<p>I am thinking about the first care package…what should I pack ? DS will not eat sweets, and I can’t pack a salad 
There is a Whole Foods store next to campus, so I am already thinking about including a gift card for the store (so he can eat on me if needed). Have to search this site for some ideas …</p>
<p>Haystack, I’ll have to take some lessons on your empty nest evening. Maybe it was being away that was key. H and I are getting used to being alone here with our 17 year old dog. The dog misses my son as much as we do.</p>
<p>I just sent a message to 7 of my neighbors who all sent their first or last child off to college to have a “tears or cheers” gathering on our deck Saturday night. Some are tearful - some are cheering!!! Hopefully those cheering will be able to cheer up those that are sad. One of my neighbors said she has been crying for 3 days! I feel like a bad mom because I am not terribly sad.</p>
<p>Kelowna - thanks for mentioning the care package - it’s probably about time huh? no sweets - that’s a tough one - I think gift cards are a good idea - that’s tough for a boy!!!</p>
<p>I’ve been thinking about the first care package and I think I’m going to send an outfit. She seems to have a zillion options for food.</p>
<p>I “left” the first care package in DD’s dorm room before we left, with instructions to open later that night. It was for a girl, of course, but I included the following:</p>
<p>Silly putty
Mini metal slinky
Stickers (smiley faces, fish)
Magnets for the fridge
A puzzle of Times Square (year, not sure where she’ll work on it but oh well)
Note cards + stamps (wishful thinking)
Snacks from Trader Joe’s
Chewing gum
Hot tea bags
Fruit snacks
Hershey’s kisses
Scheduler/Planner book similar to what she had in high school
Skip-Bo (card game)
Journal
Cash</p>
<p>I was hoping to get some gift cards for neighboring restaurants, but the cash worked better…and we ran out of time. She says she liked the care package :)</p>
<p>I mailed first care package today. It included small bags of pretzels, fruit snacks, gum, Twizzlers (a big favorite) and a tiny black umbrella for his back pack. It’s Florida and we get a lot of rain in the summer but this year has been particularly wet and DS (who has never owned an umbrella) was asking for one because the Target near school “only had pink ones with flowers”! I also included a little note:)</p>
<p>Kelowna, how about a Starbucks gift card? If you have time and energy, you could go to one of those pottery do-it-yourself places and personalize a mug. SophieandLola’s idea about a tiny umbrella for his backpack might be a good choice given the area of his college, too.</p>
<p>We bought gift cards/certificates to local food places that we will send to son at strategic times during Fall term. While he is on a food plan and the food is pretty good, I am sure he will appreciate the option to get food somewhere else once in a while.</p>
<p>A $25.00 gift card for a local pizza place will be sent for his birthday so he can treat his friends to free pizza…if he uses the card on a 2 for 1 night he will be able to feed a small army for the $25.00 as the pizza is cheap and plentiful at this place.</p>
<p>Also bought cards for the local BBQ and taqueria, two of his favorite eats.</p>
<p>Gunnerz, my son packs his console in his backpack when he takes it on planes.</p>
<p>Oh, I just love the letter under the pillow and the care package left in the dorm room to open later. I hope I have enough time to come up with something creative like that. Killing myself with a work project right now but was able to spend 10 glorious days with my D together on our family vacation.</p>
<p>On our way home after staying for convocation. I admit I cried a little after she was out of sight. And then again just now when “Your Gonna Miss Me” came on the radio - she’s been singing it to me for the past month…</p>
<p>First care package mailed today ! It was really a necessity, I had to mail him something and other things just followed
He just called and said everything is “super”. What a great joy and reassurance that he is ready for this! He has already seen his academic advisor and was told that compared to his HS record this first semester should be much easier :)</p>
<p>DH picked DS up and we all went to six flags last night for a company outing. DS dropped a 2 credit class after talking to his advisor. YAY! Now he has 16 credits and he was able to change to a different English II class that doesn’t meeting at night. I was kind of worried about him walking back from a class by himself that ends at 9:30 pm. He says everything is going well. Although his roommate doesn’t want to leave the room to do anything. DS said he and others have asked the roommate to do stuff numerous times but he just keeps saying no…</p>
<p>On our way home after dropping S3 off. Our drive up yesterday was about 90 min longer because of a motorcycle vs big rig accident blocking 3 lanes. We made a list of everything he forgot on the long drive up. Move-in went smoothly but it was definitely a 3 person operation. We had about an hour headstart in the room before the other 2 roommates arrived which have is more room to set things up etc… He was making friends everywhere we went so I think he will be fine.</p>
<p>Love reading about the move-ins and how well all the kiddies are doing 
</p>
<p>We are finally heading out tomorrow. Everything has been packed into 3 suitcases plus one box I sent out today. Hopefully everything will go smoothly but Minneapolis is going to have a heat wave next week 
Very ironic as DS wanted a cold weather school and it is going to in the mid/high 90’s (thank goodness he is in an air-conditioned dorm).</p>
<p>I am lying on the couch trying to rest my feet. Marathon 8 hr shopping today because we have bathroom, cleaning stuff and living room to furnish also. D procrastinated until now and we had a long list. We are getting excited!!</p>
<p>This move-in is beginning to feel like a death march. And tomorrow is still convocation. Exhausted. Details to come at some point later. In good news, he and his roomie seem made for each other.</p>
<p>10 hours until D’s flight leaves in the a.m. Putting final touches on packing 2 allowed suitcases and carryon. Think we are under 50 lbs each (had to remove most winter clothes and a pair of boots - plan to mail later in the fall as her tour moves from the southeast to more cold weather cities).</p>
<p>D alternates between somewhat overwhelmed and excited. I think tomorrow is going to be challenging for her - especially the initial wait to get on the plane. But she is off on a grand adventure and we are all so happy and proud of her.</p>
<p>M S16 is stressing about how much he is going to miss her…we are so fortunate that they have always been very close.</p>
<p>We head out tomorrow. D13 is excited and sad. She broke down when she had to say goodbye to her brothers, particularly my 8 year old who has Aspergers. She is the one person who understands him more than any other. I lost it as well when she had to say goodbye to her grandparents. This is so hard, yet the world is just opening for her.</p>
<p>We’re back from the launch pad. I have been reading this thread on my phone, but haven’t been able to really sit down and get a post together until now. We left 2 weeks ago, drove a LONG way, visited lots of family along the way, and finally arrived at D’s school a week ago. She was there for an early orientation program, so the move in was smaller in scale than the normal one a few days later. I actually was so glad she had that opportunity because the regular move in day would have been a bit hectic. Instead of moving in on that day, we had a chance to do some extra shopping for her for the things she had forgotten, visit her academic advisor and just relax a bit. There were family orientation sessions for two days, so we stayed for those. It helped having family not too far from the school so we could enjoy a visit during her pre-orientation program. </p>
<p>If your child is going to find a job, make sure you have the proper documentation for the tax forms. D took her passport, which should have been all she needed, but discovered at the employment office that it had JUST expired. I’m overnighting the needed documents to her on Monday. </p>
<p>I am so grateful for modern technology. We have had the chance to FaceTime, text, email, etc. during her first week on campus. This is going to sound silly, but we actually played a virtual card game with her through FaceTime one night. It was epic. We showed her her cards and she wrote down what she had. The rest of us sat around the table and we could see her face on the computer and she could see us. She actually was winning when we had to stop so she could get some sleep. For anyone who thinks we were holding her back from her college connection time, she was sick at the end of her pre-orientation program and went back to her room early instead of going to the social functions. ;)</p>
<p>We had a very positive experience overall. I’m glad we stayed the extra few days to attend the family orientation. The departure was somewhat gut-wrenching because she got very emotional and we had to just leave so she could pull herself together in time for her session. So, after hugs were given, as the sun went down, she stood there with tissues in hand, sunglasses on her face (just to hide the red eyes), and a pathetic stance that said, “You’re just going to leave me here??”. Her dad and I just walked away throwing a few kisses as we fought the tears. I have absolutely no doubt she will thrive and do great things in the next four years. She is already amazing me with her steps toward independence in getting her schedule issues worked out and signing up for and communicating with other students about clubs and such. And today…she did her laundry. It warms my heart knowing that she will begin classes on Monday with clean clothes. Ok - so I had to hint that she might want to do laundry before classes start. Sue me.</p>