<p>nceph - Congratulations - the vigil is finally over - for now anyway. I can see this vigil move on to the “moving day” vigil. Okay, stay in the moment…</p>
<p>owlice - I’ll take the entire cake without hesitation.</p>
<p>Purple Cows! Right up there with the strangest of the West Coast mascots. You learn the coolest things on CC;</p>
<p>copied from Wikipedia
The Williams college mascot is a purple cow.[25] The mascot’s name, Ephelia, was submitted in a radio contest in October 1952 by Theodore W. Friend, a senior at Williams.[26] The origins of the cow mascot are unknown, but one possibility is that it was inspired by the Purple Cow humor magazine, a student publication begun in 1907, which used the college color along with a cow.[26] The title of the humor magazine was in reference to Gelett Burgess’s nonsense poem:</p>
<p>I never saw a purple cow
I never hope to see one;
But I can tell you, anyhow,
I’d rather see than be one!</p>
<p>and in our school district: car decal - yes; house flag - no. You only fly your alma mater’s flag and then only during times related to sporting events. Most people are pretty good at being low-key “He picked California over the East Coast” means CalTech not MIT.<br>
I know all my kids would have boycotted any official school bragging like some poster’s school’s do. “Wear your school shirt” day would have had(especially my last kid) on EBay for a WhatsaMattaU shirt.</p>
<p>Thanks, everyone. One of the things my S’s choice means is that he’ll be starting school a couple of weeks later than all of his friends who are staying here in the south. His sister went through that two years ago, and it was a weird couple of weeks after everyone else had headed off to the excitement of college, and she had to wait.</p>
<p>Oh, and my S is planning to wear a Williams t-shirt for the “wear your college shirt” day. It won’t ruffle any feathers the way wearing a Duke t-shirt would have.</p>
<p>Congratulations everyone! It’s nice to hear decisions are being made.</p>
<p>I thought I would just pop into the Vigil and say i got my transfer acceptance for Earlham :)</p>
<p>congrats nceph–what a super school -</p>
<p>dadII-I don’t really get it either–normally not a worrier and I definitely have confidence in my son managing at college–maybe a separation thing–you know we nurtured our kids and on some level hard to detach–I encourage their independence but we are also very close…as far as the kind of concerns–fitting in, dealing with frats, non drinker anticipating level of drinking a challenge. thanks for being such open, nonjudgmental group and good luck all in getting good nite’s sleep :-D</p>
<p>DefyingGravity04</p>
<p>Major congratulations–I’ve heard it’s a great school!</p>
<p>lindz126: I think we are the ones with separation anxiety. They do something really exciting and we have to make do with a gap in our lives.</p>
<p>But we do. We regroup.</p>
<p>We create new things.</p>
<p>Thank you so much Bethie! It was an honor to get in and I was doubtful but I got in and it was my top choice as a transfer. Now just got to finish these last 3 weeks of classes at McDaniel and not get destracted.</p>
<p>Defying - wow, great school. congrats.</p>
<p>Dad II – I’m just ready for the decision to made so we can all move on! Everywhere I go, folks are asking if S has decided yet. S has no bad decisions – but I need to know what colors to use for his quilt! :)</p>
<p>lDadII/ Lindz:I think you have it it exactly right. the worrying, the anxiety at this point has nothing to do with them; it is about us and our adjustments to a new role. Although we all knew it was coming, and even when, having it thrust upon us is different, i think.
I have all confidence in my S; he will make mostly good decisions; and oh well, if some of them are lousy decisions i don’t think they will be in areas that will change the course of his life. He will learn; he will grow. I am proud ( extremely so!) of the young man we are sending forth!
It is the reality for me of sending him forth that has sort of blind sided me. I wonder if I have taught him all the things I could about living in the world ( I know I can’t); If, once out on his own, he will still feel the need to come home ( I know he will); and so on. Anxiety is irrational, by it’s nature, and as a parent, a mom, who has ( as we all have) invested large parts of ourselves for 18 years in this person who is setting forth ( and leaving an empty space) I am anxious. Not all the time, not even most of the time, but some times it hits me…like the last full day of school, when my son said ok mom, how about PB and J for lunch for old times sake?
They will be fine, we will be fine, but for me at least right now, there are times when it is hard…:)</p>
<p>To those with decisions, cheers! To those still waiting, here’s a shot of schnapps!!!</p>
<p>mountains, glad S liked the food, but realized that’s not everything and managed to come closer to a decision.</p>
<p>Dad II, I think many of us on here are venting and dealing with our own worries/anxieties that we would otherwise keep bottled up. We want our babies not to make the same mistakes we made, to be in a safe place where they will flourish and grow into the best they can be. Although they can always transfer if they don’t end up at the “best fit”, you want to save them from that…although sometimes they learn best through their mistakes. It’s just the natural instinct when we see our little birdies leaving the nest that we want to protect them. The mind tells us; let them go out into the world; but the heart wants to keep them on our laps. I hope that helps explain the seemingly irrational wanting/not wanting decisions, etc. some of us are afflicted with. </p>
<p>I guess I need to shop online for a hipster-esque, non-footballish U Michigan T-shirt and a bumper sticker!!! Hmmmm, given her mood, I wonder how she would feel about Blue decorations for the graduation party??? Cake anyone???</p>
<p>Nceph - yay! I’ve been waiting to see your son’s decision. I’m glad he decided to be an eph!</p>
<p>Good morning! Starting the day with an extra-strong cup of tea brewed from loose leaves rather than my usual dunk-in bag of generic. Yes, I need the caffeine to get me gong today! </p>
<p>Anyone else up for a croissant with butter and jam alongside me?</p>
<p>Count me in, acme–I need lots of fuel to finish my yard work this am. Usually I dislike yard work, but this year, I am really enjoying watching every little plant poke out of the ground–it’s been a long winter!</p>
<p>Final decision for our last one, and he’s headed to the land of Oz. Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk KU!</p>
<p>The two finalists were very similar schools, and I know both would have given him a great education and wonderful college experience. We all love so many aspects of each that I don’t know if I could have decided myself. S is thrilled and we are thrilled for him, but as with the older two kids, I will mourn the schools he is turning down. (This is the one downside to a complete list, you love them all.) </p>
<p>Is there a “Tornados for Dummies”?</p>
<p>I’ll take a croissant, but make mine chocolate.</p>
<p>Spent almost an hour this morning making a hotel reservation for family weekend at D’s college. Took about 10 attempts at hotels before I found one with a vacancy, so I’m guessing it’s a popular event. Unfortunately, it is over Halloween weekend, so D2 is not at all happy about missing trick-or-treating at home. Maybe she can find a family willing to adopt her for the weekend. But I think she would actually have fun at the college, so maybe she’ll change her mind and miss her sister enough to want to go with us.</p>
<p>morning—I’ve got the fresh ground french roast brewing–aah the scent wafting all the way to the computer–threw some fresh cinnamon in </p>
<p>congrats my-3-sons on ku–it’s wonderful your son is thrilled to go…and I felt the same about "mourning the other schools–the road not taken</p>
<p>expat–yes you said it so well…</p>
<p>my son expressed his own concerns last night – (mine originated with his) and we both were able to realistically look at challenges and recognize he’s got what he needs to work it thru. (slept better last nite too) I think acknowledging the mixture of feelings and having a cry etc. helps it to simply pass…</p>