<p>The car is packed and ready to roll. I’m already exhausted before this send off starts. H had to visit ER last night, kidney stones. Didn’t get back home until 4am this morning. I may be taking D on my own in a few hours. I feel a stress headache coming on. Oh well.</p>
<p>Well, we successfully launched our daughter earlier this week. She moved in early for a SEAS retreat and they had almost every moment scheduled after giving her a few hours to move in. We knew we wouldn’t see her much but we had to say our final goodbyes at the dinner table as we were eating with her roommate and her roommate’s dad so there were no tears and no last-minute advice which I’m sure our D enjoyed. </p>
<p>I have to say the move in was the best ever. There were so many students helping that it only took one trip from the car to the room and everything was in the room. My husband was moving the car to the parking garage and didn’t have to carry anything! He absolutely loved it. We’re used to a state college and doing the lugging with our older daughter (who is a pack rat) and it requires many trips up several flights of stairs to completely empty the car.</p>
<p>My H and I really enjoyed the few days we had in DC after we said our goodbyes to our D. So . . . I think we’re going to enjoy the empty nest. Now we just have to get our older D off for her senior year of college but she doesn’t start until mid-September.</p>
<p>I love the idea of the tears and/or cheers party and think I’ll do something similar in September once all of my friends’ kids are off to college.</p>
<p>muf123 - So sorry to hear about your husband. I hope he is feeling better soon. Good luck with the move-in and I hope you are able to get some sleep soon!</p>
<p>Thanks MSNDIS. Husband was a trooper and made it through the day with us. I had to drive and managed to put a big scrape on my bumper. Everyone kept calm and carried on and D is happy at her new school:)</p>
<p>Today was our last day in DC before S2 and I head to his dropoff in New Jersey. We thought we would just run into BB&B to pick up a couple items. Big mistake. Every college kid in DC was there with a full shopping cart. We decided to look for a non-college town BB&B or Target on our way tomorrow. So we went to the movies instead. :)</p>
<p>Leaving today to drive 7 hours. Move in is tomorrow at noon. So sad and so excited all at once. Good luck to all the freshman and their moms and dads!</p>
<p>D posted a bunch of pictures on facebook last night. It was nice to see her smiling and happy and surrounded by a bunch of other students.</p>
<p>Good morning! S3 appears to be successfully launched. I have gotten a few texts (mostly when I text him first), but Sacchi I am jealous, boys do not post pictures on FB (at least mine don’t). My hope is always that someone will tag them in a picture. After spending so many hours in the car Friday and Saturday, I was dead yesterday and got nothing on my long “to-do” list done.</p>
<p>Tx5, you are absolutely correct, boys do not post photos on Facebook!</p>
<p>^^^Agreed! The only pics I see of S on FB is when a girl tags him! I did get to hear his voice yesterday though and it was easy to tell he is loving life at Vandy!</p>
<p>Safe travels and good luck to those moving in this week!</p>
<p>Well, we are back from dropping off DS. I am emotionally and physically exhausted. I was able to keep a smile and positive disposition throughout the long weekend of New Student/Parent activities. Let’s just say, on the ride home the dam burst! This is going to be more of an adjustment than I thought it would…I love having my kids around.</p>
<p>Our flight from our local airport to DC was cancelled so we ended up driving 3.5 hrs to get to another airport…wasn’t expecting that complication, but it worked out OK as we still arrived in DC within an hour of when the other flight would have landed.</p>
<p>We arrived to DC late on Thursday. Ran some needed errands on Friday. Had a nice dinner with our DS and headed back to the hotel to get ready for a 7:00 am move in time. GU had student volunteers meet us with large carts to take luggage and boxes up the room…a wonderful and appreciated service. The school had a great schedule with plenty to keep kids and parents occupied for the weekend…perhaps maybe even too much! A luncheon, welcome speeches, panel discussions, mass, convocation and a good-bye lunch. They kept us too busy to be sad. </p>
<p>But, when it was time for that last goodbye, I thought my heart would break. Gosh, that was hard. Such mixed emotions. So proud of him and the man he has become. So happy that his hard worked paid off for him. So grateful that we are able to send him to GU. Yet, so hard to let go…</p>
<p>On the bright side, he likes his dorm and really likes his roommate. He has met a lot of like minded peers on his floor…which really makes him happy, and he has texted a few times. He’s happy and I’m happy that he’s happy and attending a great school that is such a wonderful fit for him!</p>
<p>Please tell me, though, that this gets easier… I hope that everyone else who launched this past weekend has a good week! I’m going to keep very busy to keep my mind occupied!</p>
<p>Good point about the boys not posting pictures on Facebook. I had never really thought about it, but D posts lots of pictures, and S never posts any but is occasionally tagged in some pictures posted by others. And now that I think about that, the “others” who post and tag him are always girls.</p>
<p>D tagged a bunch of boys in a couple of big group shots, which I suppose the parents of sons may be happy to see…</p>
<p>I thought when we tried to pack up the truck and could barely fit everything in we were doomed. It took 4 hours just to load the truck and all 3 of us had to sit up front together on this 12 hour drive, but from the moment we turned the corner to campus the tide changed! There were students cheering on the corner welcoming you. The curbside drop off was well organized. The Greeks had all of D’s stuff in her room in 15 minutes. Student and parent registration lines moved quickly. The evening ended with the convocation and BBQ picnic. We said are goodbyes and she was off to an ice cream social and then dorm meetings.</p>
<p>The big thing I learned was don’t even try to walk into a Target on move in day- we went looking for a step stool(realized she could use one) and they were all out. It looked like a combination of the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas all rolled into one. We couldn’t even find a folder or light bulb. Boy was I glad I brought most everything with us!</p>
<p>That is the only way I get to see pictures of DS with his friends. When either a girl or sometimes a parent posts pictures and tags him. I don’t think he would even have an account if it wasn’t that a bunch of his lady friends have accounts…</p>
<p>DS says guys can have a bunch of lady friends but only one girl friend.</p>
<p>Had a good move in day today. Lots of “helpers” to assist in unloading the car. He seems to be well matched with his roommate. I hated leaving him but Harvard did a nice job showing parents to the door. We left him with a lot of plans for this evening. They also talked about “dumping” in the parents’ welcome event. I chuckled after it had come up on here. My son is the ultimate dumper. </p>
<p>He’s my youngest so this especially difficult in some ways, but since I have been through this twice before I know the drill. I know our relationship will change but it will remain strong. I’m very excited for him.</p>
<p>Back from D’s move-in yesterday! I did much better than I thought - no tears until the good-bye time, we were so busy the rest of the day. I knew she was taking too many clothes, and when she saw the size of the shared closet, she freaked out a little and we went to Target for a few more under bed bins. I think she will feel more at home when everything is organized and decorated. Roommate and her family were great. She had some placement tests today, and then tomorrow leaves for the 3.5 day outdoor orientation adventure. Haven’t heard from her other than a good night text last night, so I’m taking that as a good sign.</p>
<p>Good morning! I am not really feeling the empty nest yet since S2 doesn’t go back to school for another couple of weeks and things at home are still a bit chaotic. </p>
<p>I read this is the Daily Californian today:[UCPD</a> responds to 8 cases of alcohol-related illness Monday morning - The Daily Californian](<a href=“http://www.dailycal.org/2013/08/26/ucpd-responds-to-8-cases-of-alcohol-related-illness-monday-morning/]UCPD”>UCPD responds to 8 cases of alcohol-related illness Monday morning)<br>
Kind of Scary!!</p>
<p>I remember 5 years ago my oldest D telling me that a few kids at her school had alcohol problems the first weekend after move-in. There are always some who view the beginning of college as freedom to act stupidly. So far I have been lucky in how my children have handled themselves; we have to hope we taught them well and they absorbed our values!</p>
<p>It’s been 48 hours since we left D in NYC. She’s been very sweet keeping us in the loop and sending us texts and pictures of what she’s doing. No complaints so far. She’s made several friends and loves the city life. I’m so relieved she settling in well.</p>
<p>Hey all, just popping in before I start the day. </p>
<p>Wanted to say to all that I have really enjoyed reading all of the ‘launching’ stories. I’ve laughed, I have gotten choked up a bit, I have related…</p>
<p>This really is a great forum and I do hope many of us keep posting throughout our 4 years of college parenting. (ha.) </p>
<p>I know we have a few more to go so I will be reading along avidly until all of our kiddos are ‘off!’ </p>
<p>As for us, Step-D is already talking about possibly changing her major! Girl! you just got there! ha ha ha ;)</p>