<p>Just 6 days to go until we return to port.</p>
<p>Ugh–still hasn’t decided! What do I do? Busy weekend ahead with lots of distractions. Down to Dartmouth vs. ND honors (vs Northwestern vs. Bowdoin). Any thoughts? I am getting panicked.</p>
<p>@12dandelion, thank you for sharing. I am glad that it all worked out for you and your D. My S made a quick decision and so was never really on the Indecision cruise, but I have enjoyed following along the trials and tribulations of those faced with the tough decisions.</p>
<p>I want to congratulate everyone who landed safely at a port of call. I also want to extend best wishes for a speedy recovery to @StaceyNeil I had a couple of serious operations a few years ago and I can sincerely empathize. </p>
<p>To those still struggling with decisions, all the best of luck in choosing. From what I’ve seen the options still under consideration are all fantastic and that is the only reason it is so difficult. </p>
<p>Mrspepper: A good friend of mine told me something that I passed on to go2girl that I think helped her get to a decision. “You already know the decision. It’s buried deep in your subconscious. You just need to let go and let it come to the surface.” And… “Make a decision for who you are today–not for who you think you might be in four years.” I feel both were sage words of advice. For my very logical girl, in the end, she was able to let go long enough to let her decision bubble to the surface.</p>
<p>^^^ That’s what I think my “flip a coin but don’t look at it” test gets to. In that moment, the kid has a wish or hope for which way the coin flip will turn out. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, I already told my son this strategy so I don’t think it will work with him. </p>
<p>Amazing to see all the graduation dates in May! School doesn’t start around here until after Labor Day, and D and S don’t graduate until 13 Jun.</p>
<p>Congrats to all with recent decisions, and best wishes to those guests still awaiting their ports of call!</p>
<p>Very impressed that some kids have already selected roommates and ordered bedding! D’s still finishing up scholarship apps. Seems impossible to believe that in 4 months we’ll be dropping D off at school on the opposite coast!</p>
<p>@AvonHSDad - Congrats on your D finding a roommate! Technology really can be a wonderful thing. Sure is a different world now than when I went to school! Must remind my D to check her portal for possible tasks.</p>
<p>@jrmama496 - Congrats on your S finding the perfect fit! Vanderbilt sure won my D’s heart - what a wonderful school, excellent academics and beautiful campus!</p>
<p>@itsv - Congrats on your D’s robotic team making it to World Championships! How exciting! As far as cancelling an application - never heard of it.</p>
<p>@Overtheedge - so good to hear your D’s in better spirits! Keeping her in my prayers.</p>
<p>@staceyneil - So sorry you suffered complications from surgery. Sending well wishes your way for a quick and complete recovery! Really appreciate your Ikea list - hope to stop by there while we’re up in northern VA for prom this weekend.</p>
<p>Welcome @12dandelion, and congrats on the RIT decision!</p>
<p>@Mrspepper - Hope a decision is forthcoming this weekend, so both you and your son can relax and start looking forward to a great next year. Think @go2mom and @2016BarnardMom provided great advice. Best wishes to you!</p>
<p>Well - we will be disembarking at our last port of call! DD came home from Brown’s accepted student days (ADOCH - A Day On College Hill) ready to commit! It’s been an exciting day today. I’m so thrilled for her as I think it’s a great fit and she will love it there. Funny thing is she had to get over a huge legacy hurdle and decide for herself that Brown was the right school for her and she wasn’t choosing it because she had eliminated other schools. She had a great time at ADOCH, really liked the other pre-frosh she met and really liked her host. I knew she was leaning in that direction but she still just needed to decide for herself.</p>
<p>I brought her BFF with me to pick her up from Brown today to go out to lunch to celebrate her 18th birthday! We had a great lunch and hearing her tell her BFF about her experiences was great - I probably heard more than I would have on my own! When we got home, she hit the submit button to accept her place in Brown’s Class of 2018! It’s really cool as her great grandfather was Brown Class of 1918! And a great thing - no deposit to pay!</p>
<p>Thanks to all for their advise and support! We learned so much over the past few years and DD had some great options for choices. She’s thrilled she’s found a home for the next four years and I’m thrilled she’ll be close to home (although I promise not to visit unless invited!) But I love Providence and will really enjoy having her an easy drive away. Best wishes for all those still waiting for decisions to be made!</p>
<p>Congratulations @akmom124 !!</p>
<p>@ct1417 and @2014novamom thanks for the tips on backpacks. In our high school kids don’t use their lockers either – I can’t believe how much stuff they lug around. Not all backpacks can take that much abuse and my S14 could use a new one right away. </p>
<p>Congrats to @agentninetynine @akmom124 @asleepatthewheel and @12dandelion (see you at RIT!) . It is a wonderful thing to see so many “good fit” decisions. </p>
<p>For those of you competing to be last off the boat, I’ll be sending good vibes your way! It was either that or start taking bets. Which probably isn’t helpful. Maybe we should pass the hat for a therapy fund. I’m sure it will work out, but I do feel for you.</p>
<p>Congrats to akmom124’s D for her decision to attend Brown!</p>
<p>Congrats akmom124!</p>
<p>Welcome and congrats 12 dandelion!</p>
<p>Here’s hoping everyone still on the ship is hitting their last port of call and enjoying their last drink. Shore feels very good once you get there. Hang in there, land ho.</p>
<p>Thank you for the nice welcomes, and congrats to those who are now enjoying the relief of a good decision. My D seems so much happier now that plans are in place. Fingers crossed that things work out as well for all of the class of '14.</p>
<p>It is great to hear about all the decisions that are being made. @Barnard Mom and @Mrs. Pepper and others (?) hang in there! You are in the home stretch. It really feels good for S to have made the decision and pay the deposit. No turning back and looking forward to a successful 4 years! Now to motivate him to find summer job!
Next week end is the Prom and his 18th birthday! School ends on the 16th, Senior Transition Project (STP) for two weeks( still trying to finalize the detail.) I am excited because S will be with me for two weeks in Providence. He returns to school to present his STP the first week of June and graduation is June 8!</p>
<p>@Stayneil - wishing you a speedy recovery! I have not been able to keep up with all the post -Is your D going to Mount Holyoke? </p>
<p>About backpacks - We buy LLBean Backpacks and have been very happy. If any thing happens to it you can return it for a full refund or a new one. Here is the one one S has had for 4 years and will take to UVM with him.
<a href=“L.L.Bean: Page Not Available”>L.L.Bean: Page Not Available;
<p>Boy it has been cold this week in Maine - I had to wear my winter coat the last two days! I am hoping for a warm weekend!</p>
<p>We are also fans of LLBean backpacks. Haven’t had to return and exchange one yet, but that is why we bought them. Lockers are never used in my kids HS either.
My D graduates on June 27. That’s midsummer! Classes end on June 12 though. </p>
<p>Dinner and reception last night for the school choirs - seniors were recognized for 4 years in choir. Fun evening, but sad to think about not seeing these kids together on the risers anymore after next week (last concert.) Choir director announced where each senior would be going to college - there were a few still undecided! (Many foregoing admission to established privates to attend State U.)</p>
<p>Wow I had a lot of posts to catch up with! Congrats to all those with decisions! Wine and chocolate for those still stressed (the rest of us can sneak some too)!</p>
<p>@Staceyneil Best wishes for your recovery. I’d have a really tough time staying “down” if I had to do anything similar, so you definitely have my sympathies!</p>
<p>Five weeks until my youngest graduates. I had a wave of “Wow I’m getting old” feelings sweep over me today when I realized it was that close…</p>
<p>They frown upon wine at school though, so it’s just me and my bottle of water in class (and the kids, of course).</p>
<p>@akmom124 So happy for you!!! What a great choice. I have many, many happy memories of walking around the Brown and RISD campuses in my youth. Many friends went to Brown and loved it. Hooray!</p>
<p>@onlyonemom Thank you for the kind words. (Had my second emergency room visit last night so am exhausted, but things are better now… fingers crossed!) Yes, my D is going to Mount Holyoke and thrilled about it. It’s a great fit for her. She still has her name in the waitlist at Wellesley, which she was very much in love with, but she is not pining for it now. She’s meeting TONS of friends on the MHC facebook page and I’m sure will be very happy there. BTW I’m also in Maine. Just north of Portland, how about you? What was up with that crazy wind yesterday???</p>
<p>Good morning everyone, & some dramamine to those still on board! It does feel good on shore, though it seems we were met with yet another long list of decisions to make & things to take care of. At this point, I think D has a place to live, a meal plan, orientation scheduled and placement tests taken. We won’t do any shopping until we fly to Philly to move her in, but we’ll have a shopping list ready. Someday the only things left on the to-do list will be “Show up. Go to Class. Learn something.” </p>