<p>mnmomof2–late launch is good/bad. Good for the extra time, but DS was definitely ready to go since all his friends had already left. Can’t imagine waiting until the end of month–I have a friend who’s DS is headed to Stanford and they start almost at the end of the month.</p>
<p>I find myself wishing I could hear from DS about his pre-frosh trip. I couldn’t figure out why it’s been so hard already since he’d gone off to summer camp and such before. Then I realized that this is the first high adventure trip he’s been on without me! I went on all the trips with the scouts (several were co-ed and I was the adult female leader). </p>
<p>My DS2 also started HS today. I’m hoping all is going well and that he won’t be overloaded with homework this year. He has LD issues and I always worry about him being able to handle the load. He’s done fine so far, but HS is a whole new world. Guess I can spend my energy on him this year! :)</p>
<p>Thanks for the tip on signing out of FB chat. D1 just showed me how! But I’ll still see just where she feels most comfortable with that. It really does make me feel like I’m hanging around her life. But maybe we’ll just learn to live with it. Oh, the modern age!</p>
<p>We’re almost home. One more night until my own bed, my own shower and unwrinkled clothes. Three weeks plus is a few days too long.</p>
<p>DS definitely seems to be taking on more responsibility. He called today with a fin aid question. When I offerred to handle it, he said he’d do it himself. Not the answer I would have received six months ago. </p>
<p>Congrats to OWM DS1 and DIL. Great example of responsibility, resilience and learning to live with and then love the path that is chosen for you.</p>
<p>Mnmom: I’m glad that someone’s D went to Hillel Friday night! I’m hoping that my D will find her way there eventually. Congrats to your D on making the acapella group. My D1 has found that participating on a club sports team has been a great way to continue her sport while allowing time for other activities.</p>
<p>I think my S’s only contact with the Hillel so far has been to get on their mailing list. I guess he’ll “need” them come Rosh Hashanah. Their upcoming event is a boat cruise and my S hates boats, so I’m sure he’s not interested in that.</p>
<p>Thanks for the Hillel reminder. At Olin, the students are matched with upperclassmen called Sibbs. DS’s Sibb has similar religious background and has asked DS to help him energize Jewish group on campus. DS said he was very interested. I’ll keep you posted.</p>
<p>LOL, on Sunday afternon we texted “how was church?” No response.</p>
<p>When we were on campus for orientation, we found the closest church of our denomination. But when I looked on their website, they don’t appear to have a campus ministry/college group. I see no problem with D waiting to see which groups are active on campus and choosing one with which she feels comfortable.</p>
<p>Hi! Can I join the conversation? My S (only child, homeschooled) started July 29th at a pre-O program, and we visited him a week and a half ago for orientation. He still had open suitcases on the floor of his tiny double. We helped him unpack and took the suitcases away, so now he’ll have to throw all his clean and dirty clothes directly on the floor instead. The mess isn’t entirely his fault - he was raised that way (but not to that extent)! :p</p>
<p>I also would like to jump in again- been silent but reading the thread every day. I have been particularly interested in how the launches went because our countdown is now finally getting to the end- 14 days until move-in. DD and I are flying in but are fortunate because my in-laws not only live in the area and can pick us up, they actually live literally across the street from the campus. DD has never lived in the same state as these grandparents, so maybe as she’s becoming independent she can have some great conversations with them and get some free dinners or a show now and then. That won’t stop me from feeling, in your words, a “big gaping hole” or make me reluctant to have a “new normal”.</p>
<p>Welcome GeekMom63 and welcome back stillwater. </p>
<p>I am dealing with multiple calls from D each day- mostly to shoot the breeze when it is meal time and she is eating in her room (her ankle re-injury is keeping her close to the dorms for other than classes). She has made friends but hates the dining commons food so is trying to be creative. She asked to come home this weekend because her ankle and stomach discomfort are flaring up right now. So she will come home for 24 hours to “reset” so to speak. She seems to be integrating socially ( I hear about a number of women she hangs out with) but I think the 6 days of orientation were way too much for her. So far she has not ventured out to any non mandatory activities other than meals with her hallmates. Hope that changes in time but she never was much of joiner.</p>
<p>kinderny: Had to laugh when I read your comment that your daughter hates the dining commons food. I asked my son how the food was and he said “great!” But, he said that he had heard people complaining about the food. He’s a really healthy eater but is a kid who eats to live rather than lives to eat. I told my DH that I couldn’t decide whether to be pleased that he wasn’t picky about the food or insulted that we had set the bar so low at home that even the dining hall food was “great!”</p>
<p>My d just played a trick on us. She has been a long distance runner for over 6 years. She wanted to run for Tulane, but decided to not submit her information and just concentrate on school. </p>
<p>She just texted me and asked if I wanted to come watch her meet on Nov. 12, knowing I would think running.</p>
<p>When I asked her if she had told her coach her medical history (4 spontaneous collapsed lungs, 3 hospitalizations, two lung sugeries and she still runs half marathons…) she told me that she hadn’t told him yet, but it was just rowing so what’s the big deal?</p>
<p>So, I guess she is on the rowing team, which does not require previous experience and is coached by an Olympic silver medalist. The schedule is not up on the website and it appears there was a spring season last year, so I don’t know what this Nov. 12 stuff is about.</p>
<p>Just found out DS’s pre-frosh backpacking trip has likely been ended early due to weather/flooding concerns. While I’m happy they are thinking of safety, I’m sad that he won’t have the entire week of bonding. </p>
<p>VAMom2015, it’s possible that your DS’s group could continue the bonding/group thing back on campus. DD’s pre-orientation backpacking trip got cut short when the groups were evacuated, but they kept the spirit going back on campus. Including not showering until the end of the “trip”. :)</p>
<p>(scrambling like mad to catch up on the last couple weeks of posts)</p>
<p>I’d like to know what’s the most outrageous textbook price any of y’all have seen out there for your kids’ classes. I offer you Exhibit A: A German textbook for $330. The kicker–that’s just for the first semester. And it’s not available anywhere else but the bookstore. :eek: That’s a rental, for sure.</p>
<p>Nothing boychild needed to buy comes remotely close to that. Almost all were paperbacks, not textbooks, and he was able to get most of them used on Amazon. I don’t think I spent more than $400 max. </p>
<p>Last year his physics text was $204 and they rarely used it.</p>
I went on all the trips with the scouts (several were co-ed and I was the adult female leader). </p>