I wasn’t sure if people do gifts. He was the one that wanted to do something- I was thinking a gift certificate to a local restaurant on campus. But I don’t know if this was “expected” or frowned upon.
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Just an FYI since you know where I live. I’m really surprised you found locations for those prices. Most of the apartments around here for young professionals are $1200-1500, though the upper end tends to get you a 2nd. But there are also more expensive 2BRs than $1500 downtown. You can find cheaper, but they are not places where I’d recommend people to live. And I thought we were the cheapest place out there. I’m surprised at $1175!
Right?!?! Because I’m doing most of the looking for him I know that these are good deals. He just wants a little better. I think if nothing else comes up in the next two weeks we go with the one that would be an early rental (or another like it) if either is still available.
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Random thing - the parent of one of S22’s roommates found me on facebook last week and we’ve been chatting. She asked if I knew of any special things graduation week, because it just didn’t feel very celebratory, just her and her child for graduation (her spouse/his dad died two years ago, all four of the roommates grandparents are deceased or unable to travel, no aunts/uncles). And randomly, the day before I found out that two people we had invited and included in our reservation can’t make it. So now we’re having roommate and his mom join us. And I’m happy! This boy has been a close friend of S22, is going with him on his trip to Asia, worked on his capstone research project etc. And I’ve never met him. Heck, I’ve never met any of his college friends other than his freshman roommate, and that was only at freshman move-in. So it will be nice to make this connection, and nice to offer some of our family noise and celebration to a mom and son who sound like they could use a little extra rah rah.
So yay!
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S22 doesn’t know who got accepted to the same program. There was no open house, so he scheduled an individual visit. He met quite a few who were on the waitlist for this particular program at other open houses. A couple of years ago, he attended an REU with one of the current first year PhD students who has been a great source of info. It’s a small world. He actually hopes there will be someone whom he already knows.
I was going to ask- what is appropriate (besides a thank you which he already did) to those professors that wrote a letter of recommendation?
There were some recent discussions about it on reddit AskProfessors, and it sounds like many of them are against gifts, but they really cherish handwritten notes (put them up, have special folders for them, look through them when they are down, etc.) I am not sure I can talk S22 into writing a handwritten card, but I will try. He did express his thanks repeatedly and kept everyone updated, but I am sure it was all over email. He may invite the two professors with whom he has been doing research for over 3 years for lunch or dinner around his graduation. I hope that’s appropriate.
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I haven’t been on this thread in awhile and am so excited to hear everybody’s plans. Congrats to all our terrific ‘22 kids!
Our own plan is pretty low key– no gift, no announcement. And I’m planning on wearing some basic capri pants and a T-shirt. Our S22 will be moving back home and job hunting. So a lot still to be determined. I’m excited for this new phase in his life.
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We had the best day today! We drove up to WPI (8 hours from home) to see S22 do his senior capstone project presentation and defense. He and his project mates have worked so so hard on this. They had been planning to submit to the CivilEngineering department competition, but because the majority of their degrees were in Mechanical Engineering, even though the project was technically under both, they had to compete with the MechEs. They found this out three days before the competition. Their project had lots of MechE components, but major future implications in the CivE world.
So anyhoo, with only a few days of warning they had to redo their poster, because the MechE department had different requirements and parameters than CivE (both physically and in terms of content) and they needed to totally revamp their planned presentation to have a different focus.
So we got there to see him present and answer some questions from the judges and took him to lunch. He told us the team was hoping to get an honorable mention. With the pivot to being in the MechE competition not only was their project not as strong (it just didn’t sound like a sexy topic for MechEs) but also the pool of competitors was much larger. So their best case scenario was an honorable mention.
So we finish lunch and head back to the auditorium and they take forever to announce the judging. They announce the five honorable mentions and my kids team wasn’t one of them. We were so disappointed. They worked so so hard, but we knew the pivot was going to make it hard to really showcase their work in a way that stood out.
They announced fifth place, fourth etc etc.
Friends, my kid and his team came in second place. We about lost our minds cheering! I have never ever seen him so happy or excited. I was so proud of him and so happy to see him be so stoked.
We basically only got less than two hours with him. After the award ceremony we went back to his apartment to pick up some stuff to bring home to lighten the load for move out after graduation. The drive home is so long we’re staying with friends part way. It’s going to be 17-18 hours of driving both ways to spend so little time with him but I’m so so glad we did it.
Today was an awesome day - not just because his team did so well, but just to see the joy between these young men. They were like little boys again for a few minutes. A really really great day.
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That’s great— you must be so proud! I can’t imagine the surprise and reaction thinking they would just get an honorable mention!
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That is so great! Congrats to your kiddo and his whole team! I can just picture the scene from your description – and what a mess with having to pivot at the last minute – but what a fantastic outcome. 
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How absolutely wonderful! Very happy for you and your S22! What a proud and memorable moment, the culmination of his 4 years of academic life.
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We are on the way to pick up S25 (last final exam today) and the (very long) drive goes through the town where S22 will live after graduation. So I took the opportunity to set up a couple of apartment tours and I think we’ve found the one. I know S22 didn’t really want to sign this early, but they will give you a month until move in so it will only be about five weeks before he needs to get there. We’re going to text him and tell him he needs to go ahead with this - it’s a great space for what he wants and what he wants to pay.
It’s kind of crazy watching the rest of his life barrel towards us.
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Bittersweet message from S22. This is from his last ever Berkeley class this morning. All that’s left is finals week and the preceding study break next week. Cannot believe how fast the last 4 years have gone.
Elated and sad for all the graduating kids.
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My S22 is also graduating from Berkeley. It’s been such an amazing experience for him. Can’t believe it’s almost over 
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How many graduation stoles and cords do your kids have?
I don’t think my son will have any cords… don’t even know how/for which department you’d get a cord from (definitely not 4.0 here).
He’ll have the Class 2026 stole and his fraternity stole.
Just one stole!
No idea. He should have something from his fraternity. He’s in three engineering honor societies, maybe they will give them out?
At this point I’m just hoping he actually does the senior pictures I asked him to take.
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just one
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I’m guessing none. No idea though. I know she’s wearing a cap and gown left behind in her house by a former graduating senior.
What’s a stole and cord?