<p>Laurendog, we we’re at the airport waiting for our flight to go home when we received a text from DS13b that he was thinking of changing his major! Once they start talking to the other kids they get all sorts of ideas.</p>
<p>1 week away done. 2 days of class done. Son actually called yesterday much to my surprise and was in a great mood.</p>
<p>Are you having fun? “Yes, a bunch.”
How was the hypnotist? “Awesome.”</p>
<p>Iowa State did a fantastic job with the 3 days of welcome activities prior to classes beginning. They learned the football and bball cheers in the bball arena, had a massive pancake feed for 5,000 people, games at the Union, a hypnotist, etc. Based upon the videos posted online, I would say that most of the 5,000+ people attended these events. It really builds into them a better sense of community (difficult to do when you have 25,000 undergrads). Iowa State really does a great job with this as they have alot of campus traditions.</p>
<p>Classes started Monday. Thinks Calc will be boring. Difficult to understand Econ prof. Overall, thinks classes will be OK.</p>
<p>Gets along well with his roommates so far. First football game this weekend.</p>
<p>As parents, so far we are very pleased and think ISU was a great choice for son. Glad he chose ISU and not U Iowa…</p>
<p>[Poll</a> on drinking habits highlights differences between Iowa State, Iowa - Iowa State Daily: News](<a href=“http://www.iowastatedaily.com/news/article_712baf9e-0daf-11e3-b2bd-0019bb2963f4.html]Poll”>http://www.iowastatedaily.com/news/article_712baf9e-0daf-11e3-b2bd-0019bb2963f4.html)</p>
<p>Moved S2 into his dorm this morning in the rain. Actually, we didn’t have to do anything but park the car. By the time I walked back to the dorm everything had been moved by a platoon of helpers up to the room. </p>
<p>S2 thinks his roommate is “chill” and was happy to see that he brought a 32 inch tv and xbox. S2 brought the PS3 - so they are all set to be party central. They discussed - neither of them care if beds are made or clothes are on the floor. Perfect match.</p>
<p>No tears from me. Just a little melancholy to be an empty nester.</p>
<p>I am reading all your wonderful stories and just feel a little jealous since DD is moving to Carleton on Sept 10. All her friends already left, posting pictures and videos of fun activities and new friends that they made already. My DD is getting too excited and afraid to be disappointed when she actually gets to college. I really want her to leave now.</p>
<p>psbls, I know she’ll have a great time! Ds1 is bummed to not be a part of welcoming new students this year so he’s trying to talk me into changing his flight so he can get on campus earlier.</p>
<p>It’s difficult being the last to go. She needs to find friends still in town headed to Stanford and some West Coast schools that starting really late!</p>
<p>Thanks for everyone’s experiences…I think I’ve avoided CC with hopes that our Move in day wouldn’t come (8/30)…please cheer me and DS on</p>
<p>Leaving tomorrow afternoon for Minnesota and St Olaf. We are up to 3 bags so far, plus hockey sticks. There are several large boxes at a friend’s house that will get delivered next weekend - but I won’t be there to worry about them! </p>
<p>Several of her friends came over for dinner tonight - some from her class, some who graduated from her boarding school a couple of years ago and ended up going to college in our city. Interesting to see the growth and change, and yet the continued cameraderie - taking on new interests and new friends, but still growing together, even though they are going to different colleges in different cities.</p>
<p>I haven’t posted in this thread since DD was admitted ED, but I have read along all year - cheering for everyone’s acceptances, watching everyone’s launches…Today we pack, and tomorrow we drive. I am trying to focus on being happy for DD. She is so excited about the start of this new adventure. She is ready for a new school, new friends, new location, new life. I think she is going to be amazing. I know she will have an ineresting journey.</p>
<p>Its difficult for me to not feel left behind, and left out of this next phase of her life. I wouldn’t want it any other way - I’m glad that she is independent. But I can’t help feeling sad also.</p>
<p>I wish that our students - unicameral and swizzle were still posting. It was interesting hearing how all of this process went from their ends. I am sure that they will also do great in this next phase (and if either of you ever read this - I wish you the best).</p>
<p>Good luck to all the parents with this new phase of life for us. I love reading about your journies as well.</p>
<p>We are packing everything up and getting ready for our long drive through Los Angeles traffic tomorrow morning. We are going to be Sanford and Son showing up at the dorm, for those of you old enough to remember the show! We have to furnish living room of suite so the Toyota Tundra will be full of regular stuff and we have to rent a large U Haul trailer to bring up the old sectional couch from family room. It’s got a queen pull out bed and D is all excited that friends are going to visit her at school which probably will never happen. These things are so heavy, I hope some football team or something is waiting at other end to unload us.</p>
<p>At least D spent all yesterday morning tearing apart couch and cushions and giving them a big scrub with the rented machine.</p>
<p>Sent from my Nexus S 4G using CC</p>
<p>DD Launched yesterday…for a kid who never hugs us…well…by the end of the day…she gave us a hug and said “I dont want to stay…”…(which I think meant I dont want you to go…or…am I really ready for this…) it was a hard day. the actual move-in was fine, despite the pouring rain and thunder…but the the upperclass young women who were there to help were really terrific. DD is afraid that she will not have any friends…she’s not afraid of the academics…she’s afraid of being alone…they keep them busy, though, and I hope she does meet a few kindred spirits shortly…I told her some of this is up to her…Her roomate seems nice. But so far (less than 24 hours) they’ve been kept so busy, it’s not clear to me that the two of them have had much time to bond…or whatever you hope roomates do…ahhhhhhhhhh, this is tough…</p>
<p>Move in is done. DD is surprisingly having a similar experience/reaction as drmom 's DD. Nothing is familiar, seems overwhelming. We stayed later on campus than we had planned just to give her a little extra boost. Intellectually, she knows she will find friends, she will be able to handle everything, but emotionally she was overwhelmed. She seems yo be doing a little better everyday (day 3?). We are hoping that she finds her way and she is back to her happy self soon.</p>
<p>Hi all! my S1 graduated HS in '12, but he took a gap year and just launch this week. Can I join your group? The '12 group has moved on to sophomore year, and I just don’t belong there anymore 
(even though they are all really really nice)</p>
<p>Yeah gourmetmom! Welcome to our group. It’s a great bunch if parents!! How was the gap year and where us he launching?</p>
<p>Welcome gourmetmom and enjoy the ride</p>
<p>18 year old student dies at Villanova. Prayers sent for her family. </p>
<p><a href=“Autopsy Complete on Villanova Student, Awaiting Results on Other Tests – NBC10 Philadelphia”>Autopsy Complete on Villanova Student, Awaiting Results on Other Tests – NBC10 Philadelphia;
<p>Amazhon, I started a thread about the alcohol deaths. Between this one and the Lehigh one two weeks ago, it is overwhelming. I wish we were back in the days when the kids just drank beer - very hard to kill yourself with too much beer. So, so sad.</p>
<p>I remember reading about printers in the “what to pack” discussions. I thought the consensus was that a printer is nice to have, but not necessary. S texted tonight saying he needs one. </p>
<p>Do most schools have the printing allowance that I heard mentioned? I looked all over the website but could see nothing. I am letting S figure this out for now, but i am curious because I remember consciously thinking we didn’t need to get a printer.</p>
<p>Surfcity - My D’s school has printing kiosks and my D said it is relatively inexpensive. That being said, this is her first week of class so we’ll see how it goes. She received a $5 printing card during orientation earlier this summer which I found on the floor of her bedroom and sent to her earlier this week. I think she just uses the card she uses for food for printing. Personally, I think the cost of the printer, ink, and paper is expensive and I assume it’s cheaper just to print from the kiosks.</p>
<p>Drmom and Geogirl - I hope your daughters end up connecting with some other students and enjoying college life :). </p>
<p>My D was very sad to leave her friends (and she and her boyfriend broke up right before we left for the airport) but she seems to be diving in with both feet and loving it so far. She’s in the engineering school and they had a retreat last weekend and I think that helped her a lot. She got to know quite a few students and the engineering school kept her busy from the night of move-in so I don’t think there’s been much time to think about the friends she left behind. One of the students at the retreat invited her to play on the Ultimate Frisbee team and she had her first practice tonight and really liked the girls on the team. Hopefully she’ll keep busy but not too busy.</p>
<p>Hi everyone! Sending out both happy hugs and condolence, reassuring hugs to all who have launched in the last few days. D seems to be doing well, settling in and figuring out the lay of the land.<br>
She had a good experience with her advisor, who told her that she scored well on a placement test and should have an easy time of a class she wants. Definitely a much needed confidence booster. Registration worked out… a little challenging to build a schedule when there are classes with overlapping times, but she worked it out. One more weekend of orientation activities and then it really begins!</p>
<p>For those who have kids waiting to launch, try and take advantage of this time for some parent/child time… I know from my experience with DS a few years ago, the friends are gone and they will actually welcome the day at the movies with you… savor these moments!</p>
<p>It is a time of loss for us, but also a time to celebrate all that’s ahead for kids and the new relationships that will emerge…</p>
<p>Going to head over to that thread. Will be having another discussion with my D when we Skype today. I always related boys with possible alcohol deaths and girls with being taken advantage of or making poor decisions. Definitely a new talk now.</p>