<p>Mihcal, that’s a good question; I will ask him this weekend. I know that his packed orientation week schedule included session(s) on acclimating to Hyde Park/Chicago, including transportation, but who knows if S attended and/or absorbed the information. I think, for all aspects of college life, he will learn more through ongoing experience and from upper classmen as need arises. Too early to know anything about academic performance, but he is enjoying his classes so far.</p>
<p>Bucasmom, what an exciting post! Your S is clearly taking wonderful advantage of all sorts of opportunities.</p>
<p>I have 1 week to move out of my dorm into a stand-alone single. </p>
<p>So happy that everything worked out. I like being independent enough to do this all on my own. If I was very shy I would just be suffering in a negative environment.</p>
<p>Sandy is currently a hurricane with a good chance of hitting NYC. Wondering what kind of emergency power system Barnard and other schools might have. Just to be doing something, I ordered D a flashlight/radio/power source combo thing that can be charged by wall plug, sunshine, or hand crank. Really hope we don’t need to worry about food or water in case of major storm damage.</p>
<p>Don’t know about power - in NYC it’s underground and well protected, wind doesn’t knock down power lines or anything. Barnard is also on high ground (trust me, walked up that LONG hill from 125th many times). </p>
<p>I highly doubt you will need to worry about food or water. It’s NYC :)</p>
<p>My daughter is in NYC right now and DS is up there from New Haven visiting with her for fall break. She’s supposed to fly back on Monday but I don’t think it’s looking good for that. Another son is supposed to fly to Ohio next Thursday for a med school interview.</p>
<p>I sent my D a link on Facebook, wondering if she is even aware of what they are calling “Frankenstorm”. One of the good things about Barnard is that there are underground tunnels between buildings on campus so they don’t have to deal with weather, except for their classes on Columbia’s campus. I believe my D has two classes at Columbia. </p>
<p>She starts training for her job on Sunday, finally. Two months of no income is taking its toll on both of us! I hope the storm doesn’t interfere with that.</p>
<p>I am so relieved. I was telling some close friends about the situation yesterday after I had all of my meetings with the higher-ups and I got an email from the Dean saying I will be moved to a stand alone single. We were at a public event and I almost started crying! My friends hugged me. </p>
<p>Told my RMs and the most problematic one asked if the dean contacted me and I said, no, <em>I</em> contacted the dean and <em>I</em> made the appointments. Then she asked if I was directly switching with anyone or if I was just leaving…I lived in the nicest, most spacious freshman dorm…they can fit TWO extra people in there and still have room.</p>
<p>CPU, so happy for you. I wonder why your RM wanted to know if the Dean contacted YOU…hmmmm? And I wonder if they are moving someone else who needs/wants a change into your spot? Your ex-roomies might be getting someone not nearly as nice–always a risk in a roomie changes is that you can never guess if you are going to be receiving someone else’s problem roommate.</p>
<p>boysx3
I wondered that too. She wanted to move out too (why?!) so she probably thought I was getting a “favor”. Unlike her I take the initiative and get what I need. I hope for the new roommates sake that she is just like problematic RM. So another person (who’s like me) wont have to deal with the stress. </p>
<p>Good Job CPU. Good to see you have initiative and taking a proactive approach to life and not sitting around waiting for things to happen to you.</p>
<p>I saw some pictures of a dorm room. I was under the impression rooms are not that big at Harvard. Are there others that are too small and you happened to be a spacious one?</p>
<p>My dorm in particular was bought way back then for the rich kids to have a “better” place to live. So it’s very spacious. Where I’m moving to now can be considered the worst, but I like the size. Not too small. Not too big. All of my belongings won’t fit in this smaller room but that’s fine. The rooms in the dorm I’m moving to are a little larger than the closets in my old dorm, but I lucked out with this one because it’s bigger than average.</p>
<p>Any other parents out there with a child that is freaking out because the first time of their lives they are struggling and now receiving average (or below) grades. My son wants to drop out and contemplate his whole college strategy…he’s at UCSD now thinking of transferring to a State College or ???. I hate to see him so sad and stressed.</p>
<p>honorigo, my D has run into some headwinds also. She’s not freaking out, but she is discouraged. I remember it being harder myself the first year, but then it got easier, so it’s partly learning how to be a college student, I think.</p>
<p>honorigo, my D struggled with that a bit earlier in the term but is gaining confidence as she’s better understanding the expectations and what she needs to do to do better. The comment “I’m not at the top of the curve anymore” has been said more than once. I agree with notakid that it is partly learning how to be a college student, but it is also learning that you do not have to have straight As to be successful in life too. You can be imperfect and it is ok.</p>
<p>Gov of NY (as well as others: VA & MD that I recall) has declared emergency in anticipation of Sandy. Barnard sent email to students about what to do in case of power loss etc. (where I’m not sure what etc. includes yet), and I’ve asked D to forward that to me. They are talking about a worst case scenario of extensive flooding (subways shut down) and 80 mph winds for 24 hours.</p>
And all classes are going great.</p>