<p>^^ Yes. Still a pretty good thread though.</p>
<p>Thought that I would bring this one out again.</p>
<p>Seems strange to think that the thread is now 2 years old. My S was a rising Junior when it started. My S graduated last May. In the discussions with him over those last two years, it became apparent to me that a lot of what goes on with the first year of college sets the tone for the remainder of college and after graduation.</p>
<p>I re-read the entire thread. There is a lot to glean from these comments.</p>
<p>As a dad, move-in is a time to show that you trust your student to make decisions and exercise judgment relating to his or her new surroundings. If you want to increase the possibility that the “end product” of the college experience is a graduate who makes his own decisions and exercises reasonable judgment, start the process off right by respecting their decisions and judgment at move-in.</p>
<p>A detail that may seem of substantial importance to you at move-in, probably isn’t. How you handle yourself at move-in probably is of substantial importance to both the dad and the student.</p>
<p>I think I get an Oak Leaf cluster for my Move-In medal: I just helped D move in a second time, this time to grad school.</p>
<p>I think she was a both humiliated and grateful for parental assistance, which pragmatically was probably necessary given the following schedule:</p>
<p>Day 1: return home from month-long post-job trip to Europe scheduled before grad school acceptances came in.
Program accepted had earliest start time by about two weeks.</p>
<p>Day 2: all-day drive en famille to grad school with seven boxes, one suitcase, one laptop, etc. as luggage.</p>
<p>Day 3: D flies halfway across country to a wedding where she was a bridesmaid and which wedding was scheduled so that she could be there. (Long story: short version: bride was D’s roommate in “Abroad” program and D was one of instigators saying "You and X should date each other, you’d be good together, X being in the same program.)</p>
<p>22 boxes of D’s belongings, shipped the month before and held for delivery, delivered at apartment (very small apartment: 260 square feet). 2/3 of boxes unpacked; books roughly shelved (double stacking in built-in bookcase, additional bookcases needed), kitchen stuff unpacked, fan et alia purchased.</p>
<p>Day 4: D at wedding, parents explore metropolis around university, meet friends, etc.</p>
<p>Day 5: D return from wedding, makes run to Trader Joes for some essentials. Dad contributes two bottles of wine: one red, one white.</p>
<p>Day 6: D starts intensive graduate school class.</p>
<p>I <em>think</em> I’m done. She can manage on her own when she moves to next job, gets married, whatever.</p>