<p>Just skyped with DS…he actually called me! He was having some lunch before heading to his economics midterm and I guess he wanted me to see that he was, in fact, eating! He will be home in one week for Fall break and it will be his first time home since we left him last August. I am setting up a car service to pick him up from his dorm and take him to the airport since it is comparable to a taxi and more reliable. If he took public transportation (bus to train) he may not make his flight and I cannot take the stress of that risk. I am so happy that he called me.</p>
<p>DD came home last night but will return to school tomorrow since she has rehearsals over the long weekend. Like eyemamom’s S she requested red meat for dinner. Apparently the veggie food at school is great but the meat is a bit of a mystery.</p>
<p>She also was looking forward to a long very private shower. Her dorm has single bathrooms, but she says it is not “fun” to shower there. She has to wear flip flops, can’t take too long, and most importantly to her you cannot sing in the shower. Apparently she did one time and when she came out all the kids in the common room were applauding!</p>
<p>RM situation is good - not great friends but live together well. She is asking for noise cancelling headphones since her room is across from the common room which is occupied until the wee hours. DH suggested cotton balls as a cheaper alternative.</p>
<p>Classes are fine, grades are good (one of the benefits of her high pressure prep HS is that she is used to the workload and has the time management skills). Having loads of fun with her hall, her a cappella group, and the cast of the play.</p>
<p>We will hardly see her this visit since she is visiting friends and running errands. But I will take whatever I can get!</p>
<p>1012mom --</p>
<p>You can buy ear plugs at CVS or Walgreens that will help more than cotton balls! Look for the ones that show the highest muffling ability in decibels.</p>
<p>D1 slept with noise cancellation earphones all of her freshman year. She had a neighbor who liked to have guests over very late at night. D1 never complained. We got one for D2 too, but it turned out her room is very quiet even though she is on the first floor.</p>
<p>D2 is coming home tonight for her midterm break. I managed to get her a seat on the nice campus bus at the last minute due to cancellation. They have wifi, snacks and drinks, and wide seats. She is looking forward to have her own bathroom and sleeping in.</p>
<p>My D is sort of coming home for fall break - she’s (hopefully) on the train now but is staying with her best friend from high school when she gets off the train. I will “get her” Sunday. We went to family weekend just last weekend so I’m willing to share a little.</p>
<p>A tiny bit nervous since D has never been on the train before - hope she figured it out. I’m sure there were other kids riding for the first time too.</p>
<p>D calls her shower “the Coffin” - and it deserves every bit of that name. It’s the smallest, darkest shower stall I’ve ever seen! </p>
<p>D would LOVE those really expensive headphones all the kids have now - Beats by Dr. Dre I think. Completely out of my price range - although I tried them out at Target and must admit, they are amazing… S has used earplugs for loud nights in the dorms the past two years.</p>
<p>Once, when touring a sawmill to help put together a project specification, I was issued a set of disposable earplugs. I keep them in my desk drawer and have used them on numerous occasions to isolate myself from loud neighbors (and one particularly opinionated neighbor). :)</p>
<p>Our high school’s dress code isn’t enforced except for the most egregious violations, so S has had everything from Elvis-like sideburns to a full beard already. I’m sure he’ll re-grow the beard the first time he gets hit with the cold wind coming off Lake Michigan.</p>
<p>Ha ha I think you’re right SteveC - your son may like having a beard with that wind. My son has grown a beard both fall/winters at NU. And he LOVES not shaving since his beard is pretty thick.</p>
<p>I saw D on the U’s webcam today! We were on the phone and she mentioned she was crossing the plaza that the webcam overlooks, so I looked and…there she was!! I was waving like crazy!! (No, no one, least of all her, could see this, but the cat found it unnerving.) She looks so cute! Her friends from HS will all be home this weekend, except her. She doesn’t even have Monday off, and rehearsal all day Saturday, after which she was asked to work the school’s fundraising gala. The week after is parents weekend but she has tech rehearsals every minute. But she looked really cute on the cam!</p>
<p>CPU - hang in there! Check in with the student health center about the concussion. Check in with the counseling session about handling roommate issues. Check in with tutors about math and science. Keep pluggin along! Lots of people have tough first semesters. You can do this! Treat yourself to something nice!</p>
<p>My guys are driving home for fall break right now, and expected to get home around 5:00 am. hmmm. Rough night for me ahead…</p>
<p>Not shaving in November (Movember) is a big deal at DS school (all-male college). They have mustache and beard contests as part of their weekend of their big game. DS just turned 18 and is not really hairy, but is participating in their mullet competition since his hair grows quickly. I shudder to think of what he will look like. </p>
<p>BTW, the Homecoming “Queen” festivities were amazing. Turns out they don’t crown a winner anymore, but from all the pictures, my boy was the prettiest girl. He looked like Katie Homes in a batgirl costume. Oh the joys of college.</p>
<p>Worked with a young guy who just received his practical nursing license. We were discussing college (he started out at a division 3 school on a football scholarship but quit after one year) and he told me his fiance has $100,000 in student loans. She is a teacher making around $35,000 a year. This just blew my mind. I realized how lucky I was to have found CC and have people pound it into my head, the importance of minimizing debt.</p>
<p>Anyway, I am just sitting her and that poor girl is on my mind. He told me she doesn’t know how she will afford the monthly payments as it is a graduated payment that will rise every year. As my grandma says - my goodness gracious.</p>
<p>wow…</p>
<p>Tell this young man to think twice before he marries this girl. Sounds harsh, but…</p>
<p>Son came home last nite. Looks good, is happy, really likes his dorm mates and definitely seems in the grove of things. Nice to see.</p>
<p>“This just blew my mind. I realized how lucky I was to have found CC and have people pound it into my head, the importance of minimizing debt.”</p>
<p>True that!</p>
<p>ooof - 100,000 debt for a teachers job? I think the rule of thumb I heard was no more debt than the first years salary - and these days it’s no guarantee there will be a first year salary right after graduation. I agree with oldfort sort of - I’d say be aware of what a future spouses debt and spending habits will have on your future.</p>
<p>Gwen - that’s funny about the webcam. I think I’ll show it to S today so he can stand on the hi mom balcony and wave to me - lol</p>
<p>psychmom - I think are kids are more capable than we give them credit for - I’m sure she made it fine. S never flew alone and he managed to print the boarding pass, get a taxi and figure it all out just fine. I need to stop being such a worry wart.</p>
<p>Oldfort is absolutely right. They should hold off on marriage until the finances are on solid ground!</p>
<p>Can’t say that I agree that marriage should wait because of a big loan debt. That debt is not going to be paid off except over many years. If they are ready to marry, then they work to pay if off together with their joint income. If that’s too big of a commitment, time to move on anyway.</p>
<p>We’re up here in Rochester visiting middle son over break. It was wonderful to see him and he’s doing great! We took him out for a steak dinner last night and, earlier in the day, bought him a winter coat and new jeans. Youngest spent the night in his room. (I forgot to e-mail his rm telling him to go home for break though… somehow I’m assuming they survived. 
) I’m not sure what’s on the agenda for today. It’s kind of chilly, so a potential trip to Niagara Falls is off (we’ve been there before anyway). We might do some geocaching. Dinner tonight will be at Tullys.</p>
<p>It’s been absolutely great hearing both middle and youngest sharing things again, both academic and non. It MAY even be inspiring my youngest to return to his first love (flora/fauna/micro) as a potential major for him and MAY have him longing for a higher level college (which MAY encourage him to put some time into studying for the SAT/ACT). Time will tell. Where we live there are very few who aim high - and youngest was literally born a researcher. It’s good for him to see the possibilities out there. He doesn’t have any peers he can have similar level discussions with at home.</p>
<p>So right now, I’m lovin’ it! I only wish we could stay Tuesday as well, but we have school that day and middle son really needs to study for a test on Thursday, so we only have today and the first half of tomorrow. Then we’ll be back at Thanksgiving! (My family is in NY and we always get together with them for Thanksgiving.)</p>
<p>With regards to the high debt… we often try to caution kids at school about that, but they are at the age where they know it all. Hopefully they can make it work.</p>
<p>Hello, Wackaloons…and new folks. It has been a while since I checked in here. Just had my girl home for the weekend to meet her new niece…my older stepdaughter’s new baby girl. She was over the moon, and loved being here for the beautiful changing leaves as well. It was a very short weekend visit though–fall break is next weekend at Tulane, but she isn’t allowed to leave then because they have a home football game, and band is a commitment. She couldn’t get away then. But it was great seeing her.</p>
<p>She loves her classes and is very happy with her roommie. I know the big party scene there bothers her, but she is staying busy with band, the lit society and a committee in her dorm, so that’s good. </p>
<p>I don’t think we’ll go down over family weekend/homecoming–I haven’t been able to find a RT flight that weekend for less than $500. And there would be 3 of us…so we will likely see her again at Thanksgiving. </p>
<p>Happy to hear about all the recent visits! Isn’t it great to give them a hug??? I was ecstatic to have her in her own bed under my roof last night. She’s already winging her way back to NOLA this morning.</p>