@readingclaygirl , your area has had more than its fair share of tragedies these last few months! I hope you’re doing ok and that everyone there has a period of calm soon.
I had to think hard about what backpack D had in 1st grade…It was a cheapo jewel-toned smallish one-that was quite a few backpacks ago! We started small and low-cost.
D got some good news today-her original roommate was paired up with her! D will need to move from the larger corner room, but the two girls had bonded and are very excited to be back together. The girl they’d assigned in the meantime knew they were appealing and was ok with it. But I’m glad she gets to keep the room, since it does change her plans and assign a whole new person to her.
D also starts her internship tomorrow. She’s a little concerned about learning all new ways of doing things in an all-new setting, but happy to have a daily schedule again.
Congrats on the roommate situation @sseamom . Your DD has a lot of changes this year , but is handling them like a pro. Sometimes I have remind myself that she’s only 16. She’s certainly wise beyond her years .
So sorry @readingclaygirl. Did you know the boy? We’ve had quite a few near misses around waterfalls here requiring EMS rescue, but fortunately no deaths.
@crowlady - my D has the earlier version of the Malia backpack (Everlane) that she will not be bringing to school with her bc she received a new borealis backpack for graduation. That said, it has held up pretty well, and I am hoping to cajole S21 into using it eventually. @Labegg and Madredos - D is bringing my 25 year old Timberland construction boots that I wore in grad school to college. It’s kind of crazy - they are in amazing shape still. If any of you live near outlet malls that have Northface outlets, I would recommend checking for July 4th sales. My D cleaned up with fleeces (I think the Osito fleece I bought her was $45) and a 3 piece jacket. I found the prices for the quality and longevity well worth it.
@ readingclaygirl - I’m sorry for all the sad and disturbing news around you and in your community. I echo sseamom’ thoughts and hope that the near-future news is much more upbeat.
I 2nd the suggestion to look for North Face sales. Received an email this morning that regular stores and online are both having sales. We buy it here because it performs and is guaranteed. Just had a zipper repaired on a jacket with no hassle whatsoever. I think it is popular on campuses since parents know it will last all 4 years and well beyond.
DS favored Swiss gear backpacks but went through 2 in 3 years. He now has a North Face.
Trying to catch up in here today before we leave for vacation!
@labegg Hope you are healing! We also got a letter from a school that said its not too late to enroll. I bet it’s the same school.
@readingclaygirl Sorry for more bad news. I’ve read about too many accidents involving hiking and/or trying to get a good picture on a cliff. Really tragic.
I bought S16 a Northface Borealis backpack for Christmas. It has held up very well so far. It still looks new despite the beating it has taken.
I love the look of the Hershel backpacks. I bought D18 one last year, but she didn’t love it as much as I did.
We have done no dorm shopping or even much talking about it. I suspect it will wait until D15 comes home for a week before heading back to school 2 weeks ahead of D16. I think she plans to take D16 shopping so she gets the right stuff. D16 is very trend conscious yet extremely frugal and D16 is trend clueless and a spender so I’m pretty happy with this arrangement.
@psychmomma Just a word of caution about bikes on campus…bike theft is rampant! My son had more than one bike stolen, and I know several other students at different campuses that also had bikes stolen.
^Yep! My D had a bike stolen at school, too. (Luckily, we had the college student insurance.) H wants S to get a cool new bike and I’m resisting for that very reason! Something that looks plain is best. I need to find a good U-lock, too.
Thanks for the tip about bike theft. D just ordered a new bike - My H wanted to buy her a very, very expensive bike, I encouraged her to consider an inexpensive basic model that was around 100$, and… a compromise was made in purchasing a mid-range bike (still, imo, too pricey for her to take to college and possibly have stolen, but no one listens to me, apparently). And I suggested D chip in half for it, and we’d pay for the rest.
I just think she’ll try and keep the bike safer if she forked over significant cash herself for it. Anyway, hope it doesn’t get stolen. It’s a nerdy-looking girls bike, :), so maybe that will make it less desirable to others…
We have not dorm-shopped yet. D wants to get her dorm and room mate assignment first (out in late July) and contact her room mate.
At our parent orientation the big thing the student panel said was a dorm room necessity was a mattress topper. After a night in a dorm room S agrees. It was my first time visiting Temple (my wife took him to the campus visit last fall) and I was blown away. He’s excited, and we’re excited for him.
My D is attending a school where almost everyone bikes, so I hope thieves will leave hers alone. If she ends up shipping her bike she got when she was 10 or 11 and barely ever used, I think she’ll be fine. It definitely screams tween girl. However, shipping a bike to a dorm seems like a huge hassle to me when there are multiple bike shops selling used bikes right near the school. I’ll have to keep working on my H.
I’m still trying to convince him that she’ll need to buy some cheap drawers (her dorm room comes with a whopping two-drawer dresser). I think he believes that she’s taking two pairs of jeans, two pairs of shorts, five tee shirts and maybe some underwear with her as if she’s going away for a long weekend!
If you want to hear a song that will make you cry listen to Slow Down, by Nichole Nordeman. A woman my mom works with shared it on Facebook and it’s really good.
I found a decent looking U lock - OnGuard Brute- for S’s bike. Around $50 on Amazon. We pumped up an old bike in the garage and he’s out riding with friends today. I guess he didn’t forget how. Lol.
D16 can borrow bikes from her college’s parking garage. So, that’s a plan. She’ll bring her adult-sized Razor scooter and maybe her Rollerblades. Transportation.
No bike here. I don’t even own one- I think the last time I rode I was 10 or 11. Plus my campus is pretty small anyway. My dad still has his bike from college. It’s an orange Schwinn that he got for Christmas when he was 13. It still works too!
