<p>IJustDrive- She’s in a Barnard dorm, but there are Columbia students on some floors too, I believe. It’s closer to Columbia than it is to Barnard. </p>
<p>mshapiro- I didn’t see my D’s room this term, but her freshman room wasn’t that bad. The bathrooms in her dorm last year had just been totally remodeled and were really nice. I hope this one isn’t that bad either! Her dad moved her in this year and he said “it was nice.” She seems happy with it so far, but she’s in an air conditioned dorm this year too- and is VERY happy about that. </p>
<p>I think my biggest complaint is the way they do room draws and the whole guaranteed wait list thing. It was disconcerting to have a bill before we even knew if she was in a double or a single or what. Turns out she’s in a single so the cost went up. I was hoping for a double- but we’re (hopefully) making up for the price difference by going with a smaller meal plan and plans for her to prep some of her own food. I figured she would use the meal plan for dinners and prep her own breakfast and lunch but she seems to be intent on cooking an awful lot of dinners too. We’ll see how it goes this term. We may switch meal plans next term.</p>
<p>jackief – I suspect my D had a bunch of HW that didn’t get done while she was up at Lake Tahoe for the holiday weekend, and that she’s in for a tough week.</p>
<p>Wow, I always thought college dorms SHOULD be kind of crummy so as not to set up high expectations for life after college on a first job paycheck… but those Barnard dorms sound pretty awful. It’s one thing for the students to live in small dingy-looking rooms, but when their safety and stress levels are of concern that is discouraging.</p>
<p>My D is in a building on Amsterdam. Don’t remember the name. She was pretty happy with the room, but then saw some of the rooms friends got were nicer. Does have AC, though it didn’t seem very effective Saturday when she moved in.</p>
<p>Yep, I think they’re in the same dorm again, notakid. I wonder if they’ve met. I imagine during move in, the AC probably doesn’t feel like it is working even when it is. </p>
<p>She’s mellowed out now, thank goodness. She bought a few more groceries and she and her roommate (from last year, who is in one of the singles in her suite) cooked dinner together tonight using some of each of their groceries. Gee, didn’t mom suggest that?? lol </p>
<p>Her big dilemma today was which class to drop since she was attending 24 credits worth of classes until she found out if she got into two of her wait list classes. She got into both so she spent half the day texting me with pros and cons and then called tonight to make a final decision. She’s still taking a big load this term- 18 credits, but her class schedule looks pretty good and balanced.</p>
<p>Mine actually used stove, I hear. Boiled eggs for egg salad. Daunting schedules they both have, I’m sure. But that’s the way to get the most out of your college years. Chem lab the biggest dread for mine.</p>
<p>I finally got the call from S I hoped to get last year. You know the call where you know they’re in the groove, happy, settled, excited? He’s got some basic intro courses this semester and he’s shocked at the large class sizes. He joked the classes are larger than his hs graduating class. He’s never had lecture classes, and he’s so used to class participation kinds of classes and a lifetime of feeling like teachers were hanging on his every word.</p>
<p>Then he scared me and told me at the end of this year he’s actually on track for 3 different majors if he decides he wants to switch. I get it’s good to have choices, but I’m also thinking, just stick with the plan buddy.</p>
<p>That’s good that he’s thinking ahead, Eyemamom, even though I understand that you’d like him to stick to the plan. I think it’s pretty exciting to see them making realistic well-informed choices and plans for the future. When mine started earning good money this summer, he started researching rent on condos and used car prices to get an idea of what kind of lifestyle he can afford when he graduates based on starting salaries in his field. He’s even thinking of investing some of his money in a Roth IRA! Sometimes I’m amazed at how much he’s matured these last few years.</p>
<p>D is loving her big double room in a cute, old house (built in 1860) that her college has owned for a number of years. It is a special interest house with 11 other students.</p>
<p>He’s enjoying all of his classes so far. 3 of the 4 are STEM far beyond I ever had, so I just smile and nod. Have had a number of text/FB IM back and forths which is nice. He’s rooming with a good friend and their double is bigger than his double last year. I’m assuming they finally got it all unpacked (it was still chaos when we left after dropping him off). He’s already applied for a job, met with his new advisor, and added a half credit course. Busy guy.</p>
<p>All I’ve heard from her lately is random texts to add things to the boxes I’ll be sending soon. I think I’m going to need bigger boxes. </p>
<p>I was checking her class schedule in anticipation of getting her flight home for Thanksgiving and it currently looks like she has two evening classes that Wednesday. They won’t have class after 5 pm the night before Thanksgiving, will they? Ugh!</p>
<p>BarnardMom, I seriously doubt they will have the evening classes the night before Thanksgiving! But I guess you need to verify that before booking a nonrefundable flight.</p>
<p>Rerunagain, sounds like he is off to a good start. I was amused to see the effort the girls put into their rooms (curtains, framed prints, color-ccordinated storage bins) as opposed to the boys (sheets on bed, check).</p>
<p>So true, bookmouse. My D has a single room this year and back in the summer was all about carefully shopping in stores and online for new bed linens (the bed is a different size than last year’s) and other things to make her room comfortable and pretty. But I’ve picked up from friends that young men are not this way!</p>
<p>barnardmom we toured Barnard last year on the Wed before Thanksgiving because they were still open and doing tours…plenty of kids there that afternoon. I’d ask her to check before booking.</p>
<p>Weatherga, I asked my son to send me pics of his room because I wasn’t able to help him move in. Basically he and his roommate had put the sheets on their beds (sort of) and set up their computers. There was a box of books and sporting equipment by the door. Sort of gave me a chuckle to see the contrast with my friends’ daughters rooms on Facebook. I don’t think he put anything on his walls last year, but I guess that gives us less to worry about when they move out and go through that room condition checklist. Having said that, it does matter to him that his room is newish and spacious, close to the common room and elevator, and has a view of the courtyard instead of the parking garage.</p>
<p>Jmnva06- your D’s house sounds like the type of place I wanted at least one of my kids to end up in.
I guess I know it is my 3rd child to go through this process. She spent the summer in her college town. Sublet a room in a house. Moved out the end of August and her apartment lease doesn’t start till tomorrow. She found herself a couple of places to stay. Found a place to stash her stuff. I have to even admit that I have no clue as to what day her classes actually start.</p>
<p>Hi all! DS is studying hard, loving his apartment and basically enjoying life. He is the TA for an intro course this year; pretty cool considering he is only a sophomore. Good money too. He also found a job working at the on campus catering facility, making sure events run smoothly. He is very happy as the job is basically weekends AND they give him left over food to that he can freeze and eat. BONUS! As long as he handles all that and Orgo and Microbiology, he is good to go. </p>
<p>Creekland - DD(now UR class 2017) is doing well! Start off was bumpy. She kind of freaked with everything being new and different. Nothing was familiar to her, even her bedding wasn’t familar! She is in a triple this year, and it really is a double room that they crammed 3 girls into because they over booked this year. The two other roomates clicked, and one of them is, well, kinda dominant and well, not as nice as she could be. DD had a tough time, but then she found all the rest of the folks on her floor were just like her and she is now having a great time. Her roomates may be the “cool” kids, but she is a UR geek and fits in better at the school. So, now she is figuring out classes (easy and repeats to a certain extent, except for Intro to debate, which is not what she thought it was). She is going to work on a habitat for humanity house this weekend, she found some workout buddies, and is finding her way. It is good. :)</p>