<p>happykidsmom – what a great idea. I was thinking of the same thing (especially around finals). I know when my D was having roommate troubles, I spent a couple of hundred bucks installing her at a local hotel for a few nights after she’d called, panicking that she couldn’t stay in the dorm anymore.</p>
<p>cakeisgreat – that sounds like an amazing spray! I have different bathroom concerns for S – 4 boys sharing a bathroom that they clean themselves!!! Eeek! And more importantly, I think they have to buy their own toilet paper. I can see them running out and then people start to…improvise. Ew.</p>
<p>We leave Wednesday and S is always too busy to learn how to do laundry. He said “I’ll watch a video or something.” A light bulb went off over my head. Why don’t I make a video with my phone and send it to him? So last night (thank God the laundry room in my co-op was empty) I made a video of important stuff like pre-treating stains, choosing the right water temp, and checking your pockets before you throw your shorts in the wash. And I sent it to him. And I did one on folding too (hard with the phone in one hand). Because I told him if he takes his clean shirts and shoves them in a pile, they will be wrinkled, and he will be shunned, and he’ll have to transfer :)</p>
<p>^^^I had the visual with the toilet paper! LOL I would probably buy my son a hug supply of TP. I am fortunate that I that TP is supplied by the University but they need to go get it from the front desk. However, maybe I will buy him a small stash for emergencies…
I had to LOL when read the video story. What a great Mom you are! My S spend 3 weeks away a couple of summers ago and had to do his own laundry and has from time to time done his laundry at home. </p>
<p>@calla1 and @AsleepAtTheWheel thanks for the pointers - big help. I think I will try to get S to go to Best Buy to check out some options. </p>
<p>@cakeisgreat what a great idea!.</p>
<p>Time to get focused on tying up loose ends - I am also going unplugged for a week ( something we do every year) so I need to make sure I have printed version of things I may need - like directions to the cottage we are renting! I shut my phone off and leave the Ipad and Macbook at home but my H will keep his phone on for emergencies. Looking forward to dropping S off for Trek and heading for vacation for a week. I think it is easier knowing that I will see him in a week before I have to officially “drop him off”. </p>
<p>@classof2015 “He’ll be shunned and have to transfer” <— hilarious! My son started folding his t-shirts after ten years of wadding them up because he realized that was the only hope of fitting them all in a drawer or two. He has begun wearing them all without repeats, then folding them in stacks of five after they are washed. We count about 40 t-shirts so far near the “college packing pile.” We suggested he may want to leave some at home so he doesn’t have to pack a bag to come home for the holidays. I also hear that he’ll get so many free RIT t-shirts he really won’t need to bring his lifetime supply from home.</p>
<p>I am intrigued by the sensory integration discussion. Our S has also had issues like this and he’s developed some specific strategies already, like staying plugged into his music, going for long walks by himself, and (more recently) going to the library. I agree with the suggestion that finding quiet places on campus is essential, but I also love the idea of an occasional retreat to a hotel room. I do that myself when I travel for work!</p>
<p>We got DS moved in last Friday. Everything went well, the school’s unloading system was amazing. Workers came out with two huge boxes on wheels and unloaded everything from the suburban into the boxes and unloaded them in the dorm room. All he had to do was inbox his stuff in his room. We had two hours before the first roommate arrived, then two more hours before the second roommate arrived. The spacing was great, he got everything done he needed to do before anyone else was in there. The last roommate will arrive this coming Friday.</p>
<p>I had to laugh at the laundry video. The last week or two before he left home I had him do all the folding of his laundry. After he unpacked in the dorm room, I went into his room pulled open the drawer and all of his underwear were just in a pile and there. Nothing was folded!</p>
<p>He had a little bit of trouble getting his computer connected to the ethernet system at school. I was able to research that and text him information I found. He was thankful for that, but that was about the only conversation I’ve had with him since we left on Saturday. I keep trying to think of important things I need to text him about, but only get one word responses. </p>
<p>He starts his honors outdoor community service program this morning. It will be very hot and humid and he will be exhausted in the evenings. </p>
<p>As far as I can tell he seems to be adjusting well.</p>
<p>Calla1 - have you read the book “Quiet: The Power of Introverts” by Susan Cain? I actually think it’s a “must-read” for introverts and extroverts alike. I get mistaken for an extroverty all the time. But I have a 2-hour expiration time on social gatherings and need plenty of quiet time to refuel. I think it would make your introvert son feell more empowered and it has useful tips on how to deal in a world that over-values extroverts. </p>
<p>We just returned from dropping go2girl off at the airport. Her two free suitcases she checked in were 51 lbs. and 50 lbs. respectively; fortunately they didn’t charge us the extra $75 for being a pound over. She had a bunch of friends over last night. While I would have enjoyed more one-on-one time with her, I realize that she feels so safe and secure in our relationship. It’s watching all of her friends scatter all over the continent that gives her pause. Will they stay in touch? Will their friendships change? Some of her closer high school friendships imploded this summer. The proximity factor of school weighed in heavily on the continuance of some friendships that weren’t exactly healthy to begin with. </p>
<p>I’m thrilled she’s starting anew. The Ingram Scholars program will provide a foundation of like-minded individuals to keep her grounded and the 20-hour/month service commitment should provide some wonderful growth opportunities. Now it will all be on her terms. I’m excited for her. I know missing her will hit me in the next few weeks; for now I’m going to relish in the realization that all her hard work has paid off and she is going to the place that’s meant to be. Happy tears at this point. But I will miss her sweet face.</p>
<p>@beadymom and go2mom - congratulations on the smooth transitions thus far! I hope to have a similar transition for my S. I just need to get a few loose ends and thanks to Calla1 - I have started the conversation with my S regarding coping strategies…I will also get the Quiet book for S to read. </p>
<p>My DS1 knew how to do laundry at home, but I still got a call from the laundry room the first week saying, “The machines aren’t like ours at home – what do I set these to!?” lol I offered to take DS2 down to the laundry room after we get him unpacked to figure out how he’ll want to set their machines. ;-)</p>
<p>I recommend emailing your kids (sons especially) at appropriate intervals to remind them that sheets and towels also need laundering :-o</p>
<p>@beadymom and @go2mom congrats on successful initial launches. </p>
<p>@Classof2015 lol at the “shunned and have to transfer” comment ;-)</p>
<p>@cakeisgreat My 13yo S and I watched the Super Bowl online, and Poopouri was one of the commercials they showed online viewers about 100 times. The commercials are extremely stupid. My S will be extremely amused to learn that someone actually uses that stuff but I’m glad it will settle your D’s misgivings about using s shared bath. </p>
<p>My DS will be only sharing a bath with his roommate (got assigned to a more expensive room type than the requested) and he has been in charge of cleaning the “boys’” bathroom at home for the past 3 years, so he should be ok, assuming they actually bother taking the time to do the cleaning. The school apparently supplies cleaning supplies, but I may send a bottle of lysol all-purpose cleaner and some handi-wipes so they have some supplies handy should they be inspired to do a quick freshen-up With any luck at least one of them will have a girlfriend who will inspire them to keep the bathroom presentable ;-)</p>
<p>thank you @mathmomVt I heard somewhere that sometimes by floor vote they decide to treat all the bathrooms as co-ed. What if you were the poor introverted kid that didn’t speak up about not liking that? And now I wonder, while RIT has a very high male to female ratio, I wonder if the co-ed floors are balanced 50/50. Guess I’ll find out in a week.</p>
<p>oldmom4896, and I’ve heard there are some other nice benefits there, a darkroom and photo finishing equipment. D wasn’t interested in any of the special interest housing for some reason.</p>
<p>I have been meaning to share the Lazybones website that my brother is using for his son. You can ship your items or have items shipped to lazybones. They will store them and then deliver the items to your child’s dorm room! Now that is convenience - no lugging or packing! . They also have a laundry services that my brother offered to his son but S declined - wants to do his own laundry ;> …hmmm - I think I 'd go for the laundry service if someone else was paying for it! lol…</p>
<p>I don’t like the vote on the bathroom thing. The ones who don’t care for it may feel uncomfortable speaking up. Just because you don’t want to share a bathroom doesn’t make you an uptight prude. Many times the more out there people are more comfortable speaking up.</p>
<p>I got to chat with d today after her sorority stuff. She’s exhausted, but happy. She is an extrovert but even all that talking and being with people constantly has her running back to her room for the afternoon to shower, nap and have some quiet time.</p>
<p>We had the bathroom vote way back in the 1970s at Penn at the Freshman dorms (the Quad). I was on a floor that had separate bathrooms, but I knew people on floors with coed bathrooms.</p>
<p>Now that I think about it, if I remember correctly the young ladies might have had the right to veto a vote and have separate bathrooms, if they wished.</p>
<p>Wow, just had a flashback to 70s life in an all-women dorm at a mostly women LAC . When a maintenance guy came on the floor he had to loudly announce “Man on the floor.” During the very limited hours males were allowed to visit, they were supposed to go back downstairs to a public restroom in the lobby area. Yep, things have changed. </p>
<p>Truly, I think my D will be ok. She’s grown up with a dad and a brother, and shares a bathroom with the brother. In her backstage theater work she’s seen males in various stages of undress. She may have seen more than I want to know about. :"> </p>
<p>A year ago we got our son the laundry service available at his college and he liked it and used it all year and we renewed for this year. For him, he drops his laundry off in a bag provided by the service at a van near his dorm on Monday and then he can get his laundry from the van on Wednesday. Likewise with Wednesday-Friday. At times he did do laundry in the dorm too if he needed/wanted something clean quickly, especially on the weekend.</p>
<p>I think if someone has a concern about bathrooms that they think will be a minority view they might be embarrassed to speak up about in a floor meeting, it would be sensible to try to talk to the RA privately in advance. I would have hated co-ed bathrooms. (We let male visitors use the bathroom on our all-girls floor, but generally with someone checking to make sure it was empty or ok with whoever was in there first.)</p>
<p>Checking in here. K2 is ordering books! Thats a new twist for us as K1’s U has shopping period and books don’t happen til the first week of class.</p>
<p>The packing will soon begin for both kiddos.</p>
<p>For K2 we did the pre-order at BB&B a few weeks back and so now K2 needs to make the LIST for the Target/Walmart run at the U’s town.
For move in we will fly in–go by the BB&B, then do Target. Move in is the day after. So packing here is very strategic. No stocking up possible.</p>
<p>K2 wanted K1 to "hel’ and to see the U so K1 is coming in from Yale for the weekend move-in.</p>
<p>(On K1s side of things–it’s already Sr yr. My Yalie is almost finished there…and a summer internship at NYC helped with some career focus)</p>
<p>Beyond that K2 is doing a bang up job with fouling the nest from time to time.
A bit more than K1 and …I grit my teeth instead of saying… “when are YOU leaving??? Can it be soon!” :)</p>
<p>By the last week of August we will be “free birds”/empty nesters.
I have mixed feelings about it–yet will be too busy with the sale of my late parents home and finish estate issues. Plus the dog was diagnosed with cancer/a large tumor in his chest…that the transition may not hit me til Oct.</p>
</p>
Things we didn’t have to worry about when we were in college ;-)</p>