. </p>
<p>One things parents should do before letting their kids go away to a school where one must take a plane to get home is to tell them beforehand that they may not be able to come home more than a couple times a year.</p>
<p>Haven’t heard a thing from boychild but he is either out on the Atlantic sailing or kayaking somewhere in Maine. I told him when I dropped him off to text us when he gets back to dry land on Friday. </p>
<p>The only thing we told him to do is to text us once a week to let us know he is alive. I also stressed to him that it’s ok to call us if he wants to run anything by us, or is having a problem of some sort. </p>
<p>I have zero expectations that he is just going to call or text us just to chat. Which is a good thing, imo.</p>
<p>Bluejr is sick… HE didn’t tell me, his brother did. I am having the worst time staying put! I know I could be there in 90min. I know, I know…and do what? I just feel so helpless. He’s got the firstaid kit with cold meds. 
I’m checking to see what I can send overnight via Amazon, but I’m sure he’ll say nothing.</p>
<p>Pepper–I’m there with you with the rising HS freshman being a bit ignored. I took him shopping yesterday then to lunch then for a haircut then to school to pick up his schedule. We walked the halls to see where all the classes are. I hope that shows him he’s important too! DS1 hasn’t launched yet, so it’s hard to get that college stuff done and still give time to the rising HS DS2 who needs the love too.</p>
<p>Mamom–thanks for the link. I didn’t know some airlines offered stand-by tickets for students. Great tip!</p>
<p>My DS will mostly travel home via train. It “looks” pretty easy from his school. Guess he’ll find out the truth when he comes home for fall break!!!</p>
<p>Blue, go for a walk if it’s nice outside. Don’t take your cell. If the weather is bad, vacuum.</p>
<p>The weather is nice…no cell, really?! Man, you are harsh! Okay, Bluedog is staring at me so I think she heard you. Perhaps a short walk. :)</p>
<p>Son doesn’t have a real fall break, just one Monday in October and dorms aren’t closed so he will stay at school. Thanksgiving break is excellent. They have off the full Thanksgiving week and I’m hoping/planing that he will catch a ride with a neighbors daughter who is another college in the same town. If not, it’s a long enough break that he should be able to take the train.</p>
<p>Hi All</p>
<p>BI–Its ok. Relax…rain in those horses. He is a college man now–and there is no room for mommy at college. He will find something in his kit, go to the local Walgreens etc or the school’s health center. Hugs.</p>
<p>As for Thanksgiving–elder kiddo has a week off–yet younger kiddo has only Wed-Sun. Don’t know what we are doing yet, though my MiL asked if we all wanted to go to Boston or NYC for a family trip with her for the holiday. I am going to ask kiddo–because I suspect with the heavy academic and sports schedule, kiddo might want a week of sleep and turkey sandwiches.</p>
<p>GUESS what come today!!! —in my email—
a picture of elder kiddo on “the first day of school” taken with the web cam!!
Classes started today.</p>
<p>Very thoughtful since I didn’t think I would ever have one more of these.</p>
<p>emilybee – thanks for the support – you’re right – lots of kids don’t go home for Thanksgiving.</p>
<p>blueiguana – I felt the same way when D had 102 fever (strep). I ached for her. Even if I were 90 minutes away, I would have told myself to stay put. This is the unfortunate downside of being on their own. You tell them what to do (keep up the liquids; take their meds; rest) but there’s not much you can do. Hope he feels better soon.</p>
<p>BI, I take pride in being known as ‘the mean mom’.</p>
<p>Class of 15, you’re welcome. </p>
<p>If anyone ever needs to be talked down, I’m your woman. :)</p>
<p>Blue - It is good to have additional “informants” isn’t it? Hope bluejr finds the first-aid-box or the nearest CVS/Walgreens…probably just a little cold, will be better in no time :)</p>
<p>Fog - Aww, that is so sweet! </p>
<p>Pepper and VAMom - I have a rising HS frosh too and so I mapped out her classes on the HS map (it is a 2-story bldg with a few additions, diff elevations from the front to the back) and gave her a look - all she can say is “I don’t get it.” I explain about 5 million ways that the school lies on a hill so that the main entrance is really on the 2nd fl and that the gym entrance is at the first floor. “I don’t get it.” Well, I said, hey we can drive there and I can maybe explain better when you see it. Wish I had tinted windows because as I am (in the car) pointing out the diff elevations and the main classroom bldg, she sees teacher - she puts window up and slunks down in seat. I mean seriously, she is a smart kid, but she is not getting this stupid map - and now she won’t even look out the window? After we got home (never stepping foot outside the car mind you), I built an example of the school out of legos - and “I don’t get it.” was all she could muster. Again - this is after she has spent numerous hours in that school for functions at the auditorium or in the gym and just completed something like 5 days at band camp there?? I’m done done done, she can just spend her HS yrs lost in the labyrinth that is our HS for all I care. Form an intelligent question and we’ll talk.</p>
<p>Re: thanksgiving - (or the anniv. of his appendectomy) - I am hoping for ride-shares because even the MegaBus is $120 and closest thing would be NYC and then hop on another 2 hr bus home for $20 or so. Amtrak and Greyhound have options but again, nothing closer than NYC so that’s a connection for an additional 2 hrs.</p>
<p>Speaking of ‘additional informants’…I texted Bluejr’s best friend who is also a new Wahoo to check in on him. Her mom is one of my dear friends. She and Bluejr have been close since they were 5yo so are more like siblings. I feel better knowing someone will lay eyes on him and make sure he’s okay. Chances are she would have seen him today anyway…or she already knew, but she didn’t let on. 
Such a sweetie!!</p>
<p>^^ haha BI
I thought Emilybee had confiscated your cell phone ;)</p>
<p>we had a bit of panic at our house the am when D texted saying she was ready to look for her workstudy job and didn’t have her social security card and didn’t know where it was. She was for sure she had taken it and locked it in a locked box hiding in her suitcase but it wasn’t there.</p>
<p>She told me to look through all of her dresser drawers because maybe she put it there by mistake. H quietly went to our personal locked box, where we keep our SS cards and passports, and there it was. He texted her he had found it, then came and told me i could quit looking.</p>
<p>I guess she put it in a locked box, just not the one she took with her. It is mailed off to her today so she can start filling out the applications and start working.</p>
<p>Hi everyone - Just got home from New York, and everything went amazingly well!</p>
<p>As I said, Adelphi changed move-in/matriculation from Sun/Mon to Mon/Tues, which was a very good choice: Sunday we were pretty much stuck in the hotel all day on minimal electricity, and then no electricity through Sunday night. But Monday dawned bright and beautiful. Fortunately Adelphi did not lose power, and also only suffered light damage to its beautiful arboretum. </p>
<p>Move-in was scheduled at 1 p.m., but we had nothing to do (and no electricity - very cold showers!) so we left the hotel early, had breakfast, did a couple more errands, and arrived about 11:30. They very kindly let us in, and it was nice having the halls and stairways to ourselves. D is the only freshman in her suite, but one of her roommates was there Monday working, so she came over and they played around with the furniture a bit. We got all of her stuff in fairly quickly (especially because the dorm had handtrucks to borrow - we have one at home but literally had no room left in the van for it). </p>
<p>By the time we’d done some quick stowing and done our trip for more plastic containers, hangers, etc. (the things we couldn’t plan until we saw the room) her roommate - who was allowed to move in early because of her job - was bringing her stuff in, too. We put lots more things away, until about dinnertime. There were some activities around campus, but everything was all switched around because of the storm, and D found that most of her friends were having one last dinner with their folks, so we took her out one last time, too. </p>
<p>Then we took her “home” for her first night in the dorm. Went back to our hotel to find the power restored - YAY - and spent our first night as empty-nesters away from home. She texted us a couple of times that she was OK, and the next morning we picked up yet another couple of things she needed and met her in her room about an hour before the matriculation ceremony. She was a little bewildered, with things not quite organized yet, but still excited. She’s been away from home and lived in lots of dorms for music camps, etc., but I know making the long-term adjustment was hitting her. The other 3 suite-mates were moving in Tues morning, and we headed off to matriculation. H got to see even more of campus in the meantime.</p>
<p>Nice ceremony, a really good feeling. D sat with her already great buddies from orientation, and we had a nice, quick goodbye before she headed off to her book discussion. H and I decided we’d skip the next set of official remarks because we really needed to get on the road. So that was that!</p>
<p>We’ve had a couple of texts along the way, but not much from her today, her first day of classes. I’m sure she is running around like crazy, and that we’ll talk soon. She doesn’t have classes Fridays, so she’ll have a nice long weekend to catch her breath.</p>
<p>No parents’ weekend for us - it’s pretty much just sports there, and it’s too far away, especially because we’ll want to make trips to see her theatre performances. So we won’t see her until Thanksgiving, if then. </p>
<p>D1 is coming back from Puerto Rico Sunday and leaving about a week and a half later for Maryland. She plans to go up to NY to see D2 sometime this fall, and it’s possible the two of them will do Thanksgiving with my folks in MA … and maybe I’ll join them … who knows?</p>
<p>I feel like there’s a big blank wall right in front of me. I have no idea what’s happening past tomorrow, to be honest. I mean, I have things on my schedule, but it all FEELS very murky. It’s a big change! </p>
<p>Congrats to everyone and best wishes to all of the kids AND parents.</p>
<p>“^^ haha BI
I thought Emilybee had confiscated your cell phone”</p>
<p>It’s obvious I am going to have to ground her.</p>
<p>^ Who me? I’m just resourceful, but I didn’t <em>go</em> anywhere.
(I sound like the kids, don’t I!)</p>
<p>Emmybet, welcome home! Glad it went well for you considering the forecast.</p>
<p>I think I am the only one not affected by empty nest syndrome. Had coffee this morning with my neighbor girl friend, raked out the garden beds of debris (couldn’t let neighbor kid do them yesterday because the tree guy came and sprayed in the morning,) walked little dog, chatted with a few people on the way, replied to all the emails in my inbox, went to the market to buy some easy to prepare food as DH is working crazy hours, took big dog for her walk, had sushi and large glass of pinot gris for dinner again and now I’m surfing net and watching USO on TV. </p>
<p>Dog trainer is coming early tomorrow morning as little dog is in need of remedial training and my once a week tennis game starts again. Lunch after.</p>
<p>BI, go to your room and think about what you have done. ;)</p>