<p>DDHM-I wish I could get your relative to make our graduation cake. It is such a talent to be able to create a beautiful cake that tastes delicious too!</p>
<p>Greek – FWIW your move in on 8-20 leads into a parent program that apparently ends mid-afternoon on the 21st. After that, as they told us yesterday, “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.”</p>
<p>I have found our college to be very specific about when parents are supposed to leave. Have they sent any information about this, Greek? I’ve heard that it is very uncool for parents to stay longer than they are supposed to stay. DS13 is doing a pre-frosh program and will arrive back the night before check-in, so we won’t have much time to shop. I’m thinking Pouncecat’s idea of checking things out and then doing some online shopping is a good one. </p>
<p>I am calorie restricted right now–for just a few weeks before my own 25th reunion to drop the “freshman five” gained over last week’s spring break–and I am gratefully enjoying all the imaginary food on this list. Mmmm, cupcakes. Mmmm, fancy marzipan-covered cakes. Wish I’d gone along with DDHM and done “so much walking.”</p>
<p>Is there anything special we should consider when shipping to the college? Will an RA sign for the package - or do they not want to take responsibility? Anybody ever ship care packages to older sibs?</p>
<p>Seems like that might vary a lot from college to college, Pouncekittycat. What about a starting a thread on your school’s board and reporting back to us? I’d like to know what happens at different schools.</p>
<p>SomeOldGuy-- that’s it? You are our Devil representative! We are depending on you for more info. What did you learn? What did you see? Tell us the good, the bad and the ugly. There are many of us here who need to know! Did you see my son? Six foot, California cool-- he kind of looks like a young Pete Sampras. When are you arriving for move-in? I was thinking to arrive over the weekend to have time to socialize with the CC ipeeps-- and of course the mandatory Bed Bath and Beyond shopping escapades. I am so grateful that I have a son when it comes to move-in! Very low maintenance. I actually plan on pawning off all my old towels and linens to the college-bound so that I can buy new ones at home!</p>
<p>" I actually plan on pawning off all my old towels and linen to the college bound so that I can buy new ones at home." Greekmana you are brilliant!</p>
<p>Just caught up on the decisions (and indecisions). Your kids are so darn smart. I am amazed by the choices! Hard to believe last year we were deciding where to visit and apply. </p>
<p>@OldGuy-we can still be friends. Just not during football, basketball or soccer season. And Durham just got voted tastiest city in the south by Southern Magazine, so I suppose I have a reason wonder across the border when I get hungry. All jokes aside D U K E is an awesome place and they actually collaborate a lot with U N C. She’ll definitely benefit from having your kid as a neighbor.</p>
<p>pouncecat2-we are talking minimal stuff for move-in day, clothing and stuff I KNOW they will need, long Ethernet cords, command hooks and probably bedding. After that we will shop for what they can actually use in their rooms. They will have early move-ins so I am not worried about finding what they need. We can ship what we can’t find. Sign up for Amazon Prime and you get free 2 day shipping. We plan to get most of their textbooks that way as well.</p>
<p>Pounce: great idea to shop around town for gift cards to send later…Just another reason why I hang out with you guys!
Booking my hotel room today for move in. D2’s school very specific with parent programming.
I have decided to leave there (4 hours away) and visit my 2 two year old niece for three days…they live another 4 hours away…I will drop two then four days later drop the third…I may need some toddler time before heading back to what will become my “new normal”…
</p>
<p>3Triplet-why did you do that to me. Coming home without my daughter is going to be painful. I’ve dropped her off to summer camp. Highly supervised summer camps. This is going to be so different.</p>
<p>NU, on a quarter system, doesn’t start until well into Sept., but when I recently hunted around for hotel rooms in Evanston for move-in day, they were already scarce. Be warned!</p>
<p>I kind of wanted to drive there while the rest of the fam flew out, and then drive back with the remnants. But, with a middle schooler who’ll be well into her year by then, this would just take too long. So I guess we’ll all be flying out. </p>
<p>Seems wrong, somehow, like we are (or <em>I</em> am, since I’d be alone for a lot of it) missing some important milestone. Not that I’m so big on car travel: quite the contrary, really. But the long drive, even if unpleasant, seems like it would be, I don’t know, meditative. I’d really get a sense where D1 was going, how far it was, etc. Cathartic too in a way. Lot of time to think about the past…and the future.</p>
<p>But it’ll be airports instead. It’s how we live now, I guess.</p>
<p>Mornin’, all. As the USS Indecision continues to cruise, and the mood here turns wistful, our morning music selection celebrates the childhood imagination that led our kids to this point.</p>
<p>[Lyle</a> Lovett - If I Had A Boat (live) - YouTube](<a href=“Lyle Lovett - If I Had A Boat (live) - YouTube”>Lyle Lovett - If I Had A Boat (live) - YouTube)</p>
<p>Down to 2, 1 more visit this Friday & we should have a decision! I HOPE!!!</p>
<p>So, where can I find a comprehensive packing list for a boy?</p>
<p>Hi I-friends. I asked over on the financial aid board but thought to check with seasoned parents here. Are freshman year financial aid awards the best we will see because schools worry about yield? Should we expect awards to shift in years 2, 3, and 4 even if financial circumstances are not much different? Should we be more careful if there might be review in process and one school might be re-awarding their package to be better competitive with another school? Guess we’re nervous that student will choose based on this year’s awards, but then next year there’s no other awards to present to the financial aid office. Should we worry about a bait and switch?</p>
<p>Kat - Bed Bath and Beyond has a dorm shopping list online as well as Pottery Barn Teens, I think. Course it’s filled with stuff you may or may not need, but useful as a starting point.</p>
<p>Kir Royales, Mimosas or Bloody Marys anyone?</p>
<p>We’re planning on shipping the bike and a few boxes of necessities and then shopping as there is a Target, Pier One, Bed Bath and Beyond etc ten miles away. I think getting the lay of the land is a good idea before buying, and yes perhaps we’ll do some delivery as well.</p>
<p>She’s a “spring admit” (January) at this point, so it’s gonna be cold in South Hadley, boo hiss! But nothing that we aren’t used to… as long as there isn’t a nor’easter which we are NOT used to! She is going to request to pretty please be moved, but if not she’ll shore up some Calc, Biology and Chem at a community college and continue her part-time job at Old Navy and teaching at her dance studio fall semester.</p>
<p>Major? At this point double major in BioChem (pre-med track) and Dance.</p>
<p>One thing to note since we’re already talking move-in is that BB&B offers a free “ship to store” service. I know folks who have found it convenient to browse the store in our town, make their selections, and then check out by paying for their list of purchases and arranging to pick up their box on Date X in the college town. I’m definitely going to look in to that.</p>
<p>believe it or not, I have started packing for S2 - and I’m not usually an early bird. But with our move to London this summer, we’ve decided to drive D1’s car up to DC in May and stuff it full of S2’s college things. D1 will store them in her apt until August when (according to the plan), we fly into DC, pick up the items and drive to Princeton for move-in day. All this logistics planning is starting to make my head hurt. </p>
<p>On S2’s list so far - clothes, laptop and cables, TV and playstation3, bedding, and dragon models (we’re negotiating this one, he thinks they are essential for dorm decorating). Trying to get an Aspergers kid to pair down his belongings is proving tough. Everything is his “favorite.” But he did say that I could donate all of his toys in the attic if “I don’t see them first.”</p>
<p>Oh megpmom, that would be tough!</p>
<p>Thanks for the tip SomeOldGuy!</p>