<p>Don’t remember how many of you have graduating seniors out there, but goaliedad, after 4 long years of those 2100 mile round trips will be starting his last long drive to New England tomorrow afternoon along with goaliemom (rarely mentioned here) and goalie-shih-tzu (first mention). Hopefully will be able to tag-team the drive through the night and arrive sometime late morning (depending upon the pitstops) to begin the final packing. Bought a trailerbasket and grabbed 4 20-gallon tubs to fill it, as the past 3 years have been just myself and goaliegirl on these trips, allowing us to fill the entire back end of the Mazda van. Goaliemom generally doesn’t do well on these long drives (rheumatoid arthritis), but is going to give it the college try (or at least the prep school try). </p>
<p>More importantly, this is a milestone in everyone’s lives. Packing up her stuff one last time Thursday afternoon. The Senior banquet followed by the awards night Thursday night where she will be recognized for her ROTC scholarship. The Senior overnight trip where we will check into a hotel and finally get a good night sleep after sleeping in the car the night before. The graduation ceremony Friday morning (hoping the weather prediction of no rain is accurate so it can be on the front lawn) followed by the receiving line and lunch. Then the final teary good-byes to all her friends, teachers, and coaches before we change up and start the drive through the night back home where a family (goaliemom’s) reunion awaits.</p>
<p>I’ve been thinking about how this will play for the last couple of weeks, yet no matter how much I can piece things together from watching the events of the past 3 years, it is still hard to imagine the feelings we will experience these next few days. And while graduations are always happy occasions, somehow this adventure of the past 4 years seems particularly rewarding, as goaliegirl has definitely found her own way to her goals. Not that she is a Sinatra fan, but I think I’ll see if I can send her a recording of on of my favorite Sinatra songs…
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<p>With that I’ll turn over the floor to any others who are graduating a prep school senior this week…</p>
<p>Already done last week!
Blair had a series of ceremonies and events so that when the time came to leave, we were all ready.
Award night, prom, senior assembly with more awards and cum laude induction, dinner, bagpipe procession to Presbyterian church, baccalaureate, next day coffee at Headmasters house, graduation with more speeches and awards, Naval Academy induction, lunch and many of the boys took out cigars after graduation. Close out dorm by 4pm.<br>
It’s over. Now for the next chapter.</p>
<p>Congrats, Goaliedad and Burb parent, to you and your graduates! I wish you continued success on the next step - college life. Thanks for all the guidance you provide in this forum. Your wisdom has helped many.</p>
<p>Don’t let goalie-shih-tzu do too much of the driving. I don’t see that working out so well, especially if goalie-shih-tzu spends more than about 3 seconds behind the wheel.</p>
<p>I recall a column by a much beloved priest and hall rector at Notre Dame that centered on “My Way” and the feeling that college students have at graduation. He wrote of this graduating senior blasting that song as though it was his anthem, and then smacked him down. (I think it was an imaginary student or at least a long-since departed senior from years before the column was written.) He said that the tuition got paid the parents’ way. The laundry got done the ND laundry’s way. The meals were cooked the dining hall’s way. The encouragement to not take all “gut” courses for electives was done his girlfriend’s way. His daily routine was done according to the Office of Residence Life’s way. And so on and so on. I was glad to read that as a sophomore because I resisted the temptation to play “My Way” when I graduated…and, for that matter, have avoided claiming it as a personal anthem. (Much different, though, when it’s invoked as a shout-out for someone else.)</p>
<p>Great post goalie Dad. I had the pleasure of attending my neice’s medical school graduation from Tufts last weekend. Wow, it proved sentimental, as I hadn’t been back since my own medical school graduation from the same institution. Brought back good memories. If you put in the hard work, commencement is filled with sweet sorrow and joy.
Now, my child is just starting BS. We are filled with both excitement and anticipation; I’m sure it all goes by too fast. Enjoy the experience. Savor every moment.</p>
<p>Congrats GoalieDad!
We will be heading to S’s graduation the first weekend in June. It is certainly bittersweet. I was visiting last weekend to see DS in the senior acting ensemble and we were able to do some packing (took 2 big suitcases home - thank goodness for bags fly free on SW!).
Not too many of S’s friends are happy to leave - I think most of them feel that they would stay for another year at BS if they could. That certainly says something about their journey. Despite the trials and late nights and pressure and heavy workload they would all do it again if they could.
As a parent, it has been hard to miss many senior activities and not be there to see my baby put his tux on for prom. sigh. But it is wonderful to know that he has had an incredible experience and is ready to take on the world!</p>
<p>Nice Goaliedad. For myself I’m truly grateful to the faculty, the headmaster and his wife, his advisor and certainly his college counselor. His friends played an incredibly important role in his life at school. They looked out for each other, supported each other and picked each other up when times were tough. I got his cubans for him and his pals.</p>
<p>Congrats to goaliegirl and all the grads. I found my own HS and college graduation to be bittersweet - the leaving old friends etc. When I finished grad school and moved to NYC, I have to say that there were no tears. I loved that school, but I was so excited to move on to the next thing, and not really scared at all. I think being scared of the next experience (like college after HS), added to the teary feelings that I had. </p>
<p>In all honesty, I have almost no clue as to what my parents thought, and you should share with your daughter. One thing I do remember was that my Dad showed the graduation program from my college all over at his work. He was a blue collar guy, and was so proud of what I had done. That is a good memory for me.</p>
<p>She had great parents behind her and it’s been such a pleasure to read your posts here since I’m just “fixin to start.” I was out with my daughter today and getting misty eyed to realize that once she leaves in September that’s it. We’ll get breaks and summers but she’ll do boarding school and then go on to college (she doesn’t want to attend locally and I don’t blame her). Gave her an extra hug even though she’s not leaving for a couple of months.</p>
<p>Great post from a great CC poster! Kudos to you and your family for surviving the journey and helping your daughter navigate the waters!</p>