I’m in agreement with @classicalmama: My son, a senior at Yale, has had a b/w laser printer for all four years of school, and it’s a necessity for him and his suit mates. In fact, I would recommend that at least one student in a suite have a printer, as the printing costs do add up, especially as many students, including my son, are better at editing their writing when seeing it in print on a page, rather than on the computer screen.
My D is a Literature major (or intends to be one). She definitely needed her own printer.
I purchased a wireless color laser printer for less than $150 before my son left for school. The entire suite uses it, and contributes to the toner. I think that it was a good idea.
Hi, everyone, a worried freshman mom needs advice. My son had a wonderful first semester, worked and played hard, had good grades, and made lots of new friends. On the other hand, this semester has been rough, mainly due to ongoing illness. Although he had a few colds last fall, this spring he’s been continuously sick since he went back after winter break. Two bouts of severe bronchitis, one sinus infection, three rounds of antibiotics, chest x-rays, and countless hours waiting in lines at Yale Health. He’s sick again, and because he’s so overloaded with homework, midterms, etc., he refuses to go to back to Yale Health again because he says it always takes at least 3 hours (which he claims he can’t afford). It seems the minute he gets well, he’s immediately sick again. He was never sick in high school, so this is weird for us. Any recommendations? Are all the kids really always sick in college? Should I find a New Haven internist and send him there instead of going the Yale Health route? I’m worried he’s going to ignore it and end up in the hospital!
@buldogmom, I’ve said it elsewhere, but I might as well say it here: our generally very high impression of Yale’s caring for its students falls down when kids get sick. The waits at Yale Health are long, the willingness to see anyone who doesn’t have possible meningitis is limited, the pharmacists at the local Walgreens seem to enjoy making kids wait, and the administration and teachers don’t seem to have come up with a coherent and standard practice for dealing with illness during midterms. I have been disappointed.
The kids btw have been wonderful, bringing “tea and sympathy” to their classmates. Everyone seems to be overwhelmed with the weather.
We are also considering getting a physician in New Haven.
Hello all
when we arrived at New Haven we realized that we had failed to get all the requisite medical info! espcially shocking since DS was a recruited athlete!! My poor boy was well…anyway while I kept promising him that we’d all go to NY if needed. I was secretly checking and found a great place! they did the TB tests etc. & every thing. It is callled the Urgent Care Clinic 1700 Dixwell Avenue Hamden. It sounds far but it isnt it’s only max10 minute from downtown New Have and the doctors there were super kind, They were super kind to my stressed son going to Yale ! thanks all
I should also mention that their cost was cost was shockingly low well under 200.
@oldladyandmom @BulldogMom I just found they also have a location in New Haven on 370 James St #304 and their number is 203-503-0482. You may want to call and find out if they take your insurance
Thanks for the information!!
My normally healthy son has also been sick a lot this year. I blame close quarters in old buildings with antiquated heating systems (though he’s just left boarding school with similar buildings where he was never sick beyond a few nasty cold/coughs, so who knows). He’s found a nurse practitioner that he likes at Yale Health and seems to know when to get into her without super long waits, but since most of the sicknesses have been nasty but viral, she hasn’t done much to help.
I sent him an electric kettle, tea and honey, and emergen-c, and that (and ibuprofen and naps whenever he can fit them in) seemed to help his case of bronchitis as much as anything. Hot liquids, pain reliever, and rest…what else can you really do for the nasty viruses that seem to constantly pass from one suitemate–or in my son’s case, teammate–to the next?
My D swears by her daily gummy vitamins. 
Fortunately other than a few bad colds in the last year and half, she has not been very sick. She also has not needed to use Yale Health more than once. I am taking notes in case she develops any more serious illnesses.
@classicalmama - Wouldn’t bronchitis be treated with antibiotics?
@musicmerit Bronchitis is so nasty people think it needs antibiotics, but it’s actually most often a viral infection. My son’s bronchitis lasted for about three weeks (I think he may have gotten sick from two viruses in a row) and gave him a horrible cough. The Yale nurse practitioner gave him a cough supressant, which helped for–I think–one night. Tea and other hot liquids helped more. At home, I always treat this kind of stuff with gallons of chai tea and soup and couch time. I suspect gummy vitamins and emergen-c help keep our kids well by providing lots of vitamin C and B before they get sick.
Largely because of my buddies who are MD’s, I rarely send my kids to the clinic when they’re sick. Doctors can’t do much to cure viruses, and I swear my kids just get sicker from hanging out for an hour in a waiting room with all those other germy, hacking, sick people.
Hello parents, have any ot your kids done Summer internship in Sydney, Australia? If so, how was their experience?
Got great news today! My D was accepted into the German Summer program she applied to. As an Intensive Literature Major, she has to get to L4 or L5 in 2 different languages. She is taking German now (Korean next). Took it both first and second semester. This summer program entails four weeks in New Haven in June and four weeks in Germany in July for a total of 8 weeks and 3 credits. Three German professors and 15 students go. So, she will go back to school in the fall as a sophomore with 12 credits instead of the usual 9.
Now the downside - the program is $12,000. Yale kicks in about half, and she is frantically doing applications and essays for additional scholarship money which she has been told usually comes through. I am so happy for her but am in shock about the money. Don’t know how I am going to pay for this trip along with tuition payments which continue all summer with the 10 month plan. But, I’ve always supported her so I guess her dad and I will find a way.
What is a mother to do?? Does it ever end? Dang, guess I’m still not going to get those granite counter tops and hardwood floors I am coveting so much. Ok, I’ve vented. Thanks for listening.
@Tperry1982 - Congrats! I hope the scholarship money comes through! That is demanding to get that far in two different languages. Wow.
My D was thinking about some programs like that, but for whatever reason did not apply. I think she knows there is no extra money coming from here, so maybe that is why. That could be covered by a student loan if your family is not against that. Also my D knows we expect her to earn money in the summer, not spend it. Do they decrease the student’s contribution if they attend a program like this? I am thinking I read that somewhere. That would help some.
Congratulations to your daughter Tperry, it sounds like she is very excited about this. I just wanted to give you the heads up that whatever grant money she gets from Yale and from any other sources will be taxable. My DS got several grants for a summer program after his sophomore year and he was taxed on them the following year. Not a bad thing to get grants, just be ready for the tax bill. Also, I hear granite counter tops are becoming passe… 
@yalemom15 - thanks for the heads up about the tax issue. Never thought of that. See, there are still things I can learn on CC!!
@musicmerit - I am hoping to not have to put out extra money. But will go on the peanut butter and jelly diet if I have to for this once in a lifetime experience. It does definitely cut into her summer earnings, but she should be okay. Remember, this is the kid who still has not yet gotten paid for working the whole first semester. She lives very frugally at Yale and rarely spends extra money. Being a Literature major has perks, most of her readings are regular novels that are relatively cheap. She can get them from Amazon Prime.
The way things are going, olive green kitchen appliances, bell bottoms, hippies and disco will be back in style before I have any discretionary income to call my own.
I’d like to hear any thoughts on Bulldog Days. My daughter has already decided to go to Yale in the fall and wants to go to Bulldog Days to learn more about the school and things she might want to explore in the fall. I’m thinking it’s a good idea but want to see what people think, as I assume a good number of those going are looking at it more like something to help them decide where to go in the fall.
Also, what do you think about parents going?
My D was 99% sure she was going to Yale when she attended. She enjoyed learning about organizations she was interested in. She had a really nice host and had a great time. She was unable to stay for the last day, but still had time to do a lot of exploring.
I will let another parent weigh in. I did not go. We sent her on the train.
My son had already committed to Yale last year, but went to BDD anyway. We are a two hour drive away, so it was easy enough. My wife went, and there were some events of interest, but kids and parents are mostly on separate tracks (IMO, the way it should be).
ETA: congratulations on raising a child so capable of good decisions