We leave the 18th. :((
Let me add that I appreciate the opportunity to be all sappy and emotional on this thread. In my real life, I am being very good- upbeat, no crying (in front of S), helping S finish list items in a calm and carefree way. I am glad I can sneak on here when Iām feeling overwhelmed with emotions! 
We leave the 13th for move-in on the 14th :((
Iāve noticed a change in the conversations with my friends from āoh yeah Iām so excited!!!ā To āIām excited but also stressed, nervous, and sad.ā I think now that itās getting closer, the emotions are becoming more complex. My first friend leaves the 3rd but most of us donāt leave until the 3rd week of August
We drive down to Charleston on the 22nd. Itās looming right there in front of my face and like @psychmomma I am trying not to get emotional in front of DS16. I will be honest and say that it is getting harder with each day.
For anyone who still needs dorm supplies, Target is having a sale on bath and bedding where if you spend 50.00 you get 10.00 off and if you spend 100.00 you get 25.00 dollars off . You have to text 827438 and type in room10 to get the coupon. Coupon ends today.
We went to a Summer Sendoff hosted by the Alumni Association of CofC in our area last night. There were quite a few school representatives who trekked up from Charleston and quite a lot of alumni present to meet the new CofC students and their families. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. The more time we spend with future and former students , faculty and parents , it truly becomes clear that DS16 has found his āpeopleā , and made the right choice for him . He met another CS student who also had looked at my sonās second choice, and had a similar impression. His brother attends that other choice school, and his mother said that CofC was clearly the best choice for our sonsā major. That was validating and reassuring. The staff and alumni also engaged DS19 and were very welcoming to him as well. The highlight of the night was during a college trivia game, many of the alumni were chanting DS16ās name and congratulating him when he answered his CofC trivia correctly . He met some wonderful contacts who provided him with business cards to contact him if he ever wants to do an internship in our area. While I realize that many students will have a similar experience , it made me feel confident in his choice and the support he will receive there.
The next few weeks will surely be emotional for all of us. I sure that weāll see more activity on this thread. I am truly thankful for all the care and support that the members of this thread have given me over the past 1 1/2 years. Thank you all.
Thank you all, I appreciate your input and it has definitely helped me clarify the topic in my head. >:D<
We leave home on the 11th and D moves in on the 12th. Two weeks from today, sheāll be already moved in. Wow.
Iām not feeling it. Or at least like not like this: http://grownandflown.com/parent-sendingfirstborn-off-to-college/. Maybe itās because Iāve always worked full-time outside the home? I have āfeelsā but not as devastating as this piece describes. Even though D16 is my only child. Maybe because D16 lived at boarding school for the two years of middle school? Maybe because we are very hopeful she, desipite being an extrovert, will finally find some good peer friends once sheās at college? I donāt know. I do miss her already. Go figure. Thank god sheāll be local.
@carolinamom2boys CofC wins for doing it right! Actually, thatās not as common as one might hope. Bravo!
I think the distance might also excaberate things. I mean having them a flight away versus 2 hours has got to be tougher.
Also the childās temperament, are they already pretty independent? That could make it easier (or harder) for the parent.
It was hard for me because we seemed at odds a lot in the last few weeks. Maybe that was what she needed to distance herself. I just saw my mother role as I knew it irrevocably changing.
But it needed to be that way, they need to grow up.
Weāre not sure if D will need to ship an extra box or not, but I just looked at the baggage fees and itās only $25 for a 2nd bag. If one of us does that with a large duffle from Goodwill, it will be cheaper and certainly easier than shipping to the school. Crossing fingers that we wonāt need to do it, but itās an option I hadnāt considered, thinking that the 2nd bag was $50. In that case, shipping would have been the way to go. Since each airline is different, wouldnāt hurt to check baggage fees vs. shipping.
We leave the 31st for D16ās move-in on the 2nd. One day in the middle to shop.
While we do have a pile of washed bedding/towels and some winter gear, major packing hasnāt begun. In fact, D16 doesnāt know where to start and neither do I. Sheās still wearing her clothes. Weāre in California so itās not like her clothes are seasonal.
@sseamom is D16 in any rush to receive the books? If not, send them media mail.
@dyiu13 , I could identify with that article fairly well. I think itās healthy that you donāt feel quite her level of emotion.
I was a SAHM until my oldest was a senior in high school. Iāll admit, I let my entire life revolve around my kids, and letting go has been brutal. I threw myself full force into my full-time child-raising job, but it was a job whose hours were cut back drastically once the older kids left.
Going back to work helped me refocus some of my energy, and helped with adjusting to the changes in our family. Now that Iāve worked through younger Sās high school years, Iāve been less involved, but still feel pretty emotional. I think some of us are just wired to be more emotional, sappy?, dramatic?, sentimental, etc. Iām definitely wired that way.
Also, if I were writing an article like that, I would probably use exaggerated language for effect, too. I think itās a way of getting across that this rates a 10 on the 1-10 scale of hard life changing events. I wonder if she actually feels what she wrote, or just wrote her story that way because it makes for an interesting read?
@Undercovermom1 Weāre definitely planning on using media mail for the books. Theyāre mostly education textbooks sheās been collecting over the years.
I was talking to a college friend of mine and she reminded me to request an absentee ballot from the country Board of Elections. I thought I would put a reminder out there for those of you with kids eligible to vote.
Hello all! We just got back from picking D16 up from school. She gets a two week break and then goes right back. We took a few extra days to spend time in the city and explore before we picked her up. I have skimmed posts and hope all are doing well.
Hi all! I donāt come by here often enough - usually when I need help! I did just want to comment on the last few pages.
SAT II tests - D did not take any. I saw that UGA was mentioned as a school that required them. D was accepted with merit money last year without them.
And in terms of move in date - weāre close to the first! Weāll leave here on Wednesday and move D in on Friday. I am kind of freaking out! And this leads me to what I need help with.
Iām sure that this is a common sense thing - but I just canāt find the answer. We bought a bed bug protector for the mattress, and we also got an eggcrate pad. Along with the mattress pad and sheets, I donāt quite understand what order everything goes on the bed! Any guidance? Thanks so much!
@MostlyDolores - this is my plan for the bed (based on other recommendations)
1st the bug protector, then the egg crate pad, then the mattress pad cover & finally the sheets.
Good luck with the move!
^Yep! Same order here.
Itās funny, because I wish I could have been there for my child all the hours she was not in school. I think, actually, her life would have been happier and more integrated into our community. There are definite regrets. Having my FT job will also ease her leave-taking for me. And, her choice to attend a local college is probably the biggest factor smoothing the transition. I bet Iāll see her twice a month. If I had to put her on a plane, Iād probably be a wreck. But thatās what I did to my own mom. Wish my mom was still around to talk to about this. Had a quick discussion today with DH about how weāll spend our time this coming year in a newly empty nest.