I should have addressed to the women carrying the three chairs as “my trout” - I don’t know why I didn’t think of that. :))
Congrats to @DiotimaDM ! I am in the Deep South so yea lots of all that though I have to say “my trout” is a new one on me. I love it when I go to the grocery or convenience store and the check out young lady several decades my junior calls me “Darlin” or “Honey.” Makes me feel young again.
To be clear, “my trout” was not a common thing. I lived there for about three years and I think I heard it probably 10-15 times in conversation, although when I asked my Newfoundlander friends about it they had all heard it before and most of them had used it too. It just tickled me so much that it sticks in my memory. “My love” and “my dear” were much more frequent, heard multiple times a day from all genders to all genders.
@vistajay, if someone in the south used the phrase “my trout” they were either a transplanted Newfoundlander giving you a casual compliment or they were referring to a fishing expedition or a menu item.
“My trout” is the best thing I’ve heard all day! :))
If @ShrimpBurrito said it quick enough, then I’d say thank you for mistaking me for “Mike Trout”, center fielder for the Los Angeles Angels. :))
@traveler98 , “My trout”, being a term of endearment, is symbolic of the high regard Newfoundlanders must hold their trout and, I imagine, fish in general. Here in Louisiana, we also love to fish. And we even have trout, though ours are speckled trout. I am going to try to get this term going down here. I will call my wife "my trout’ tonight and let you know how it goes!
I have a 2015 daughter (firstborn chile) who is happily ensconced at her school of choice. I researched every question, every college application whatsit I could think of in the run-up to her choice like it was my mfing JOB.
I am stunned, STUNNED at how much of my memory of this process has dissolved from my memory now it’s 2018 son’s turn. I feel like a first-timer in many regards.
It’s humbling, I tell ya.
For 2015 daughter’s dorm, I compared sheet thread counts, best dorm rug, appliances, etc. Combed websites, watched for sales. Spent a small fortune. Boxes for days.
For the 2018 son, I seem to be more on the thought track of, “Great-Aunt Helen is giving away her neon-pink flamingo-embroidered, never-used guest bathroom towel set? I’ll take it for my boy’s dorm room!” and “Can I make [item] out of tinfoil?”
we are including senior year in ApplyTx application. It is the only way to include senior year so we are doing so.
We are including senior year activities that we know he will be involved in. For instance he is already signed up for band and will be a section leader. That’s a sure thing so we are including it. Volunteer activities like he is planning on volunteering for an activity through our church but hasn’t signed up yet we left out.
ETA: Texas App is on our agenda for this week. I’m speaking from other apps we have filled out.
@vistajay, you might be able to get it going! With all the fishing and other water-related activities in Louisiana you could probably gain inroads for the whole phrase “how is yer boots, me old trout?”, which basically means “how are you, my old friend?”. Obviously, in wet places good boots can be the difference between a good day and a bad day, and though Louisiana is much warmer than Newfoundland I imagine the fishermen could appreciate the reference. Give it a try and report back to the group! If that one works, Newfoundland has a wonderful variety of local phrases that might make the leap to Louisiana! :))
@HeliMom74 You are HI…LAR…IOUS 
I feel your pain @HeliMom74 - we have a DD’12 and a DS’14. Believe it or not, there was a substantial change in the Common App process between those two. There are going to be major differences in the apps this time around, but the kids are all different, so it is always different.
I will say this: we are a lot less stressed this time around because we are so confident that there are many wonderful colleges out there for all our 2018 kids. We are not looking for “that one perfect school.” That is a myth. Our kids will all end up at places where they will thrive, learn, grow and make friends for life. The coolest thing as that no one will be stressing about SAT or ACT scores by September of 2018 - I promise you! It will be all about bedspreads, pillows, roommates and shower caddies. #:-S
I… carefully looks to each side So I take it I am probably not alone in over-preparing, then?
I got “the look” from my husband last night because my mother got new dishes, service for 16, even though her older set, also service for 16, in classic white, was still in remarkably good shape. When she asked if any of us kids wanted it before she donated it, I said maybe we could save it for when S gets his first apartment. All three boxes worth with completer sets, platters, a gravy boat, etc.
The look was because we already have a microwave, toaster oven, coffee maker, crockpot, towels, pots & pans, and silverware all in boxes in the garage waiting for that mythical day when S gets an apartment.
I’m almost still kicking myself about the mini-fridge we gave up when S was in 8th grade.
Joining this conversation late, but we had a very similar experience when we visited U of Alabama - my kids (southern California) were put off by the politeness and the use of ma’am and sir. It’s just different to them. We went directly from Tuscaloosa to Philadelphia & I could see my D visibly relax with the yelling & honking & middle fingers being displayed. Not sure what that says about how we raised her… 
I’m with you, @GertrudeMcFuzz! My D hated WashU because everybody was waaaaayyy too nice! >:)
@DiotimaDM I FEEL you on the household goods thing! 2015 daughter shares an apartment now with three other girls, but I have been hoarding household goods* for some time now: a stackable washer-dryer tower (yard sale find!) even though daughter’s apartment has its own washer/dryer, an entire set of silverware and serving stuff, a set of bbq tools, a bread maker, and two Pyrex serving dishes.
Note: she doesn’t need ANY of these things in her current apartment. They are all gathering dust in my garage for the yet-to-be-seen day when she *might need them.
Oh @DiotimaDM and @HeliMom74 you make me feel so much better about myself! 8->
I have plans for the bigger things but not so much for smaller items, especially since H and I may move to a smaller house once S starts college. I want to be able to give S the bedroom set in his current room (queen size bed, nice furniture), the couch and chairs from the media room, our current kitchen table and chairs, and probably a TV. So I’ve been thinking about whether we’ll need a storage unit when we downsize, to keep the things until S can use them, which might not be until he graduates college…