My son does.
My D does not have class on Labor Day. She plans to come home for the long weekend this year and work on Saturday. Her siblings donāt have school either on Monday, so no problem taking her back.
Good question about classes on Labor Day - I know the campus is having a labor day festival, but they have all-day activities that overlap class times so maybe they are expected to go to class. Hopefully DS will figure that out - if not, I guess heāll end up going accidentally and realizing itās a holiday (which wouldnāt be a bad thing :)).
We were in line at Whole Foods Market and my sweet girl turned around saying āMomma, I love you and Daddy so much and I appreciate what youāve sacrificed for me to do thisā. That was itā¦two families in line behind us started crying. We dried our eyes before we got to the dorm room but it didnāt make any difference. I tried to keep it together until I got back to the car but didnāt make it. I stood outside of her building with my hubby crying my eyes out. Several parents (moms and dadās) started crying when they saw me crying. We consoled each other and got in our cars. Iāve been crying since we left the dorm. :(( :(( :(( :((
It will get easier. I promise.
@HappyFace2018 - you know what, crying and getting it all out is good. I understand not wanting to do that in front of your D, but sometimes that just doesnāt work out. A couple of good cries and youāll start to feel a little better. {{hugs}}
You really will feel better. Itās still something Iām getting used to even after 3 weeks. But youāll soon be hearing all about her new adventures and that will make you smile. Really.
So, do we leave her shampoo bottle to remain on the tub ledge back at home? Empty-nester question. 
Is anyone else out there feeling glum because a partner/spouse is taking the kid but you have to stay home for other obligations? In our case, two other kids starting new schools the same dayā¦ I am the one who went on the college visits with DS and who attended school with him daily for four years, and weāre very close. If it was just missing my own new students I would even do that, but with the brothers, I canāt, and Iām feeling torn up about it.
Thank you so much for all of your encouraging words everyone. Iāve only seen my sweet hubby cry a few times and today was one of them. As we walked back to the car he said āBabe, I picked cotton and had to drink at a separate water fountain andā¦now my daughter is attending The George Washington University!ā
We have both had to take a few Tylenol for the crying headaches we have given ourselves.
Crying is cathartic for me, and makes me sleepy. Iām guessing Iāll want to sleep on the long flight home.
@HappyFace2018, so happy for you and your H. Blessings to your daughter.
We wonāt be seeing D again until the winter break. Thatās just how it rolls when you choose a college 5000 miles away.
Leaving Monday morning. D is in the throes of packing. The rest of us are in the throes of denial.
Visiting wise- I was going to wait until Parents Weekend for them to come(end of September) and Columbus Day to go home but I decided that Labor Day weekend would be a good time for my mom to visit for us to go out to lunch and sheās happy to so we will. My school is really cool with whatever and over 60% of people live in the general area so a lot of people go home for the long weekend but they also plan events. Iām still not actually going home until Columbus Day though
@dyiu13, we use the same shampoo so she can still use it when she comes home to visit if we havenāt used it up.
@fretfulmother - I would feel so torn in your position. Iām really sorry you canāt go to take your DS. It really is difficult when you have several kids. One year, we had our oldest ( his school started several weeks later) put our youngest on the bus and take the first day of school picture while H and I took our middle child to a school 6 hours away. I felt horrible, but I would have felt horrible with any decision that year.
I hope you have a little time alone to say your goodbye to your DS before he leaves.
@fretfulmother That is really tough. Hugs to you.
havent been keeping up with all the posts, but iāve been having a few trigger moments when something starts my eyes tearing up. Itās at the grocery stores ā when i see food she likes. Sheās only been gone 1.5 weeks ā but its so far away. Today it was strusel bread in Costco.
anyone else going through that?? i miss her more than i thought i would.
The small trigger things are the worst, since they usually catch you off-guard. Opening the freezer or pantry does it for me- S had specific foods that were purchased for him, and there are several things remaining. Or finding a piece of their laundry mixed in with the towels. I.5 weeks is still pretty new. It will take a while to really adjust.
@psychmomma sounds like you might have the start of a care package to me. I have started a stash of things I can send. Some useful, some tasty, and some fun. Baking cookies I only make at Christmas today. Mailing tomorrow with that last book that came after he moved in.
@bgbg4us I saw the yogurt in the fridge that I bought for S16 and got sad that he wasnāt here to eat it.
Look into priority mail regional rate and see if it saves you money. You can get free boxes at the PO.