My S24 was on that hike! Thank you for the pic. He’s having a great time–so much fun. The other kids are wonderful.
Move in day was something. His adorable roommate arrived with everything and then some. Basically he could open a mini convenience store from their room. But S24 refused all that. Let’s just say he’s a minimalist. Think 4 t-shirts, some shorts, a hiking backpack, and a mini-fridge. Pants? Long sleeves? Jackets? Nice shoes? You must be trying to ruin my life with STUFF. The look on the other mom’s face was priceless.
Packing is almost done. D24 demonstrated some awesome maturity today (thoroughly impressing her parents) by:
adding her class schedule to the calendar on her phone. Including room #s.
Adding her class schedule to her planner (calendar notebook thingy, she used one throughout HS).
Adding all of the important dates on the college’s academic calendar to her phone calendar.
Talked about how she’s going to go to the student success center on campus the first week of class to sign up for chemistry tutoring.
talking about going to professors’ office hours regularly, before she needs help on something. This is something Harlan Cohen has talked about before in his Instagram reels.
Talking about using free time in the afternoons when she’s not in class to study. She’d like to have some time free in the evenings.
Talking about how she’s going to find quiet places to study that are not in her room because she thinks that there will be too many distractions in her room.
She’s ready. We are going to miss her a lot. But I’m really thrilled with where she’s going to college. Can’t wait for move in day on Friday!
Back from a successful move in to Syracuse. Shipped two boxes and checked six suitcases, plus a target run. Thankfully the rental car company was out of SUVs so they gave us a huuuuge minivan, which made it easy. (Though daughter was horrified to be seen in a mini van )
Move in went great despite torrential rain, Syracuse does a great job of helping families unload and get stuff into the rooms. We managed to say goodbye without totally losing it and then drowned ourselves in a couple pitchers of margaritas that night. She’s adjusting really well so far and just sent me this text “This is all going better than I could ever imagine”. She’s our one and only (and a bit high strung) so that was very good to hear. Good luck to the rest of you as you deliver yours to their new homes!
First day of classes was today! She found all the rooms yesterday and was happy she did that. It’s nice to have that first day done, I think.
About Bama - my son is year 3 there. This is, by far, the worst I’ve read on those FB pages. Some really awful conditions. He’s in East Edge and there were some bad stories there as well, but his was 100% good. No issues at all. Hopefully some good comes from this year and things improve.
@OregonMom2024 Congrats!! Sounds like excellent planning and execution (and some luck…)
S24 and I just packed the rental minivan while BoroMom made the traditional last supper of chicken cutlets. We are headed out 7am from NJ for UMD.
When I picked up the van, a buddy of mine from our Bucknell days who lives locally was dropping off a minivan. He had just moved his daughter into Syracuse
I am borrowing a friend’s minivan for the move - D24 isn’t even taking much of what I see others take - no appliances, no assembled furniture or plastic drawers (one flat pack bookshelf) but with the 8 iconic blue bags and a mattress topper, the Outback Tetris was stressing me out, and as I was about to rent a van my friend just switched cars with me for the next few days. (I used to have an odyssey, and it’s why she bought hers, and I miss it REGULARLY.)
We leave tomorrow, and move her in on Friday. I can’t believe it’s here!
I am eating my words about D24 being more organized than her sister. The car is very much not packed tonight as I had hoped, but she wants to go to her favorite local ice cream place and I just can’t say no. Oh well, the things will get packed and we will get on the road eventually tomorrow.
So happy to hear about all of the drop off stories - wishing all of our kids a great first semester!
S24 arrived safe and sound at his college. He is studying abroad for 1st semester, so 3 pieces of luggage were the sum total of his belongings. We did all the hugs/goodbyes at the airport check in and then watched him set off down the TSA lanes to this semester’s adventure abroad.
His roommate seems pretty friendly and compatible from the updates we’ve received. They hit the jackpot on their dorm assignment - amazing space, great location, views!
It is always such a leap of faith when our children leave the nest. Hoping every student has an amazing first semester and wishing all the parents on this thread patience, strength and a sense of humor as you navigate this new phase. I definitely white-knuckled my way through S24’s solo travel day(s) and reminded myself that this was the path he chose and is excited to explore.
D24 started class today and seems to have everything under control so far.
I even mentioned that there was a first day of school Photo Booth by the student center, and that I was not going to ask her do do it, but that if she passed by there I’d appreciate a pic… AND SHE DID IT!
Great to hear all of the move in and first day class stories!
We have a week to go. Shopping is probably going to happen 48 hours before departure and everything I tell him about college is met with “I know”.
I guess we are all set then!
On another note, my Mom who tries to help and is also getting antsy about his lack of movement bought some TwinXL bedding for him. It is nice but I’m not sure the pattern of white with blue flowers is going to fly as it is a departure from the prison theme of “no decor”. Will he even notice/care when he packs is the bigger question.
LOL–“a bit high-strung!” I’ve never used this phrase for D24 before, because all three of us are totally “high-strung” according to most people’s standards, but each of us thinks we are IN. COMPLETE. CONTROL. OF. IT.
Artistic temperaments all around!
By the way, D24 is starting to have a good time. It took a week and a half of nerves and jitters, so I’m relieved and proud that she is adjusting.
My S24 would have gone bonkers if I unboxed flowered sheets at Mines for his bed. I tried to persuade him to allow an extra lamp (one with shelves) in his room but Target made the unwise decision to show it online in a girl-coded dorm room and so that was a hard no. You’ll have to keep us posted! I don’t see how he doesn’t notice the sheets… That’s very sweet of your mom though.
It was a kooky start. We had to find where to get his ID, then dropped BoroMom at a hotel for a conf call (free lobby WiFi), then went and picked up S16, the muscle, at the train station.
UMD was pretty well organized. Had to move every single piece of furniture in the room and stuff a dresser in the closet to make space - par for the course. Had dinner at the dining hall to check it out. actually OK …Not terrible.
Already had a great report out on evening No 1. The ice cream social was a big hit - S24 reconnected with all of his buds from orientation earlier in the summer. He had to switch to WiFi calling because there is exactly ZERO signal in his dorm.
We asked him about the community bathroom situation and he said everyone kinda agreed to just skip tonight and deal with the shower experience tomorrow. He said he might be OK if maybe we sent him a robe… you know, the one he flatly denied he would ever use. I call that progress!!
At move-in he got a little welcome bag with LLC swag and it included a mystery pouch courtesy of CVS which we figured were snacks. They were not snax. Without opening it, we did some digging on FB and determined they were more adult-themed freebies, the kind they give out by the handful in the Olympic Village. Interesting looks were exchanged. But that’s a pretty smart gift.
Yeah, I think virtually every residential college faces the problem that some kids react to the sudden lack of parental supervision in unhealthy and irresponsible ways, which includes but is not limited to sexual behavior. So even if for most kids this sort of stuff is unnecessary, if it prevents even just a few serious student crises, they probably see it as worth it.
That said, I also think it can be funny. Although I would also point out that what college kids often do with cups is not necessarily all that safer . . . .
Thank you for the pic. He’s having a great time–so much fun. The other kids are wonderful.
)
But that’s a pretty smart gift.