Wallowing here too. Moved my only D into her dorm over the weekend and didn’t cry until we were back in the car, after the last hug. A piece of me and my heart is now so far away. 
Thank goodness for texting, Snapchat, FaceTime and all the other easy ways to maintain connection. She is establishing residency so can only leave the state for 29 days over the course of the next 365 days. That will make this year more challenging but we’ll make it work. Her room isn’t empty but it sure is missing her energy. She and I have gone to the same school for 13 years so today marks a new chapter for me in that way, too. I know it will get better but right now I just feel a little sad.
When we dropped my son off at college two years ago, I seriously thought I would die. Not hyperbole. In the three-month period leading up to that, I had lost my mother unexpectedly and my two older daughters had moved on (happily) to the next phases of their lives - one across the country. My son, thankfully, is a very kind person and he let me love on him like crazy the week before. On move-in day, once the room was situated (we had agreed earlier that I could make his bed to my specifications), he asked my husband to take a walk and he sat on the bed and let me cry. He told me that there was nothing unsaid between us and that he would take care of my boy, but that it was time for me to go. Which I did in an absolute daze. I have no memory of getting from his school the 3 1/2 hours home. but you know what? He did great, and I lived through it. I was able to (eventually) focus on myself and my marriage. It’s a great life. The best thing is that my son is still the same kind person he always was and we text often. It gets better. It will be ok. Wallow as long as you need to because this is a very big deal. He moves back to school for his junior year on Sunday and I was really fine until he mentioned that he is keeping his eyes open for an away internship next summer!
Hugs!!!
Wallowing will begin next Monday, 9 months study abroad in Russia with no trips home. FB timeline popped up with this gem from 2 years ago when we dropped her off freshman year - “You are sending them to college, not to prison. It will be okay.” Still true 
Okay I am a mess just reading this thread. I left my youngest yesterday and I was a MESS! She is my third child and a Junior, I should be a pro by now.
@Buster21- Our oldest was gone for 10 months overseas for grad school and that brought back a little of my wallowing- him missing holidays, visits with elderly relatives (and two did pass away during that time) - a different feeling than when he was working 4 hours away. He got back a couple weeks ago, then promptly moved across the country.
We are currently driving in pouring rain to drop off our youngest for junior year. I’m glad I put almost everything in large garbage bags. This will be a wet one!
I have shared this before, but fwiw, those of us in college towns are present for your kids. I’ve given directions, given advice, given hugs, rides to the doctor, cookies, held hair back while they puked from the bottom of their souls. My sons pulled drunk girls out of ditches and put them in taxis home. They have bought lunch for kids out of money. My husband has read resumes and consoled interns. My office inspects students on their way to career fairs (we iron shirts, we give pep talks, we tug skirts down) and that is not our job
Your children, by and large, are awesome. They will make mistakes and some bad choices. They will recover and bloom and amaze you. Be their lighthouse, but let them out of the harbor no matter how small their boat seems right now. (and yes, I cried like I was broken when mine moved away, too)
Flip side on the groceries is that it is exciting to buy their favorite foods when they are coming home. I always stock the fridge with mocha coffee drinks for D2 when she is coming.
Ok, so I put my finger on my emotions more today. It’s not just that I miss being with my kid (in fact she was working at camp much of the summer), it’s that I feel like I’m missing out on something huge that she is experiencing that I will never really be a part of. Exploring this new place, developing new relationships, figuring out how things work – all of which I’ll only be on the periphery of. Which, of course, is how it should be and that’s what growing up is all about. But it feels like such a loss to me at this moment.
I guess it’s obvious and cliche – but it’s not that she’s not HERE; iIt’s that I’m not THERE to be part of this new set of experiences. (Yes, we’re very close, in case you can’t tell.). I mean, I know it’ll be fine and I wouldn’t really want to be there (and away from my other child and hubby, not to mention, ahem, my job) but man feeling like I’m on the sidelines for something so big for her after all these years of being so close. Ouch.
Both kids left this weekend, one a freshman the other a junior. I knew the grocery store trip would be hard, and it was. H and I went together, his suggestion, which proves were were both a bit of a mess. Also got teary at the deli and meat counters. S is an athlete so for years we focused a lot of time an energy on food.
Flipside, as others alluded, is less stress weeknight meal planning and fewer unwanted trips to the store…
Second full day of empty nesting here. DH told me he wouldn’t be home for dinner tonight - I reminded him “there is no dinner anymore”. We bought a bunch of prepared & pre-chopped foods at Trader Joe’s yesterday & it everyone for themselves until I get my cooking mojo back someday.
@greenbutton i grew up in a college town and can verify this! My house was the unofficial spaghetti dinner center on sundays when the dining hall closed!
@abasket sly hassle? :)) She drives (this past year anyway) wherever and whenever she wants. When shes on the road i know when to expect her home and don’t text or phone. That’s safety to me, as she wont be distracted with a call while driving. Its kind of irrelevant nowadays though because she doesnt have a car.
Our college had the parents fill out postcards which they will deliver in a month or so.
Does anyone have good ideas for care packages when the kids already have everything they need?
@klbmom18 - We got D a subscription to ipsy (beauty products). We did this after quickly running out of ideas of things to send. Grandma sent things she found on amazon, snacks and cold weather gear. Your school bookstore might also have care packages.
@psychmomma - With her major I told her to look for grad schools in Europe while she was there. I may have made a mistake
Care packages? Food.
Care packages: things they run out of, gift cards, food from home that is not available there, door and window holiday decor, fun socks, etc. Packages do not need to be large. Any little something will brighten their day.
@Buster21 - not a mistake. My son had the time of his life. He visited 25 countries, 40+ cities, saw and experienced so much. WhatsApp, Skype, FB messaging - made it not only tolerable, but I truly felt like I was part of his year and could experience those adventures alongside him. He also shared thousands of photos on google drive. I hope your D shares her study abroad experience with you in this way - it makes all the difference!
Care packages? Food, especially food that can be shared. Also, plain old snail mail is nice too, just remember to not articulate too keenly how much you miss them.
@Buster21 what a great idea!! Thanks!