<p>I recently sent my boys a night out… gift cards for a local movie theater to cover tickets and a snack, and another gift card for a restaurant in the same mall. Each was large enough to bring a friend because it’s no fun to go alone! And sometimes it’s just nice to get off campus and see real people. I’ve also been known to send a night in—a new dvd and some snacks!</p>
<p>Boysx3, wow, that is so great that the RA stood up to General Mom. It’s probably never happened before. It’s hard to imagine GM changing her patterns so quickly after so many years, but it’s good for someone to finally call her out on some of this stuff. And I hope the RA keeps doing it on every visit! Poor roomie; I hope that someday he can wander into the student mental health office and open a slow decompression valve for himself. With a GM like that, roomie has learned the best protection for himself is to say nothing.</p>
<p>@ NervousNellie - thanks for the great gift idea! Love it!!!</p>
<p>I sent S’s girlfriend a care package with fun sunglasses and a bottle of bubble+wand. She said she loved it. :)</p>
<p>What a sweet thing to do PN.</p>
<p>I may have also suggested my S ask a girl for help with laundry, although I may have just said to ask “someone.” In reality, his dad has done more laundry than me - we’ve both had stints being the SAHP, but mine ended when S was 2.5, so he only remembers his father being a SAHD.</p>
<p>oldfort - congrats to your D on the paycheck. Is it D1 or D2? I have been thinking youe D1 has been working for all of last year.</p>
<p>Oldfort- I love that the first thing your D needed was stuff from Sephora. It was nice watching my daughter budget how to spend her summer earnings and graduation money. A great combination of splurges and bargain hunting. Congrats</p>
<p>Oh my goodness! I have scanned this thread…last time I was here was weeks ago and I had some catching up to do :-)</p>
<p>General Mom…WOW</p>
<p>I am a late launcher. University of Chicago is on the quarter system, and my daughter is still at home…procrastinating on packing/organizational duties. We actually have more shopping to do with only 8 days to go!
The late launch has been both difficult and wonderful. Difficult because all of her friends have left, and people look at her funny and ask her why she hasn’t gone off to college. I can tell it is getting tiresome for her to explain every day why she is still home. And…since we are at crunch time…I’m starting to panic a little. She is the first to leave, my first baby leaving the nest. I feel like I am on the verge of tears all the time, sometimes I let them come, sometimes I choke them back. sigh…
But wonderful because with little sis in high school all day, and hubby at work, she and I have had some very happy last days together at home. Sometimes I catch her watching me as I clean or do paperwork, she doesnt see me seeing her…but she is watching and it’s almost like she is commiting me to memory. I know she is excited to leave, she has been waiting for this forever, and is very ready. But I also know that the four of us are very close, and she will miss us.</p>
<p>I could go on all morning. Thanks for listening. My younger daughter is asking me not to cry when we leave big sis in Chicago next week. WHAT??? I have actually been looking forward to the sweet realease of crying out all the stress and emotions of this last year all the way home! But as a mom, of course I should put the needs of my children first…and I will try not to cry TOO much. If only to keep little sis off the ledge :-)</p>
<p>Wish us luck!</p>
<p>texaspg - It was D2 at Cornell. She got a job on campus working 5-7 hours a week. She got paid yesterday. </p>
<p>D1 has been working since graduation last June. She just came back from an European vacation, all paid for by herself. She has been officially off our payroll for a while now.</p>
<p>UChiMom–good luck on your launch, and you go ahead and cry all you want to!! It’s a parental right :D! Many kids where we live are in the same boat with the late launch because all of our state unis are on the quarter system. I talked to my S best friend’s mom yesterday, and her S is really chomping at the bit. She has loved the extra time with her S though. Wishing you the best!</p>
<p>We were on page 2! So, had to post.</p>
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</p>
<p>I was staying quiet in these laundry threads because I thought I was the only one who did that. I see I am not alone! </p>
<p>I taught my kids to do laundry at about age 9-10 and I taught them just like I always do it - toss it in and wash it all on cold UNLESS it’s filthy and white (then bleach and hot) or any colored thing is brand new (wash it alone or with dark stuff). It’s worked well for all of us for years and years…and S says he has done laundry in college 3x already :)</p>
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</p>
<p>Ditto! I can see him working the laundry room now… [spies attractive freshman young lady] “need any help with that laundry ma’am?” lolol.</p>
<p>LOVE the story from Gwen!</p>
<p>Been away for a few days. Good to see that laundry is being done and that General Mom got a talking to. Sorry to hear of the roomate tragedies.</p>
<p>D2 has joined oldfort’s D2 in dropping a class. She was cast in the musical in addition to a cappella and with 3 evening classes was scheduled from 4:30 pm to 1 am Monday through Thursday. She was reluctant to drop the class, but she was over the normal classload, came in with AP credits, and everyone - me, her advisor, her orientation leaders, D1, told her something had to go. It is interesting that my very independent D2 still in some way needed “permission” to quit the extra class.</p>
<p>Otherwise everything is very happy. Although I know from my own years as an RA that the first week or so of October is when everything falls apart for first years. They get their first C, they break up with the hometown honey, thay have a fight with their roomate, exhaustion sets in and adreneline wears off. Here is hoping it is not too bad for our DCs.</p>
<p>1012mom … thanks for reminding us about the first-week-of-October-everything-falls-apart syndrome. Sounds like time to line up a mom care package to arrive about then.</p>
<p>Ditto re: fall apart October, I did not know that. Mine is on the quarter system and doesn’t start fall semester until September 25 after just finishing six weeks of summer session and then a week off (gets home tonight for a week!). To the experienced quarter system parents: Is there a time I should expect a meltdown?
And UChiMom, who cares if D2 is embarrassed? D1 will know she is loved! Tears with a smile and a hug are perfectly appropriate. Hysteria, on the other hand, not so much (not that you would, you seem perfectly under control to me, tears are cleansing!).</p>
<p>Still to Launch:
9/18 Mom2jl’s S, Texaspg D
9/20 SteveC’s S, pcaz’s S, GeminiMom’s D1
9/23 UChiMom’s D, Mom60’s D</p>
<p>ALREADY LAUNCHED!
7/15 huxleyalum S1
8/08 weatherga’s D
8/10 MemphisGuy’s S
8/11 vlines’s S, TX12DanceMom’s D, RTRMom2’s S
8/12 momophony’s S, DctMom73’s D
8/14 Debbie7452’s D, Lilmom’s D, GoIrish2013 S
8/15 ReneeD7’s D, familyof3boys’ S, woody35’s D, MeteorMom’s S, geogirl’s S, hsmom2dncrs’ S, ready2bdone’s D, Elkyes’ S, katie93mom’s D
8/16 jackief’2 D, psychmomma’s D, mequonmom’s D, irishmary203’s D
8/17 Oldfort’s D2, michal1’s D, Chrissyblu’s D, Tebow1’s D, 911C2S’s S, gaelicbred’s D, JGCMom’s S
8/18 annasdad’s D, MizzBee’s S, Rushedmom’s D, soh2000’s D, bubmom’s D, TNVandymom’s S, ENsMom’s D
8/19 kleibo’s S, mspearl’s D, nervousnellie1’s S, PinotNoir’s S
8/20 jmnva06’s D, showmom858’s D, Buttercup1735’s D, Bucasmom’s S
8/21 college_query’s S, momsings S, stressed56’s D, allboyz’ S
8/22 Mom2M’s D, kc1214mom’s D, Sunshinestatemom’s D, WalkingTessie’s D, Itsthatime’s S, student2D’s S, ohiobassmom’s S, StantonMom’s S, Intouch1520’s D
8/23 eyemamom’s S, Lakemom’s S, PNWedwonk’s S, 1012mom’s D, hawkeyes55’s S, SnowflakeVT’s S, MomOf3Stars’ D, dwhite’s S, Partyoffour’s D
8/24 mimk6’s S, MommyMommy’s D, IJustDrive’s D, The3bears’ D, tozubri’s D, tozubri’s S-2, CaliMom3’s D, MidniteMom’s S, laserp’s S, CIEE83’s D
8/25 MathinOKC’s D; Mom0809’s S; pacnwmomof2’s S, seiclan’s S, JenPam’s S, KarGaro’s D, EmptyingNest’s D
8/26 marciemi’s S, kathieh1’s D, disneygals’ D, notakid’s D, MaCappella’s D, Lark123’s D, 2016BarnardMom’s D, JenPam’s D, psychmom’s S
8/27 Glido’s D, maidenMoms D, student4ever’s S, talaria’s D
8/28 rerunagain’s S, chemusic’s S
8/29 downtoearth’s D, megan12’s S, tozubri’s S-1, bhmamacita’s D
8/30 Gwen Fairfax’ D, glopop11’s D
8/31 elka67’s S, Swimmomonthego’s S
9/01 jaylynn’s D, saintfan’s D, giterdone’s D, Mary13’s D, MAOnemom’s D
9/12 northernwoods S</p>
<p>1012moms D - Tufts University
2016BarnardMom’s D - Barnard College
5boys’ S - St. Lawrence University
911C2S - Bucknell University
absweetmarie’s D - Kalamazoo College
amtc’s D - Knox College
Angry Dad’s D - U of Chicago
annasdad’s D - Truman State University
AnotherFSUdad’s D - U of Alabama Honors College
bbarty - Macalester
BeeZeeMom’s S - U of California at San Diego
bhmamacita’s D - Wesleyan University
BluePoodle’s D - Case Western Reserve University
BobWallace’s D - Agnes Scott College
Bubmom’s D - American University
Bucasmom’s S - U of Connecticut
Buttercup1735’s D - Pepperdine
Cal1983’s S - William & Mary
CaliMom3’s D - Georgetown University
CalmlyiChaotic’s D - Sewanee, The University of the South
Chardo’s S - U of Alabama
cheekymonkey’s S - Tufts
chemusic’s S - Vassar College
Chrissyblu’s D - UC Berkeley
CIEE83’s D - Yale
cindymoose’s Twin A - MIT
collconf01’s D - Kenyon College
college<em>query’s S - Bowdoin College
commasplice’s S - Columbia University
Cortana431 - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
CPUscientist3000 - Harvard
Creekland’s S - U of Rochester
DctMom73’s D - Oklahoma State University
Debbie7452’s D - Texas A&M
dentmom4’s D - Kalamazoo College
disneygals’ D - Adelphi
downtoearth’s D - Northeastern
dwhite’s D - Wake Forest
Elka67’s S - Rutgers
ELKyes’ S - College of Charleston Honors
EmptyingNest’s D - Kenyon
ENsMom’s D - McGill University
Everythingbut’s S - Lafayette
eyeamamom’s S - U of Rochester
familyof3boys’ S - Hiram
fiddlinmom’s S - College of Wooster
forthree’s D - Case Western
fourkidsmom’s D - NYU Tisch
fredricksdottir’s S - U of Chicago
gaelicbred’s D - Kenyon
GeminiMom’s D1 - Northwestern
GeminiMom’s D2 - Cornell
geogirl1’s S - U of Miami
giterdone’s D - U of St Thomas
Glido’s D Wellesley
glopop11’s D Landmark College
GoIrish2013’s S - Indiana U
Gourmetmom’s S - Harvard
gradygrad’s D - NYU
Gwen Fairfax’s D - The Hartt School (@ Univ of Hartford)
hawkeyes55’s S - Temple University
Highbury’s D - U of Chicago
hookedondwd S - Rochester Institute of Technology
hsmom2dncrs’ S - U of Notre Dame
hutch14’s D - Carleton
HuxleyAlum’s S1 - Rose-Hulman
HuxleyAlum’s S2 - Knox College
IJustDrive’s D - Yale University
Illyria’s D - St. Mary’s College of MD
intouch1520’s D - Syracuse University
irishmary203’s D - U of Notre Dame
Itsthatime’s S - Columbia University
jackief’s D - Case Western Reserve University
jasper44’s D - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Jaylynn’s D - University of San Diego
JenPam’s D - U of Maryland
JenPam’s S - U of Maryland
JGCMom’s S - U of Central Florida
jmnva06’s D - Beloit
jupiter1’s S - U of Chicago
Kandjad’s D - U of Alabama
KareninCA’s D - Lewis and Clark
KarGaro’s D - Towson University
kathieh1’s D Pomona
katie93mom’s D Southern Methodist University
kc1214mom’s D - Syracuse
Kleibo’s S - Carnegie Mellon
kttmom’s S - William & Mary
Lakemom’s S - University of Rochester
Lark123’s D - Pomona
laserp’s S - Georgetown
lilmom’s D - Morehead State
lillypod’s S - Amherst
linnylu’s D - U of Alabama
lisabees’ S - Oberlin
lovemykids2’s S - U of Alabama
MaCappella’s D - Amherst
maidenMom’s D - Wellesley
MAOnemom’s D - Princeton
marciemi’s S - MIT
Mary13’s D - U of St Thomas
MASSMOM1’s D - Purdue
mathinokc’s D - Olin
megan12’s S - Haverford
MemphisGuy’s S - U of Alabama
mequonmom’s D - Rollins College
MeteorMom’s S - Univ of Miami
MidniteMom’s S - Yale
MidwestMom2Kids</em>’ S - U of Mississippi
mihcal1’s D - UC Berkeley
mimk6’s S - Yale
Missread’s D - U of Alabama
MizzBee’s S - Wabash
Mom0809’s S - Sewanee, The University of the South
Mom2jl’s S - Stanford
Mom2M’s D - USC
Mom60’s D - UC Davis
MomfromTN’s D Pitzer College
MommyMommy’s D - U of Vermont
momof2inma’s S Tufts
MomOf3Stars’ D The University of the Arts
Momsie’s D - NYU Florence
momsings’ S - Chapman University
mother<em>of</em>perl’s T1 - Yale
mother<em>of</em>perl’s T2 - MIT
mspearl’s D - Ohio State
Mutti2012’s S - U of Chicago
NDSmom’s S - U of Alabama
nearandfar’s S - University of Notre Dame
nervousnellie1’s S - Ohio State
newtothismom’s D - Bryant University
NJMom23s’s S - Cornell
nly2012’s S - Lewis and Clark
northernwoods’ S - Northwestern
notakid’s D - Barnard
NWMom2’s D - Case Western Reserve University
ohiobassmom’s S - Capital University (conservatory of music)
ohksaj04’s D - Denison
oldfort’s D - Cornell
pacnwmomof2’s S - Colorado College
pamayawaa’s D - WUSTL
partyoffour’s D1 - Denison
pathways D - Umass Lowell
pcaz’ S - Northwestern Univ
performersmom’s D - Yale
pghmomof2’s S - University of Oklahoma
PinotNoir’s S - U of Rochester
PNWedwonk’s S - U of Rochester
PRJ’s D - NYU
Proudmama3’s S - U of Alabama
psychmom’s S - NYU
Psychmomma’s D - Southern Illinois University
pullinghair’s D - Duke
rayrick’s D - Olin
ready2bdone’s D - Dartmouth College
ReneeD7’s D - Tulane
rerunagain’s S - Swarthmore
rescue23’s D - Willamette University
rushedmom’s D - Texas A&M
S2012d2017’s S - Davidson
Sactonative’s S - U of Alabama
saintfan’s D - St Olaf
sbjdorlo’s S - MIT
seiclan’s S - Emory
sewhappy’s D - Princeton
shootingsilver - U of Chicago
showmom858’s D - FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology)
skibum4’s S - MIT
Sniner D - U of Alabama
Snowdog’s D - USC
SnowflakeVT’s S - St. Lawrence U
SoClose’s S - Bryant University
soh2000’s D - UNC - Chapel Hill
solat10’s D - U of Alabama
StantonMom’s S - Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts (Film School)
SteveC’s S - Northwestern University
stressed56’s D - College of the Holy Cross (Worcester, MA)
student4ever’s S - Harvard
sujormik’s D - Northeastern University
sunmachine’s S2 - Willamette
Sunshinestatemom’s D - Florida State University
Swimmomonthego’s S - Loyola University, Maryland
talaria’s D - Univ of Pennsylvania
Tebow1’s D - Univ of Notre Dame
Texaspg’s D - Stanford
The3bears’ D - Yale
TNVandymom’s S - Vanderbilt
tozubri’s D - Franklin & Marshall
tozubri’s S1 - RIT
tozubri’s S2 - U of New Hampshire
UChiMom’s D - University of Chicago
vlines’ S - U of Alabama
WalkingTessie’s D - Syracuse University
wdaveo’s S - U of Alabama
weatherga’s D - U of Georgia
Woody35’s D - Earlham College
WordWorld’s S - UC Santa Barbara
xxjcat’s - U of Alabama
Yalemom16’s S - Yale
ypcccu’s S - Princeton</p>
<p>COLLEGES ATTENDING:</p>
<p>Adelphi - disneygals’ D
Agnes Scott College - BobWallace’s D
American University - bubmom’s D
Amherst - MaCappella’s D, lillypod’s S
Barnard - notakid’s D, 2016BarnardMom’s D
Beloit - jmnva06’s D
Bowdoin - college<em>query’s S
Bryant University - newtothismom’s D, SoClose’s S
Bucknell - 911C2S
Capital University (conservatory of music) - ohiobassmom’s S
Carleton - hutch14’s D
Carnegie Mellon - Kleibo’s S
Case Western Reserve University - BluePoodle’s D, forthree’s D, jackief’s D, NWMom2’s D
Chapman University- momsings’ S
College of Charleston Honors - ELKyes’ S
College of the Holy Cross (Worcester, MA) - stressed56’s D
College of Wooster - fiddlinmom’s S
Colorado College - pacnwmomof2’s S
Columbia University - commasplice’s S, Itsthatime’s S
Cornell - GeminiMom’s D2, NJMom23’s S, oldfort’s D
Dartmouth College - ready2bdone’s D
Davidson - S2012d2017’s S
Denison - ohksaj04’s D, partyoffour’s D1
Duke - pullinghair’s D
Earlham College - Woody35’s D
Emory - seiclan’s S
FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) - showmom858’s D
Florida State University - Sunshinestatemom’s D
Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts (Film School) - StantonMom’s S
Franklin & Marshall - tozubri’s D
Georgetown University - CaliMom3’s D, laserp’s S
Hartt School, The (@ Univ of Hartford) - Gwen Fairfax’ D
Harvard - CPUscientist3000, student4ever’s S, Gourmetmom’s S
Haverford - Megan12’s S
Hiram - familyof3boys’ S
Indiana U - GoIrish2013’s S
Kalamazoo College - absweetmarie’s D, dentmom4’s D
Kenyon - collconf01’s D, gaelicbred’s D, EmptyingNest’s D
Knox - amtc’s D, HuxleyAlum’s S2
Lafayette - Everythingbut’s S
Landmark College - glopop11’s D
Lewis and Clark - KareninCA’s D, nly2012’s S
Loyola University, Maryland - Swimmomonthego’s S
Macalester - bbarty
McGill University - ENsMom’s D
MIT - cindymoose’s Twin A, mother</em>of<em>perl’s T2, sbjdorlo’s S, skibum4’s S, marciemi’s S
Morehead State - lilmom’s D
Northeastern - downtoearth’s D, sujormik’s D
Northwestern - GeminiMom’s D1, northernwoods’ S, SteveC’s S, pcaz’ S
NYU - fourkidsmom’s D, gradygrad’s D, PRJ’s D, psychmom’s S
NYU Florence - Momsie’s D
Oberlin - lisabees’s S
Ohio State - mspearl’s D, nervousnellie1’s S
Oklahoma State University - DctMom73’s D
Olin - mathinokc’s D, rayrick’s D
Pepperdine - Buttercup1735’s D
Pitzer College - MomfromTN’s D
Pomona - kathieh1’s D, Lark123’s D
Princeton - ypcccu’s S, MAOnemom’s D, Sewhappy’s D
Purdue - MASSMOM1’s D
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Cortana431, jasper44’s D
Rochester Institute of Technology - hookedondwd’s S, tozubri’s S1
Rollins College - mequonmom’s D
Rose-Hulman - HuxleyAlum’s S1
Rutgers - Elka67’s S1
Sewanee, The University of the South - CalmlyiChaotic’s D, Mom0809’s S
Southern Illinois University - Psychmomma’s D
Southern Methodist University - katie93mom’s D
St. Lawrence University - 5boys’ S, SnowflakeVT’s S
St. Mary’s College of MD - Illyria’s D
St. Olaf - saintfan’s D
Stanford - Texaspg’s D, Mom2jl’s S
Swarthmore - rerunagain’s S
Syracuse University - intouch1520’s D, kc1214mom’s
D, WalkingTessie’s D
Temple University - hawkeyes55’s S
Texas A&M - Debbie7452’s D, rushedmom’s D
Towson University - KarGaro’s D
Truman State University - annasdad’s D
Tufts University - 1012moms D, momof2inma’s S, cheekymonkey’s S
Tulane - ReneeD7’s D
U of Alabama - Chardo’s S, Kandjad’s D, linnylu’s D, lovemykids2’s S, MemphisGuy’s S, Missread’s D, NDSmom’s S, Proudmama3’s S, Sactonative’s S, Sniner’s D, solat10’s D, vlines’ S, wdaveo’s S, xxjcat, AnotherFSUdad’s D
U of California at Berkeley - Chrissyblu’s D, mihcal1’s D
U of California at Davis - Mom60’s D
U of California at San Diego - BeeZeeMom’s S
U of California at Santa Barbara - WordWorld’s S
U of Central Florida - JGCMom’s S
U of Chicago - Angry Dad’s D, fredricksdottir’s S, Highbury’s D, jupiter1’s S, Mutti2012’s S, shootingsilver, UChiMom’s D
U of Connecticut - Bucasmom’s S
U of Georgia - weatherga’s D
U of Maryland - JenPam’s D, JenPam’s S
U of Massachusetts (Lowell) - pathways’ D
U of Miami - geogirl1’s S, MeteorMom’s S
U of Mississippi - MidwestMom2Kids</em> S
U of New Hampshire - tozubri’s S2
U of North Carolina - Chapel Hill: soh2000’s D
U of Notre Dame - hsmom2dncrs’ S, Tebow1’s D, nearandfar’s S, irishmary203’s D
U of Oklahoma - pghmomof2’s S
U of Pennsylvania - talaria’s D
U of Rochester - Creekland’s S, eyeamamom’s S, PinotNoir’s S, PNWedwonk’s S, Lakemom’s S
U of San Diego - Jaylynn’s D
U of St Thomas - giterdone D, Mary13’s D
U of the Arts, The MomOf3Stars’ D
U of Vermont - MommyMommy’s D
USC - Mom2M’s D, Snowdog’s D
Vanderbilt - TNVandymom’s S
Vassar - chemusic’s S
Wabash - MizzBee’s S
Wake Forest - dwhite’s D
Wellesley - Glido’s D, maidenMom’s D
Wesleyan - bhmamacita’s D
Willamette University - rescue23’s D, sunmachine’s S2
William & Mary - Cal1983’s S, kttmom’s S
WUSTL - pamayawaa’s D
Yale - IJustDrive’s D, mimk6’s S, mother<em>of</em>perl’s T1, performersmom’s D, The3bears’ D, Yalemom16’s S, MidniteMom’s S, CIEE83’s D</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Great description, although I think for my early-launching D this syndrome actually occurred in the second week of September, after a full month of classes. She broke up with the hometown honey during a visit home on the Labor Day weekend, then this week had three midterms, one of which threw her into major anxiety, she got a terrible cold, a dinner disagreed with her and she spent a night throwing up (before one of the tests). I infer that all this has been exacerbated by less sleep than she was accustomed to at home.</p>
<p>DH coaxed her down by phone from the anxiety attack and persuaded her to go tackle studying for the test that had her worried. She ended up with 87% on that one and marks in the upper 90s in the others and says she’s getting better from the cold. I think she (and her parents) are going to survive. 
Ups and downs are inevitable, though.</p>
<p>Doing my part to keep us on page 1 (and trying to accumulate enough posts to qualify for PMing).
Thanks, all, for sharing your stories!</p>
<p>I shed my first tears for my DS tonight. I had spoken with him during the day, and he just sounded so happy, he loves his classes, his activities and has met lots of great people. Tonight I saw his FB status: I can’t believe I’m lucky enough to go to No---- D—. People are great, school is great, football is fun. I couldn’t be happier. Love thee, No— D----!</p>
<p>I read that and burst into tears! After the drama and difficulties we had at the end of senior year and summer, I just felt such relief. I know there will be tough times ahead and he won’t always feel this giddy, but life is good today, and I’ll take it!</p>