Good luck @readingclaygirl ! My S starts today too.
S16 has his first college class at 10, S18 started his junior year of HS at 7:40, and my wife teaches her first massage therapy class of the new session this afternoon. Iāve been seeing students for a week already, so Iām getting settled in. They should start coming into the library any minute.
Move in went well. We, too, had a swarm of students who got all of Dās things to the top floor in one trip. Spent a few hours doing what I was told (hahaha) while D got her room all set up. It looks nice and actually feels pretty spacious. Her roommate arrived while we were out getting supplies. She seems nice. I think if D goes into it using the advice that you just have to learn to live together, not expect to be best friends, it should work out fine.
Lots of orientation things those first days. Great for parents, because you are reassured by the caring staff and you see along the way exactly why your child chose the school they did. And, you know they are going to love it so that makes the pending departure easier. But, not so good for kids like my D who just want to get on with actual classes. (Note to selfāremind her how much she wanted to go to class if there are ever complaints about how long the wait is before a break.) She still has more days of orientation, classes start Wednesday.
We did okay saying our goodbyes. The (long) ride home was pretty quiet. Reflective, I guess. Weāll see what happens as we adjust to this new normal.
Good luck @readingclaygirl
We are going home today. It seems that DD found her group of people at this school. Very happy for her. As we are heading home I wish for her to stay healthy and safe.
Made the call to get the āstudent awayā discount on Dās car insurance. Her car is old enough, the rep suggested removing comprehensive and collision altogether. That makes me nervous, but since she wonāt be home til winter break, I took it off for now and can always add it back on. Time to do some researchā¦
Our oldest S left last night after spending a week with us, perfectly timed to keep us from experiencing the emptyish nest. After dropping him at the train, we drove through the old neighborhood where we first met, dated, were engaged, and lived for the first two years we knew each other. It was really strange and bittersweet - we have all these good memories from the area, but all of our favorite haunts are now gone. Another reminder that nothing stays the same.
So now we see what itās like to have no kids at home.
Weāve started a massive purge in the garage of kid stuff I wasnāt ready to part with previously - sports paraphernalia long since used, old bikes, etc. Now I know for sure it is unnecessary to keep.
I have two projects to throw myself into in the short-term. Find and use the Spiralizer I bought a year ago, and break out the Instant Pot I was lured into buying from another CC thread! So, cooking. That will be my first attempt at distraction!
@palm715 - safe travels!
@readingclaygirl - happy first day of classes!
Welcome back to those returning from successful drop-offs!
Thanks for the warm wishes, gang! 
Also thanks for everyoneās move-in stories; they really helped me prepare. As I was making my first cup of coffee this morning, I was thinking this is a little like giving birth. Itās going to be painful but totally worth it.
Safe travels, @palm715 ! Good luck to @readingclaygirl ! Hugs and welcomes to those with newly empty or less-full nests!
This past weekend was weird. It was the first where H and I werenāt packing, shopping, planning or actually dropping off or getting ready for another trip. We had no agenda at all, and weekends with D were always so busy. I felt kind of at sea, even as I kept busy. Had some passing bouts of deep sadness too. No today is my first Monday off (I donāt work Mondays) without a similar busy schedule. Iāll spend some of it looking for new opportunities. Theyāre putting in new power poles on this street today so our power is supposed to go off for most of the day fairly soon. That will spur me to get out of the house!
D continues to settle in. She is helping one student with his homework in one class and getting help from another in a different class. Sheās surprisingly been staying up really late every night and napping-this is the kid who used to go to bed at 8 or 8:30 every night-right up until we got on the plane! Her cold has passed and sheās more used to the humidity and the food in the caf-a little. She either texts or calls every day. The other night she posted on FB that her parents are her āfavorite peopleā and she likes talking to us! Because weāre cool. I donāt know about that, but Iām glad she talks to us. Usually itās while ALSO talking to several other friends at the same time, but Iāll take it.
@lifegarding - you can order the regional rate boxes at usps online and they will ship the boxes to you free, And you can definitely use them! I have sent care packages using these boxes (both box A and B sizes) to the kids over the past few years - login to your usps account, create a mail label, print and you are ready to go. All you have to do is drop the box off at the post office or give it to your letter carrier. Even the small box can hold a lot if you pack it well!
Made a quick trip to DC for convocation. S had a good week at the pre-orientation program there - made a lot of friends and is now very comfortable with the campus. His roommate moved in this week - seems like a nice kid and the two of them were hanging out together. After the convocation and lunch, it was goodbye - and S was way ready for us to leave. Us not so much 
Orientation continues today and tomorrow, classes begin on Wednesday. Weāll see how that goes!
Good luck to all those still moving inā¦
My classes went well and my FM system is all set!
Good luck and safe travels as we manage the Sea of Transition . I havenāt posted much recently with everything going on, but I think of yāall daily.
Yeah, for me, I find myself thinking about how empty the house will feel when S19 leaves for school. We happen to have a decent sized home, and I canāt imagine all the space for just two of us. Thatās what I find, lately, catches me off guard with S16 away at school.
With DWās family all in the same state itās hard to ponder moving, and her parents who live close, and that weāre close to are aging. We wonāt do anything until after S19 graduates from college of course as we believe this will always be āhomeā to them, but itās weird to think about having them both gone most of the time and not having them to fill the space.
Rambling overā¦
S16 has Labor Day and Columbus Day off. Those are his only two days without classes till Thanksgiving. Heās coming home Columbus Day weekend as his HS marching band hosts a competition that weekend. Itāll be a good chance for him to see friends, and for us to see him.
The debate now is whether to make the long drive the following weekend for Parentās Weekend. DW votes no since weāll have just seen him (although not in his new element). We plan to talk to him about it and see what heād like. We just donāt want to make a the long drive plus $ on hotel for him not to want to spend time with us/do things on campus that weekend.I want to go, but DW is right of course - silly to make the journey and not see him.
My day was successful
Thatās great @readingclaygirl
Thanks @carolinamom2boys
Ok. D16 wrapped up her 1st day of classes, announced she wants to talk to us on the phone only on Monday nights, discovered she bought the wrong edition of a textbook, found all the disability accommodation efforts are overwhelming, fell alseep in math ckass to the lull of the professorās voice, and suspected her eyelid infection has returned. But sheās meeting people and accessing the academic and support offices, and she seems to be taking good care of herself.
Iām not worried. Itās like, this plane has taken off and is in the air. So, what are you going to do at this point? Nothing. Just sit back for the ride and relax. ā¦I tell myself.
I hope all the disability services stuff gets figured out, @dyiu13 For me, the issue right now is for my math class the professor only gives 2-3 day notice for unit exams and 1 day notice for quizzes. At my school if you are using Disability Services accommodations, you have to put the form in 1 week in advance. But thereās an upperclasswoman who was also an OL in that class and sheās had the professor before, so sheās helping me out. I had to go to public safety today but everythingās okay. Iām not hurt, nothing happened. There was just this creepy looking guy on a bench for like 3 hours and it made me feel uneasy so I reported it. And the next time I walked by, he was gone
Yep. Exactly. Itās the test/quiz accommodations arrangements on a weekly basis that is causing big problems.
@dyiu13 Honestly, I would (and am) telling the professors that I need to know atleast 7 days in advance of a test/quiz so I can fill out the form for accommodations. The above upperclasswoman taught me this. If there is major resistance, I would have her go back to Disablity Services and ask if they would explain the situation to the professors.
Anyoneās kids reporting still being pretty homesick? I already made a thread about this, lol (and am doing much better already), but I (freshman) have been here for 2 weeks and am still having occasional bouts of sadness where I really miss my parents and friends back home. Just want to get an idea of how normal this is - how are your kids adjusting to the change?