College visits...101...

[minkydog]

Degrees, that is~ DD17 and I just got back from our whirlwind tour of Georgia and it was freaking 101 degrees in Valdosta(about 12 miles from FL/GA state line) this morning! We saw three colleges in three days. Might not sound like that much, but in this heat? Of course, it's all walking tours so we are both worn out. Of the three, two were moderately interested in her and she is very interested in one.

We really had a great time and DD opened up with me about a lot of things. Here are a couple snippets that I found interesting, in a paradoxical way:

*"I want to join the Peace Corps after college, maybe work in an orphanage overseas."

*"I'd like to make documentaries of what life is like overseas--you know, how they live, what they eat."

*"I think I'd like to have my own dance studio and teach special needs kids."

Hmmm, it seems to me that you've got two separate plans: one where you plant roots and become a part of the community and the other where you live a more transient, perhaps rootless lifestyle. When you go off to college, you'll get a chance to try that out a little bit.

You know I saved the best for last.

*"I can't go to college 4 hours away, Mom. I just can't be that far from my brother, John."

So much for the Peace Corps...

 

[ugadog99]

I'm glad you had a good trip. I can't imagine a tour of schools right now. It was hard enough in September and October!

 

[redlight]

Sounds like your daughter is a very typical ambitious 17 year old. It's not unusual to have contradictory plans at that age, and not all of her plans are contradictory (she could still go to the peace corps for a couple years, and then open a dance studio).

 

[minkydog]

Sounds like your daughter is a very typical ambitious 17 year old. It's not unusual to have contradictory plans at that age, and not all of her plans are contradictory (she could still go to the peace corps for a couple years, and then open a dance studio).

Very true. I think a lot of us went to college with stars in our eyes. Most of us changed majors a time or two until we found the thing we wanted to spend our life doing. My first major was Marine Biology. Why I picked that I'll never know. I get seriously motion-sick. I can't swim well and I panic when I'm in water over my head. Remember that 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea WDW ride? Yeah. Panic-striken and nauseous. That was me. In, what? 4 feet of water? WHat was I thinking? Nursing turned out to be a much MUCH better major for me.

 

[christineann]

LOL minkydog, I nearly passed out on that ride when I was a teenager. I remember my dad tapping me on the shoulder and telling me to look out the porthole - that the surface of the water was just a few feet above the porthole. Fortunately, I didn't make a scene...I was too embarrassed

 

[tvguy]

DS found the perfect college after visting 4 campuses. That was 5 years ago, and he had 4 great years there, but now a combination of a challenging class and a couple of goofs by the college made his 5th year tough, and now he faces at least another year to get his degree.

DD found the perfect college after visiting 3 campuses. But after going there for 6 months discovered the classes were a joke, and her major seemed like a step child on campus. Also, DD says, there is nothing to do there on the weekends if you don't smoke pot or drink!! So she's transfering to the community college down the street.

As for 101 degrees, sorry, that's a cool summer day here. Although I am a little hot over my $350 electric bill to run the A/C.

 

[minkydog]

As for 101 degrees, sorry, that's a cool summer day here. Although I am a little hot over my $350 electric bill to run the A/C.

I could tolerate the heat if we didn't have 65% humidity. It's so intense it just takes your breath away.

DD17 is filling out her application today for the school she likes best. It really is a good fit for her. She's a city girl, so she's used to having things to do, going to the mall, seeing movies, going out to Starbucks. Valdosta is a city of about 60,000 and it has all the things that make her life happy (except her brother ) The school itself(Valdosta State) is moderately large, but it feels small when you're on the campus. South Georgia is a very homey, welcoming place, too. She liked everything about the school and the city except that there is Spanish moss hanging everywhere. And it's 4hrs from home.

There was one other school that we visited that I thought she would adore. Its a small 2yr community college. The school itself has nice accomodations, new fitness facilities, great dorms, small classes. It's just as cute as a button. But it's located in the middle of NOWHERE. And take a left... She loved the school itself, but she just feels that she cannot be happy in this little tiny town. Too bad, because I think this school would be a great fit for her.

I think she is really conflicted about the whole thing. On the one hand, she wants to spread her wings and fly. On the other hand, she's scared to leave her home, her BFFs, her boyfriend, her dance class. She has asked about fixing up the basement as an apt for her, if she decides to stay home and go to the community college up the street. I'm trying not to give my opinion about what she should or shouldn't do. It's really her choice. And like I told her, "Whatever school you go to, if you get there and find out it's not what you thought it would be, you can always transfer. There's a school out there for you."

But boy! I am having some difficult emotions with all this

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Did you ever get the algebra 2 and 3 thing worked out?

 

[padams]

Valdosta would be such a great stopover on your way to WDW. Doesn't your dd realize how much closer she would be to WDW?

Seriously, her wanting to be near her brother is so sweet.

 

[minkydog]

Did you ever get the algebra 2 and 3 thing worked out?

Yes. AT least, I think it's worked out. School starts Aug 5 so hopefully she'll have it all straightened out then. If not, I guess I'll be going to school Aug 6.

Valdosta would be such a great stopover on your way to WDW. Doesn't your dd realize how much closer she would be to WDW?

Seriously, her wanting to be near her brother is so sweet.

DD and her brother John are very, very close. They are almost 7 years apart in age. I had a lot of difficulty getting pregnant. In fact, I lost baby between them. So when John was about 6 he decided to pray for a baby sister. I figured, might as well. We've tried everything but IVF. A month later I was pregnant with DD. In all their years they have never had a serious argument. They get a long beautifully. He is very supportive of her dancing, always goes to her shows and brings her flowers. He is quite protective of his sister. And she thinks he hung the moon.

Valdosta is just about halfway between Atlanta and Orlando. Her dream is to someday get into Disney's college program or as a performer. She would definitely be within driving distance to go to their auditions, etc. I think she'll probably end up at VSU. It's a good school, with great fine arts and communications programs. She loved the campus, the classrooms, the dining options, the fitness center, and the dorms.