Ha! That’s exactly when us So. Cal. folks break out our sweaters, hats, gloves and boots! :)) I find it amusing that my D is choosing between several colleges in freezing climates and one that is literally on the beach where she could wear flip flops/shorts to school most days.
@mrspepper I’m sorry you are uneasy with your D’s sudden interest in USC. I’ve only heard great things (and I’m a Bruin). I have to say as being someone who was born and raised in Los Angeles, I’ve never really considered L.A. to be the big city. It’s so spread out and different from someplace like NYC and there is a lot to offer in the way of nature very nearby … heck, you could ski in the morning (when we aren’t in drought mode) and then have dinner on the beach on the very same day. I hope that your D’s visit brings some clarity.
@bookmom7 what a great opportunity! As the mother of a kid I let go to Ghana at 14, I’m hardly the one to ask, but if the trip is well-planned, structured such that there will be good supervision, the kids are told to buddy up, contingencies are in place for illness, etc. I would not worry. D had an amazing time and was very safe at all times. I can’t imagine spending that kind of money to tag along “just in case”, not that we had it. D’s trip was covered by the organization that sent her, and we certainly could not have gone.
As for snow-I have relatives in New England who are just beside themselves because of the weather. Hope you guys get some warmer weather soon!
@Mrspepper Best of luck to you. Try not to be anxious. No one has a crystal ball! We might feel our detailed research, elaborate spreadsheets, and thorough thinking will result in the best decision that somehow guarantees a happy outcome. Then along comes a different personality, and low and behold, they have a whole other idea of what researching a school entails or how to go about making a major decision (wing it?). Again, no crystal ball. No guarantee of outcome.
In our little family, we have some rather distinct personalities, lol, and we still have to remind ourselves that we each have our way (even though each of us often thinks our way = the right way).
@Undercovermom1 [re USC] “heck, you could ski in the morning”
I read this and thought, “heck, I did ski in the morning and that was before I left my driveway” … ok, I know I’m a big weather whiner.
@readingclaygirl@sseamom yes thank you for the good weather wishes. I really need them. Today we all took turns shoveling (no garage, just driveway and sidewalks and so forth) and my husband said, “we have the wrong kind of snow shovel” - “why?” - “we need the other kind. the kind that can shovel in advance when you have a chance to do it but won’t have time later”
Not like last year:
“Honey, we need to order a roof rake”
…
“Good news - they have them at amazon for a reasonable price; Bad news - they won’t be in stock for two more months; Worse news - that won’t be too late”
@Undercovermom1 - thanks for your comments. To ski and beach in one day would require a car, right? Hmmm. Have I mentioned that my great student has not been motivated to get her driver’s license despite having her temps for a year and a half? Another example of dependency/ lack of motivation/ lack of assertiveness/ lack of follow thru that doesn’t help her case for moving cross country to attend a large uni at 18 which will require those skills to thrive. Sorry, but if the climate reason is the best DD can come up with, it’s not enough for me.
@Waiting2exhale - sounds like your daughter has a good head on her shoulders & will look at all things when considering her decision!
@Mrspepper - curious- is this an admitted students event or they just planning a visit on their own?
Remember on the SS Indecision we have massage therapy & relaxing drinking on deck. You are not alone! We are here for you to express your concerns & provide another perspective to help you out.
@Mrspepper Not really. They about to open a new metro line that will take you directly from USC to the beach. On a serious note I understand that a great weather cannot compensate for distance, price, etc. If you have any questions about USC, PM me.
And here I am, Looking for adventure in the snow. WHY?
Thanks @Midwest67 . Unfortunately when we are talking about paying over $200K for something “winging it” is not an acceptable decision-making method in our household. @bookmom7 - it’s not the “big” accepted whole day event where they see the most, but rather a half day event, I think. (they don’t include the neighborhood tour for that one, unfortunately).
I do feel very alone, but thanks for offering the ship’s amenities. By chance, does the spa offer a “general anesthesia” package and you can all just wake me up when it’s over?
@bookmom7 I’d go with them without hesitation, if they’d let me! And by all means would encourage the trip for my student if financially feasible. I did drag my whole family to India when I had a work opportunity. It was not an easy trip and for two years afterwards my S16 tried to avoid travel. I suspect that he’s gained more insight than he realizes and he is definitely slowly coming back to the joy of exploring the globe. And for anybody interested in linguistics India will be especially educational with so many languages and cultures intertwining historically!
@Mrspepper I believe the Santa Monica metro stop is going to open fairly soon, so she would be able to get to the beach! Skiing would be a different story. My S19 uses the metro (our subway) almost daily and gets around pretty well, but he does need to fill in the blank spots with a mom-ride or occasionally uber. it’s definitely preferable to have a car in Los Angeles. And, it’s expensive for gas and insurance. Something for your D to seriously consider.
@fretfulmother I don’t envy you one bit! I was running around stores today trying to find fleece anything or some warm article of clothing for our trip back east. No dice, Finally, I came home and ordered a couple of thermal tops on Amazon. Amazon Prime, how I love thee!
So Mrspepper mentioned that her D has not been motivated at all to get her driver’s license. We are in the same boat here. D16 has had a permit for 8 months now? She has driven a total of three times. She has been offered to go as a delegate for our state to the National Youth Science Camp for a month this summer. All expenses paid including travel. She is thinking of turning it down because she claims she is thinking of getting a job. According to her she will walk. This from a girl who claims her allergies and asthma are so bad we can’t open a window on a nice day.
My S has been utterly disinterested in driving, too - 18, and not even his permit yet. He doesn’t need it in SF, or for 2 of his 3 college choices. For the 3rd, driving will be essential, though, and there are Zipcars on campus. I figure he’ll get his license this summer no matter what, but after that it’ll depend where he goes. College #3 (in no priority order) does not let first year students have cars on campus, so we’ll see if anything comes of it.
@livinginLA It’s worth being on the lookout for (hidden, serious) anxiety re: driving. Having said that, if you Google “kids are getting driver’s license later”, it will pull up a slew of articles from ~2013-2014 where several news outlets were reporting a trend in young people getting their driver’s license at older ages than in the past. Hope that helps.
I’m 18, I have my permit but I haven’t driven since the week after my 16th birthday when I got it. I plan on getting it in couple years. I’m not disinterested, I just don’t feel ready
@carolinamom2boys, so happy to hear all the positive developments about your S’s choice of school! Having some initial connections with other entering students who have similar interests and goals seems like it will make the transition so much easier. And the welcoming messages from the school community really do seem to have an impact on our kids. Mine is very low-key, but some of the reasons he gave for selecting it were ones like - they sent me a hand-written note, they helped me change my major right away, they sent me a birthday email message - which showed me he kept all of it in mind when he made his choice. Sounds like your S has made the right choice for the fall!
Thanks @lifegarding . He’s also helping in the transition of students who have not been able to visit yet. He’s very familiar with the city of Charleston and what the school and city has to offer. He’s speaking specifically to one student from NJ who is also studying CS .
No drivers license here either, had permit for a year or so. Good thing she is going to the UK
She visited UCL and Edinburgh over spring break. Loved both schools. In retrospect, UCAS application and the whole process was so much more pleasant and predictable than the US one.
My D does not drive either. She acquired her permit at 16 and the we renewed it at 18. No desire to drive either. I think she is terrified of the other drivers more than herself. I think she is going to turn down one school because of the driving required for clinicals. I am hoping this summer we can get more practice in. {sigh}. It would help so much with sibling running around.
Hmmm. Have I mentioned that my great student has not been motivated to get her driver’s license despite having her temps for a year and a half? Another example of dependency/ lack of motivation/ lack of assertiveness/ lack of follow thru that doesn’t help her case for moving cross country to attend a large uni at 18 which will require those skills to thrive. Sorry, but if the climate reason is the best DD can come up with, it’s not enough for me.