Parents of the HS Class of 2013

<p>kelowna - check dorm fridge restrictions at your DS’s school; our D’s school requires them to be Energy Star, less than 4.0 cubic feet, and less than a certain amperage. Microwaves must be less than 800 amps (which means you’ll probably buy one at 700 amps, as I have not seen any 800 amp micros). We found DD’s dorm fridge at Home Depot a few weeks ago. 3.5 CF, energy star, and on sale for $99. It’s now $118; there are not a ton of options for Energy Star compliant dorm fridges, and we wanted as large as we could find.</p>

<p>Meal plans - our DD has 14 meals/week plus some “bucks” for non-dining hall places, and plans to eat breakfast in her room, or at least eat lunch and dinner in the dining hall. She loves oatmeal, so that can be pretty inexpensive.</p>

<p>BB&B coupon: we FINALLY received ours in the mail Monday…I thought we weren’t going to get it. As it turns out our DD seems to think she doesn’t need much, so may not have to buy much anyway…but 20% off an entire purchase is pretty great!</p>

<p>My D’s college is a small private university and they do not offer (or at least it is not mandatory) health insurance. However, I saw a link to United Health Plan. I’m guessing it is not as good coverage as our medical plan (and probably more expensive) so I will just have to keep what we have.</p>

<p>Good morning! I can’t believe how close “launch day” is getting!
I had planned to waive the health plan, but I haven’t hit the submit button yet… I need to call and get a few questions answered first.</p>

<p>I rented a minivan for the drive to school, but D is insisting that everything will fit in our Corolla. Um, no. I’d be thrilled if it would, but I don’t see it happening. We’ll do a “test pack” a few days ahead and see.</p>

<p>I just purchased the plane tickets for our trek to campus on 8/12. Just over 2 weeks!!! Soninaz is dragging his feet with the packing prepartations. He hasn’t even begun to decide what he’s taking. I know most of what he’ll take needs to be washed. I would love for this to be the big packing weekend since he’ll be at Bronycon in Baltimore all of next weekend. I’ve threatened him with the option of me packing his stuff. But honestly, in his mind he just needs a couple pairs of jeans and a few tshirts…lol so it’s no biggie.</p>

<p>I set up the payment plan for S2’s tuition yesterday. I’m not sure I did it right, but I’m sure the university will let me know! lol I took the amount due according to the invoice and subtracted an anticipated scholarship and an anticipated loan. The scholarship is due to be issued in August and the loan can’t be issued until S2 turns 18 (Sept 1). I’m sure the university will get their $ one way or another.</p>

<p>Speaking of getting things to campus. We will be flying with 3 suitcases to DC and picking up the rest of his things that are in storage. Hoping they all fit in D1’s Corolla. I think the only thing we’ll need to purchase there is a new computer monitor (for his Playstation and to watch movies, etc). Of course, I’m sure we’ll think of odds and ends. I hope his roommate is a minimalist cause S2 has a lot of “stuff.”</p>

<p>Good morning! 29 days til launch here. S3 has one more week of work, then a week at home, a week with us on vacation and then 4 days at home. I am off next week and it is my goal to tackle his room.</p>

<p>Do we want to start a countdown for move-in dates? </p>

<p>Tx5athome’s DS: Berkeley 8/24/13</p>

<p>I may just have to go through D’s room myself. I keep mentioning that she needs to clear out her room and she just panicks and argues about how nothing needs to be thrown away. She also has not lifted one finger to start packing anything. Everything is in shopping bags all over our house. I keep mentioning that it would be very smart to remove everything from it’s original packaging and get it organized to minimize the amount of trash and chaos during move-in.</p>

<p>DS launches three weeks from tomorrow. It’s been a whirlwind here, sometimes of our own making.</p>

<p>1) I had made ds an appt to get a passport weeks ago. Of course, NOW that’s the one day he and all his friends are having a last hurrah at a big amusement park here. So, I figured out how to do it another time elsewhere that’s much more inconvenient. But he’s happy, and I don’t have to be the bad guy.</p>

<p>2) Ds’s car shared with his brother is again having trouble so he and his dad had to drive three hours on ds’s day off to pick up the extra car at my parents’ while we figure out what’s wrong with the other car. Four drivers and two cars just won’t work here. Of course, it’ll be fine once the boys are off at college. We just need to hang on a few more weeks.</p>

<p>3) The plan for how ds is getting to preorientation and where he’s staying the night before has totally changed, but in this case it’s for the better. Instead of getting himself to our cousin’s apartment by himself (cousin said he could use his place while out of town), he’ll now be staying with a bff’s older sister, who just moved there. She’s happy for his company, and I’m thrilled that he won’t have to negotiate so much stuff on his own. She lives three miles from Reagan, so it’s a piece of cake for her to fetch him.</p>

<p>Ds and I had a tiff via texting this week. We were able to have a calm discussion (I love that about him; he’s really pretty reasonable), but it’s apparent to me how much he’s going to miss home and his friends and this town. He’s also excited about what’s to come; it’s not like he’s getting cold feet. But he’s gonna miss this great life here all the same.</p>

<p>In great news, he’s finally reading the book required of all freshmen. And he likes it, though he says it’s really sad. Yeah, a book about the Khmer Rouge is not going to be the feel-good hit of the summer. </p>

<p>And in even more great news, a friend has a friend who wants to give away her late dh’s clothes to a good home, and he was just ds’s size! My friend’s ds has inherited a tux, but my friend says she wants my ds to take some things, too. Soooo sweet. My ds LOVES to dress up, and it turns out this woman has a suit, another tux and some heavy coats, which both the boys will need this winter. Now you see why my ds is sad about leaving? We are lucky to have a lot of fabulous people in our lives.</p>

<p>I’ve also been getting sad as I have been working on photo albums for ds and three of his friends. I’m taking them to lunch to give them those and some other presents. I know I’ll cry, but whatever. And I’m doing some 5x7s for other guys we know and love. <em>sigh</em> Life moves on as it should.</p>

<p>Now, if ds and the gf would just decide whether they’re staying together that would help a lot!</p>

<p>YouDOn’tsay - wow - that is a whirlwind</p>

<p>18 days until launch here - DD is going early to rush! Hope it works out.
To your last poing about staying together/breaking up - my dd and her bf of 2 years broke up last Sunday. She actually has been OK and has gone out with girlfriends all week. Will leave for swimming nationals tomorrow and then only home for 10 days -</p>

<p>17 days’ til launch. My D also had a break up with her bf, although I think she mentally checked out of that relationship and her classes after college visits.</p>

<p>I like the launch date idea. I think sorting by date 1st, then by alpha of the userid makes the most sense?</p>

<p><strong><em>LAUNCH DATES</em></strong>
reeinaz’s S: Beloit 8/13/13
Tx5athome’s DS: Berkeley 8/24/13</p>

<p>I’ll play…</p>

<p><strong><em>LAUNCH DATES</em></strong></p>

<p>reeinaz’s S: Beloit 8/13/13
ahsmuoh D: University of South Carolina 8/14/13
Tx5athome’s DS: Berkeley 8/24/13</p>

<p><strong><em>LAUNCH DATES</em></strong>****
reeinaz’s S: Beloit 8/13/13
ahsmuoh D: University of South Carolina 8/14/13
Tx5athome’s DS: Berkeley 8/24/13
drmom123 DD: Bryn Mawr 8/28/2013</p>

<p><strong><em>LAUNCH DATES</em></strong>****
reeinaz’s S: Beloit 8/13/13
ahsmuoh D: University of South Carolina 8/14/13
Tx5athome’s DS: Berkeley 8/24/13
13Floor’s S: Amherst College 8/25/13
drmom123 DD: Bryn Mawr 8/28/2013</p>

<p><strong><em>LAUNCH DATES</em></strong>****
reeinaz’s S: Beloit 8/13/13
ahsmuoh D: University of South Carolina 8/14/13
Yds’s ds: 8/17 (we’ll join him 8/22)
Tx5athome’s DS: Berkeley 8/24/13
13Floor’s S: Amherst College 8/25/13
drmom123 DD: Bryn Mawr 8/28/2013</p>

<p><strong><em>LAUNCH DATES</em></strong>****
reeinaz’s S: Beloit 8/13/13
ahsmuoh D: University of South Carolina 8/14/13
Yds’s ds: 8/17 (we’ll join him 8/22)
Terinzak’s S University of Utah 8/22/13
Tx5athome’s DS: Berkeley 8/24/13
13Floor’s S: Amherst College 8/25/13
drmom123 DD: Bryn Mawr 8/28/2013</p>

<p><strong><em>LAUNCH DATES</em></strong>****
reeinaz’s S: Beloit 8/13/13
ahsmuoh D: University of South Carolina 8/14/13
Yds’s ds: 8/17 (we’ll join him 8/22)
Terinzak’s S University of Utah 8/22/13
Tx5athome’s DS: Berkeley 8/24/13
13Floor’s S: Amherst College 8/25/13
drmom123 DD: Bryn Mawr 8/28/2013
coralbrook’s D: Cal Lutheran 8/30/2013</p>

<p><strong><em>LAUNCH DATES</em></strong>****
reeinaz’s S: Beloit 8/13/13
ahsmuoh D: University of South Carolina 8/14/13
Yds’s ds: 8/17 (we’ll join him 8/22)
Terinzak’s S University of Utah 8/22/13
Tx5athome’s DS: Berkeley 8/24/13
13Floor’s S: Amherst College 8/25/13
drmom123 DD: Bryn Mawr 8/28/2013
Megpmom’s S2: Rider Univ 8/28/2013
coralbrook’s D: Cal Lutheran 8/30/2013</p>

<p><strong><em>LAUNCH DATES</em></strong>****
reeinaz’s S: Beloit 8/13/13
ahsmuoh D: University of South Carolina 8/14/13
Yds’s ds: 8/17 (we’ll join him 8/22)
Terinzak’s S University of Utah 8/22/13
Kelbee’s Niece: Clark University 8/22/13
Tx5athome’s DS: Berkeley 8/24/13
13Floor’s S: Amherst College 8/25/13
drmom123 DD: Bryn Mawr 8/28/2013
Megpmom’s S2: Rider Univ 8/28/2013
coralbrook’s D: Cal Lutheran 8/30/2013</p>