<p>My D actually said to me the other day, “You know what? I’m really going to miss you guys!” I got teary-eyed… She’s not fouling the nest, in fact, she’s sweeter and more mature and responsible this summer than she’s ever been. On the other hand, she did enough nest-fouling for 10 kids in the previous 2 years, so maybe she just got it out of her system!</p>
<p>The only thing close to that is that she’s constantly saying, “Ugh, I don’t want to be a grown-up” and asking me to do things like refill her prescriptions or make lunch for her. She clearly realizes realizes that VERY soon she’s going to be responsible for all that on her own, and is making the most of her good scene as a kid here at home :)</p>
<p>She’s also super-thrilled because her college added a second session of Forensics, which she’d badly wanted to take but was filled by 1 A.M. on the day class registration opened (and she didn’t log in until 8 A.M.) It was the only class she wanted but hadn’t gotten into. And the college had so many kids on the wait list they added another session of it, which works fine with her schedule. She’s ecstatic :)</p>
<p>My daughter had a major “fouling the nest” episode about few weeks ago. Mainly with my wife. She’s been pleasant and behaved ever since. In a way, I kinda thankful that it happened because we had a serious talk about everything (finances/expectations/etc.).</p>
<p>We are actually flying 1.5 week before move-in day so we have about 2 weeks to go. We will buy most of the dorm stuff in New York so her pile only consist of random school supplies and clothes.</p>
<p>I finally have a pile! Got some shopping done this weekend and also did some online shopping. We have 2 more weekends before we leave so we just have to find the time to get what we need. </p>
<p>As far as fouling the nest goes, has anyone ever heard of the parent doing the fouling? I don’t know if I am somehow preparing myself to let go but it just seems like I have been getting very annoyed at my S for every little thing. </p>
<p>Still working on buying a few things at a time as I think about them. Today it was cough drops and flashlights - a mini lite to attach to a keychain or backpack and a larger one for the room. </p>
<p>But then the newest American Girl catalog came in the mail and I wished I could go back to those days!! Don’t know why we still receive them as it’s been years since I’ve bought anything from there!</p>
<p>Where did the time go? I still have boxes of American Girl dolls and clothes tucked in the back of D’s closet. Our family will be down sizing our home this year and it won’t be long before I have to tackle closets full of dolls, brio trains, kindergarten papers and the like. I’m not quite ready for that emotional roller coaster. D has been so busy with her job and spending time with the BF. I feel like she’s weaning me of her presence. </p>
<p>@Calla1 - I will be thinking of you this Friday. I hope the launch goes well!</p>
<p>@GertrudeMcFuzz - It sounds like an amazing party! What a great send-off for your D! </p>
<p>@BunHeadMom - I occasionally read the Class of 2015 thread. You have a great group with an awesome sense of humor! Enjoy the year ahead - and just breathe. It will all work out. </p>
<p>@BunHeadMom - Glad to be of assistance. I believe the Common App goes live for your 2015ers in just 3 more days. Then the fun begins! Good luck with your D and her senior year.</p>
<p>We have competing piles at both ends of our dining room. S has things from his dorm that came home that are still sitting to be packed and sent back this year. D has a new pile that she has slowly been building. At least her brother has told her what to take and what to leave at home. Her school sent out a very detailed new student booklet with tons of info that she has found useful. And she spent last week in Chicago meeting her roommate and working out the logistics of who is bringing what. D moves in on the 20th with parent orientation on the 20th and 21st. S moves in on the 23rd or 24th. It will be a high milage week with two round trips to the east coast and another 3 plus days out of the office.</p>
<p>AvonHSDad: Hope that one child does not grab something that belongs to the other! Nothing like having to ship something across the country because of a little mistake.</p>
<p>My older son moves his stuff into his place near UVA Law in a day or so. Thank goodness. We get the living room and dining room back! Since he is taking my dining room set to double as a place to eat as well as a study area (he will need to spread out all books), I can start to think about getting something new for our home.</p>
<p>Did some investigating regarding class schedules, and my older son and I may chat with the younger son about considering a change. The school’s previous semester schedules are online, and they have been consist in terms of times/days over the past three years. Since he cannot have Friday afternoon classes because of track/cross country meets, he may need to shift his thinking to starting physics this semester rather than in the spring. Colleges rarely change the schedules for core classes from year to year. If the younger son makes a switch, he could free up his dining schedule, which would make him happier. Right now, he barely has time for dinner three nights a week, and although he says that he can adjust, it does bother him because he has mentioned it several times. Sure, college is filled with adjustments, but maybe this is one that he really does not want to make, since his day starts with 7 a.m. practices. We’ll see.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, got the younger son doing the laundry a couple of times a week so he’s ready for college life. </p>
<p>I appreciate the good wishes, thoughts, and prayers as we get ready for Friday. This is such a supportive thread. We are really going to need each other over these next few months. As difficult as the whole college application/decision process was, this feels as difficult but in a different way.</p>
<p>Piles are ready, with plans to put everything in boxes today, leaving the next couple of days to figure out loose ends and just enjoy each other. We still have piddly things to do, like getting his bike engraved with his driver’s license number to increase the chances of return if it is stolen.</p>
<p>I’ve been cooking his favorite meals. </p>
<p>After a teary June, I’ve been feeling more excited for him than sad. And now it’s just starting to hit him. Yesterday when I came home from work he said to me with a quiver in his voice, “I’m starting to miss you.”</p>
<p>I’m very thankful that his “low” is coming at an “up” time for me, or we would be a complete wreck together. Or maybe my “up” has given him permission to have his anxieties… who knows? It did cross my mind that he might have been holding me together back in June, which is not how I wanted it to be.</p>
<p>Anyway, I’ll be sure to report back after the launch. Our schedule arrival time slot is between 9 - 10 a.m. We will settle him in his room then take him out to lunch before leaving, as the dining hall doesn’t open until dinner. </p>
<p>Can we break out that margarita machine again? I think I need it.</p>
<p>Move-In update: we just got word that the two dorm elevators are not working and won’t be working on move-in day. Students are being encouraged to pack lightly. Students on upper floors are not to bring fridges or furniture. The dorm is 8 stories tall, and DS is on the 7th floor. </p>
<p>Oh my gosh @calla1, what a nightmare! How far away will he be? Will you be able to get more stuff to him easily later? I sure hope so!</p>
<p>I was at parent orientation all day. I met some great parents. The kids were separated doing their own thing so I never my son after I dropped him off in a line. I sent him a text tonight to ask how things were going and he said it was pretty good. I told him we have a session together tomorrow and he said he’d heard that and told me which building it was in. He said he’s gotten to know campus pretty well already and he and some friends went exploring. He’s in a temporary (for orientation only) triple. </p>
<p>The school applied his whole Eagle scholarship toward his loans so he still has work study and has less than $1000 in a Perkins loan for this year. This has worked out so nicely for him. </p>
<p>For a kid who was pretty severely redirected and made a tough decision for himself, I think things are falling into place very nicely </p>
<p>@2016BarnardMom – I haven’t been posting much lately, but I couldn’t resist: It’s easy to remember the roller coaster year that you and your son just finished. It’s obvious (from the outside looking in) that, like many of the kids here, he has success written all over him. Am so glad that it has all worked out so well. </p>
Perhaps the SS Indecision can be temporarily renamed the SS Relaxation and Recovery with a special sailing for 2014 parents sometime in late September or early October after all of the lauches are completed. All of the new and improved multi-flavor frozen Margarita machines will be in service. Might as well break them in for the Class of 2015 parents who will need them next spring!</p>
<p>Who is onboard with this thought and ready for a post launch fall cruise? </p>
<p>We just bought school supplies. It’s a tradition with us and d is so picky on everything she wanted to be comfortable having things organized “her” way and not have to deal with it when she got to school. I also ordered her books from the bookstore and she just has to show up and pick them up. The had a special 10% off if it was done last weekend.</p>
<p>We leave in a week! Next week this time we’ll be packing the car. We rented an suv to make the 12 hour - 2 day drive and we’ll fly home. </p>
<p>Today is d’s last day of work. She works for my company, but I didn’t manage her. I’m taking her, her best work friend and the office manager out for a farewell lunch today. </p>
<p>@AvonHSDad, it would be wonderful to have you at the helm again, Captain! Count me in. </p>
<p>As I’ll have some time before the launch I’ll be sure that the spa area is in shape, with masseuses, hot stones, scented oils, yoga classes, and comfortable, fluffy robes and towels. </p>
<p>This may have already been covered here in an earlier discussion, but:</p>
<p>Are any of you getting some sort of safe for your kid’s dorm room? The same company that rents out the fridges, microwaves, etc. rents out a safe that can accommodate (and charge) a laptop. There are also safes like this on Amazon. Am wondering whether we’re nuts to even consider this. </p>
<p>They talked about that in parent orientation yesterday. One of the things they said was “Dorm room doors lock automatically and we’ve never had a report of something stolen from a locked room” Their point was… it is up to your student to close the door every time they leave the room. Realistically, if they dash out to use the rest room and leave the door open, they probably aren’t taking the time to put the laptop in a safe first. A small one for something like a passport is probably a good idea. I know my kid keeps his wallet in his pocket until he goes to bed, even at home, so I think he’d have his wallet in his pocket if he runs down the hall to use the bathroom, get water, switch laundry, etc. He’s close enough to home that he won’t need a passport with him. He doesn’t have checks or valuable jewelry or wallets so… we couldn’t figure out what he’d actually put in there. </p>
<p>Thank you @AsleepAtTheWheel , It was a bumpy road, but I think he’s realizing he made a great choice and that gives me a lot of relief. I bumped into him again today during orientation and he seems like he’s getting pretty comfortable. I think he may even start getting excited now </p>
<p>AsleepAtTheWheel: I got my older son a small safe/strong box when he went to college, and he still has it after five years. He needs a copy of his license, passport, insurance information and sometimes, extra gift cards, in it. He really likes having a place where he knows important documents are. So I just got his younger brother the same type of box. I’ll give it to him just before he goes to school. It’s a good thing to have.</p>
<p>Eyemamom: We still need to get some school supplies. I’ll put them in a box that I am mailing. That way, he has what he needs, and does not need to worry about that. </p>
<p>A cute story: Earlier in the week, my older son was moving out of his place. He was putting some old sheets that fit a full-sized bed in donation. His brother starts to beg him for the sheets! He tells him that he needs them for college, because he does not think I bought anything for him, including sheets and blankets. That just had my older son doubled over. Trust me, he told him, Mom has taken care of getting you sheets, towels, etc. Just because you did not participate in the buying does not mean she did not handle this. (He is not a big shopper like the older son is) I could not help but laugh out loud when told of the incident. Full-sized sheets do not fit on his college bed, but moreover, you would think of younger son would take note that we just took a bunch of items to a storage place near the campus to make move-in earlier that the sheets may have been packed with the towels … oh well, he will have a nice surprise when we do move-in.</p>
<p>@calla1 - You can skip the stair master on move in day! But seriously, what a hassle. Hopefully they will have lots of student volunteers to help schlep all that stuff up. Is your DS reporting early for a sport? I assume UCSB is UC Santa Barbara and I thought they were on the quarter system. DS has a friend who will be a junior this year and I remember him being around until the second or third week of September.</p>
<p>@AsleepAtTheWheel - I will be getting a small lock box for DS just to keep his passport, cash, etc. in. I bought him a locking cable for his laptop which should deter any grab and go thefts (hopefully he uses it). </p>
<p>Speaking of thefts – I just checked with our home owners’ insurance and DS will be covered for any losses at college, for an amount equal to 10% of our total policy, which should more than cover him. I forgot that we had a rider on our policy to cover losses away from home so it was a good thing I called our agent before I bought dorm insurance. So check your home owners’ insurance first!</p>
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