<p>I can’t imagine that! How big is your graduating class? The idea of getting donated prizes for 400 kids is daunting. Our graduation is in the evening too, but none of mine have gone to any graduation parties that evening, usually hung out with the family.</p>
<p>My older two graduated in the early afternoon on a Thursday, we had a party afterward and then they went to grad nite about 9pm. But this year graduation isn’t until 6pm and they have to be at the Grad nite bus at 7:45 pm. So we will have the family party over the weekend.</p>
<p>D finally received the information for her summer fellowship program. There is a long list of “what you should bring” and then states that there will be storage available at the end of the program to store items until she returns but she may only store “a limited number of items since space is limited”. OK…maybe they should reduce the number of items on the “what you should bring list”…</p>
<p>Our graduation is at 5 pm, over by about 6:30 (small class, works great). The kids go to a lock down starting at 10 pm, so there is time to go out for a nice dinner and have them change before they are dropped off. But… pickup is at 5:30 am, and they are not allowed to drive themselves. Understandable, but ugh. I have convinced her dad to do pickup this time around. :D</p>
<p>My D said she didnt want a party 
she’d afraid no one will come to hers…everyone will go elsehwhere and she’ll be just sitting around. She certainly doesnt want to just “hang” with the relatives! any suggestions? I’m thinking just a nice dinner???</p>
<p>Our graduation class is a 467 and usually about 300 of the kids or so come to Project Graduation (it is not mandatory). Getting prizes for them all is super hard but we work on it all year so it is manageable. We are doing dinner (bringing in Italian as I am not cooking after being up all night graduation night volunteering!!) with relatives at our house the next evening and then DS will head out to some parties.</p>
<p>drmom, I am doing a nice dinner for my S. He feels the same way as your D, too much pressure to have a “good” party. He’s already moved on.</p>
<p>I’m getting stuck with two parties. On graduation night we will be having a dinner party for about 20 at our house which is close family and friends.</p>
<p>Then she wants a big Seniors Only party at our house later on the weekend for her friends. I am trying hard to make sure that this is Invite Only and my fears are escalating about the party crashers. She created a private Facebook page for the invites. I told her she had to keep it to 50 and I went on the Facebook page and saw she had over 100 invites out. She said “Mom, don’t worry, they won’t all come”. So far we have 55 RSVPs and counting. It’s all OK, we’ve built our home over the years to encourage the ‘hang out’ house.</p>
<p>She did at least put the funniest thing in the invite (without my pre-knowledge) “Let’s make this classy - no throwing up in my closet or peeing in the pool” I thought that was cute. One of her friends replied “I can’t promise that I won’t pee in your pool”. Luckily we are containing it to the backyard - no one is allowed inside and we have exterior doors that go into two bathrooms so they don’t have to come through the house to use the restrooms. </p>
<p>Right now I am scrambling to find the biggest bruiser males I can to chaperone this thing and guard the back fence from crashers :)</p>
<p>D had a very close-knit grade/middle school group of friends. A few ended up at the same high schools - but most didn’t. A few parents are hosting a big graduation party & reunion for all the parents and kids who graduated from 8th grade together. They are renting out a venue, etc. and this takes place a couple weekends before graduation. This is good since graduation night will be low key. We have reservations at one of her favorite restaurants, then it’s early to bed since she must catch a 5:30AM flight the next morning to head back to school.</p>
<p>We have a 1:00 graduation, and the grad night party starts at 11 PM, with the kids required to stay until 5:30 AM. Very elaborate party, lots of awesome prizes, all the food they could possibly want … I think over 90% of the 500 seniors attend. We’ll have a post-graduation dinner with my parents, then a family graduation party in a few weeks since S has two one-week out of town events post-graduation. Several of his friends are having senior parties over the summer, so he’s not interested in hosting one of his own. We are hosting the post-prom sleepover this weekend, however…</p>
<p>Adding my daughter – Sarah Lawrence College
School:
Amherst: jennieling’s S
Arizona State University: STEMFamily’s DD
Belmont University: our2girls’ DD
Bowdoin: itsallgood1’s DS
Bucknell University: Momofzag’s D, surfcity’s S
Cal: Tx5athome’s DS, Donivrian’s DS, wilma13 DS
California Lutheran: Coralbrook’s D
Catholic University of America: Kat2013’s S
Carleton College: psblstnr’s DD
Clark University: Kelbee’s Niece
Columbia University: TVenee’s DD, Luckylu’s S, fidoprincess’s DS
Cornell University: LCSMOM’s S, MomofNEA’s S, Learninginprog DD
Dickinson: sacchi’s D
Duke: dadotwoboys’ DS, Kelowna’s DS, GreekMana’s DSb, SomeOldGuy’s Devil Child, my3gr8boyz DS - so many that it wrapped to the next line!
Elon: momofboston’s DD
Emory: momtobgb’s DD
George Washington University: MSNDIS’s D
Georgetown: Youdon’tsay’s ds
Grinnell: MZBkiya’s D
Hampshire: daisychain’s D
Harvard: Eastgrad’s DS, Viewer’s S
Harvey Mudd: David1126’s S, intparent’s D
Haverford: Descartesz’s D
Iowa State University: Haystack’s S
Lehigh University: Matmaven’s S
Miami University: ericd1112’s S
Mills College: Wintriest’s D
MIT: nerdyDad’s D, carimama’s D
Northeastern: Mom24boys S
Northwestern: tougis’s D1, Mom2kids2dogs’ DD
Occidental College: privateschoolluv’s DS
Olin College of Engineering: MarthaW’s DD
Pomona College: mamabear1234’s D
Princeton University: Dragonflygarden’s D
Purdue University: lvvcsf’s DD
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT): W2BeHome’s DD
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology: brownpartyo5’s DS
St. Olaf’s College: ssacdfamily D
Sarah Lawrence: STAmum’s D; My3 Daughter’s D
Stanford: GreekMana’s DSa, critter’s S
Trinity University: GreekMana’s DPc
Tulane University: cyclonehome’s DD, Vitrac’s D
University of Alabama: lisa6191’s S
University of Arizona: College4K’s DD
University of California, Davis: pouncecat2’s DD
University of Chicago: Mommaof5’s DS, Fredricksdottir’s DD
University of Connecticut: Swizzle13
University of Denver: gunnerz’s S
University of Florida: sophieandlola’s DS, 2kidzmom’s DS
University of Illinois/Urbana: tootiredtocare
University of Maryland-College Park: LizzieT’s DD
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities: MTnest’s DS
University of Mississippi: Apollo6’s DD
University of Montana: MyLB’s DS
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill-Amazhon’s D
University of Notre Dame: confetti247’s DS
University of Pennsylvania: fineartsmajormom’s D
University of Pittsburgh: laurendog’s Step-D, FlyMeToTheMoon’s D, Amandakayak’s D
University of Redlands: Idahomom’s S
University of Rochester: Geogirl1’s DD
University of Southern California (USC): wherenext’s DD, esteemom’s DS
University of South Carolina (USC ): ahsmuoh’s DD
University of Wisconsin-Madison: busymomma’s DS
Vanderbilt University: MommyDearest13’s DS, Moonpie D2
Washington University in St. Louis: Kennedy2010’s DD, Psychodad10’s son
Wellesley College: pkdof13’s D
Westminster Choir College (Rider Univ): megpmom’s DS
Wheaton College (MA): pkdof13’s S
Yale: musicmerit’s D</p>
<p>Our graduation time changes year to year, so what happens varies as well.</p>
<p>This year, there’s a big stretch between graduation and Project Graduation, so we’re either taking guests out to dinner in between those two events or going in with ds’s bff on a barbecue. We just can’t decide and is in part dependent on how many people are coming in from out of town. This weekend, one of his group is having a big party at his family’s lakehouse. Probably about two dozen boys and girls (and some of us parents) will be out there. The host parents will spend the night with the kids, one house for the boys and one for the girls.</p>
<p>Interesting article in the Chronicle of Higher Education about the current state of the admissions process.</p>
<p>[Let’s</a> Bring Clarity to Undergraduate Admissions - Commentary - The Chronicle of Higher Education](<a href=“Let’s Bring Clarity to Undergraduate Admissions”>Let’s Bring Clarity to Undergraduate Admissions)</p>
<p>Another 2-day catch-up <sigh>. Glad to be busy, I guess next year I’ll be bored?</sigh></p>
<p>S13 wrote on my Mother’s Day card “You can’t imagine how much I’ll miss you next year.” Talk about a fountain :(.</p>
<p>Amazhon - my D is almost 16 and a sophomore, but goes to boarding school. So there are times that we have the same situation. Sometimes I think the fact that they recognize we would disapprove is worth more than anything… that will help them with decision-making. I went to college at 17, and although I did make some poor choices, they were more “not enough sleep / skipping class” type choices. </p>
<p>tx5 - same test schedule this week - only one left!</p>
<p>ahs - we were “the strict parents” until a few years ago. In middle school S13 was constantly asking to do things that didn’t happen… and finally he admitted that he had to ask first, because we were most likely to say “no” of all the parents, and if he could go, everyone else would get permission – but then rides didn’t work out or they changed their minds, etc. About halfway through high school I started letting him do most of things he asked to do, because a wise friend of mine said it was better to give him the leeway in high school and be there to help him up. Turns out he hasn’t needed much help. Turns out now we’re “the cool parents.” Who knew? D15 may be a different story… but I’ll try to do the same thing more or less. </p>
<p>surfcity - I think that any athletic signing is very important, but I think that all the other accomplishments are just as important. The failing isn’t in the high coverage on sports, it’s the low coverage on everything else. Unfortunately, the papers may be writing on what people want to read. Since S13 picked Notre Dame, I get asked if he’ll march in the band. But when he was considering NIU, I never got asked that, and they have a very good, long-standing marching band. It’s not in people’s minds. Should the papers change that? Maybe…</p>
<p>YDS - what an awesome Mother’s Day! :D</p>
<p>Congrats, ericd - which Miami?</p>
<p>ahsmuoh - ah, that’s interesting. So it’s like the private preps have GCs who call the Ivies, while big publics don’t? So we as parents could have an impact here, if we reported stories. Interesting. {tapping fingers together a la Montgomery Burns}</p>
<p>Viewer - congrats on Harvard! How have you not announced before now? I wouldn’t be able to stop talking about it (well, I can’t for mine as it is :D)</p>
<p>Kennedy - re: AP Bio - does your D tend to test well and have an accurate “feel”? Because if S13 said that I would be very very nervous… </p>
<p>tx5athome - S13 says that AP Physics B was brutal. Were there too many good scores in Physics last year?</p>
<p>Cari - sounds like a wonderful finish to senior year. Good for her!</p>
<p>swimkidsdad - well said! I will also say that there are athletes who aren’t naturally talented at academics but work just as hard or harder at their sports, which help them get into college, or the colleges they want, etc.</p>
<p>I think the colleges could do more too. Why don’t they have signing day for other talents? Or do they, for conservatories or fine arts programs? Why don’t they have kids sign to play in the marching band or work on the paper? Most of the kids would still be walk-ons, but not all.</p>
<p>sophieandlola - yay for scholarships!</p>
<p>We have a lock-in after prom, too. It’s optional, but once you go in you can’t leave unless a parent signs you out. Nothing after graduation. That I know of…</p>
<p>Greek - hope they did well for the scholarship! I’m a little relieved that some are still pending because S13 hasn’t had time to think about them for weeks but will still be able to apply for some after things slow down.</p>
<p>We had a positive report from AP Gov also.</p>
<p>tootired - haven’t seen you in awhile 
Or is this one of those “I can’t believe it’s only been a week” things? Anyway, congrats - nice flagship :D</p>
<p>Kennedy… sorry about the stuff-no-space issue :eek:</p>
<p>drmom, S13 does not want a party either - I don’t know why. I want to give him a party… so we’ll see later in the summer. Meanwhile, he’s picking a restaurant for a night out and one guest along with the family.</p>
<p>Ack, coralbrook - good luck with the party! Maybe I’m not sorry… I know S13 will be attending a lot of parties but he’s already picked the “can’t miss” ones and told me he’ll work around the rest. He may be over school, but he’s not over his group of friends. On the other hand… he might be available to work as a bouncer… ;)</p>
<p>My3Daughters - congrats on Sarah Lawrence :)</p>
<p>One more AP tomorrow, then orchestra concert - Friday night band - Saturday Feed My Starving Children project - Sunday last parade for the drum major (and D15’s band concert) - Monday tuxedo shopping… then a break until Thursday’s last concert ever (playing backup to the choir). I’m tired just thinking about it and I don’t have time to dwell on the last of everything!! Eleven days left of school…</p>
<p>APs are done, although my niece was sick during AP Euro… She still hasn’t found a summer job. One application is not a search, I’ve told her. Argh. She refuses to send a second followup letter for the waitlist schools (and I think this stuff needs to come from the kids) so I think this is her indirect way of saying: I’m done with the waitlists and I’m happy going where I’ve deposited. That’s a good thing.</p>
<p>Crazy question: I’m vacillating on ordering flowers for the graduation party. I want to order bulk flowers (in a box) over the Internet and make the arrangements ourselves but I’m worried that this is a terrible idea and the flowers will be awful. My sister also is worried that since they’re coming straight from a farm, they’ll arrive with ants! Anyone ever do this? Apparently, they arrive looking “thirsty” and you need to hydrate them. I’m thinking Orange roses (school color) and purple Larkspur (fun color). </p>
<p>[Tropical</a> Amazon Orange Rose | FiftyFlowers.com](<a href=“http://www.fiftyflowers.com/product/Tropical-Amazon-Orange-Rose_25.htm]Tropical”>http://www.fiftyflowers.com/product/Tropical-Amazon-Orange-Rose_25.htm)
[Larkspur</a> Purple Flower | FiftyFlowers.com](<a href=“http://www.fiftyflowers.com/product/Larkspur-Purple-Flower_12.htm]Larkspur”>http://www.fiftyflowers.com/product/Larkspur-Purple-Flower_12.htm)</p>
<p>Or, should I just I just buy local?</p>
<p>Confetti - Ohio of course. As they say, Miami was a university when Florida was still part of Spain. ;-)</p>
<p>Just did 3 years in juvenile prison and now accepted into college!!! Well this is going to be very weird indeed!</p>
<p>APs over, D1 seems a bit relieved but not really happy. She doesn’t think she did that well on either of them, and other schoolwork apparently continues (some of it without any attention from her). She’s also exhausted from either working (at a movie theater) or going out with friends, nearly every night. And she’s getting nervous about the Prom. Three new dresses (Prom, Cruise, and Graduation)–two from thrift stores. </p>
<p>It’s a transitional, anxiety-provoking time, I think.</p>
<p>Ding, dong, APs are dead, and we’re marking time 'til commencement around here. </p>
<p>SOG’s reaction: [R.E.M</a>. - It’s The End Of The World - YouTube](<a href=“R.E.M. - It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) - YouTube”>R.E.M. - It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) - YouTube) </p>
<p>Devil Child’s current state of mind: [Arcade</a> Fire - Ready to Start - YouTube](<a href=“Arcade Fire - Ready to Start (Official Video) - YouTube”>Arcade Fire - Ready to Start (Official Video) - YouTube)</p>
<p>Kelbee–my DD is in similar place. She’s on several WL (one she thought is her #1) but, as it “takes too long”…she’s beginning to talk more about her “deposited” school and thinking about it more as it is the one she is going to…I am glad for that…because, I have a feeling the WL-thing is just not gonna happen…I’ve always liked the schools she in…it’s just been waiting for her to embrace it too.
This Assassin game is reallly bugging me. Not so sure I like it. DD loves it! ugh</p>