I took the train from London to St Andrews when I was in college and I was so excited. At first it was fascinating; sheep! churches! a castle! By the end of hour 9, it was oh look sheep, more sheep…
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I understand why the stimulant ADHD meds are so tightly regulated, but it always seems so illogical, because the people least likely to be able to remember to fill their prescriptions in a timely manner are those with ADHD and executive functioning deficits.
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Exactly. The whole notion seems more idealized when considered through the lens of Harry Potter traveling to Hogwarts, but then reality sets in and it truly is, “oh look, more sheep!”
But, I travel by train - a lot - in China and from the lens of getting from point A to point B with the least hassle, the train is a godsend.
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Ah! That’s right! I hope he’s enjoying life post-graduation!
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And adding you do not need to pay for these forms. Most provider offices will ask their patients who they can leave information with.
And know the laws of your state and the state your child will attend college (I understand accidents can happen anywhere). In my home state and where S23 attends college, the state law defaults to me being the automatic next of kin and able to make healthcare decisions for him in the event he is unable to make his needs/wants known.
AND, even with signing the forms it does not mean you have 100% access to all healthcare information and decision making. If your kid is able to communicate, the healthcare team will not give parents information without the childs permission.
(Not a lawyer or a physician but just a nurse who worked ER/Trauma for 25 years who did this all the time in my state. Your state may differ.)
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I’m with you. We are in Vermont and I’d much rather deal with a snowstorm over a hurricane. My son applied to all colleges in the south as he’s over the cold.
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@goldbug --How’s Speedwagon?
All, I appreciate everyone’s counsel on meds to pack, things to talk to your kids’ about re: insurance, meds, etc, etc before they leave for college.
If anyone is up for prayers/good thoughts/vibes, I’d appreciate some. D25 has sudden, insidious onset of neck pain as of today, which refers into her shoulder blade and occasionally feels “nervy”. I think she flared a disc. No time is good for this, obviously, but first audition this Sunday at one of her top schools feels especially bad. We’re at the ice/ibuprofen/traction stage, which appears to be decreasing symptoms, but she really, really needs to be dancing this week after a multi-week time off*, so this needs to be nipped in the bud. There was no way she was dancing today.
Thanks, folks!
*must clarify–time off from dance–filled with schoolwork and college apps. I don’t want to wish her last semester of high school away, but this kid needs a break.
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Speedwagon seemed to have a case of pasty butt today (google it) and so I was inexpertly dabbing at his little rear with a damp Q-tip. No siblings seem to be emerging. We are so ill-equipped for this…
Oh no! I’m so sorry – hoping this miraculously resolves before the weekend.
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I’ll be thinking good thoughts for quick healing!
We’re in the “good god be careful and don’t strain your hamstring while running in the snow like an idiot” phase of winter at my house…
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S25 returned to school today. He normally gets up and leaves an hour before school starts (although it’s only about a 15 or 20 minute drive). I was so proud of him getting up early and getting himself out the door today. Then he texted when he got to school that he left his backpack at home. So he ended up being late to the first day after he ran home to get it. He kept texting to apologize, and I reminded him that I forget things at home all the time! Bless his heart. I’m hoping it’s a good last semester for him.
@illneversaynever Really hope for some relief for your daughter. How awful!
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I told S25 that I wasn’t going to make sure he woke up for school anymore and that I wasn’t calling in an excuse for him if he’s tardy. He set two alarms for 645am. It’s currently 656 and he’s sound asleep.
Ugh.
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My boys are terrible at waking up on time. I so badly want to stop waking them up and just let them suffer the consequences, but my S25 drives two other kids to school and I don’t want THEM to be late because of my kid. Ugh.
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My S25 has the same problem. He’s late for everything! I stopped caring last semester and even though he got quite a few tardies, it’s no longer my problem. If he was responsible for driving other kids though, I wouldn’t be able to let it go!
I also just stopped doing his laundry. The hardest part was watching the hamper overflow and knowing there was no way he had any clean underwear left. But he eventually did it. And I restrained myself from doing it for him.
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My oldest was terrible with this in HS, but for college the lack of safety net forced him out of bed, he hasn’t missed a class in 4 years. They figure it out, don’t worry, I promise you they figure it out!!
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The war is over! I stayed up late with S25 to complete the final college application. Now the waiting starts. Thankfully, he has an EA acceptance to Stanford so the pressure is not too bad. We don’t know anything about CA, Palo Alto, or the social life at the school–appreciate any feedback. Feel free to PM! Many thanks.
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Glimpse platform videos, new this year, are proliferating. I listened to a podcast and the whole thing makes sense - Glimpse sends the video to the Slate platform so it’s there for application review. Vandy, Duke, BU, etc. now have mention on their admission websites. “Optional” but as so often happens in college admissions, it feels like a must-do, which I guess I resent.
No school seems to say no, even though this particular product is new this year (as far as being more widespread) and no one seems to know how these will be used in the process. What about unattractive applicants? Applicants who feel awkward about this? I think my advice would be to do it anyway; feels like there is no choice.
Sorry, Glimpse guys, I listened to your podcast and it’s a great idea for a business, but from the applicant’s viewpoint I have some fears and misgivings, fears that the admission decision can come down to the personal vibe an AO identifies with, or not, from an applicant’s video.
So, how many of your kids have done this? I guess I’m worried about oral presentation skills being yet another thing that needs to be suddenly harnessed… this week.
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I would fear this would cause even more bias with looks, demeanor, etc. I mean let’s face it none of this process is set up to have any benefit to the student whatsoever and this is just one more set of pressures a student needs to be “perfect” at lest they be blamed for not being amazing on all fronts and thus not getting into schools of their choosing.
Enough is enough with this garbage.
Even the essays I find to be total crap to be honest. It biases people with strong storytelling skills OR who spend tons of money on private coaches (or have people write it for them). I can’t fathom any college essay is predictive of college success in a stem field, for example, because scientific writing and those essays are light years apart.
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Happy to report he made it! Stumbled downstairs, slugged down some coffee and left looking like he’d stuck his finger in an electric socket but I guess it’s a win 
What’s funny is that he was always a morning person until about 2 years ago. He works part time and is an athlete so I think he’s just always tired. But it was becoming a bad habit for both of us.
I also have stopped doing his laundry this year and he’ll wash it but he’s always a wrinkled mess. Sigh.
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May have listened to the same podcast (YCBK?).
I can see the appeal from an school’s standpoint, but I think it is an dreadful idea from a student perspective. That said, it likely introduces no more biases into the mix than did / does interviews.
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I was thinking about this last night as S25 did a Glimpse video for two schools that have it as optional. There is also a long list of schools that will accept one if sent, but they don’t list it on their portals. Do we send it or not? My gut is if it’s not asked for, then it’s not wanted. We did send it to the one school my son was deferred from during EA. It might be a wrong call, but the deferral letter said to send a LOCI, grades, and “anything else that might add to the application.”
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