Having a very hard time with DS going off to college

I finally heard from my DS this afternoon. Yesterday is when he went to Student Health and started a bunch of OTC cold meds.

We've been talking a lot the last few days about how he feels and how to deal with the illness. Well, this morning...... nothing. I had asked him to call and let me know how he was feeling when he got up. Then..... nothing. I texted and called several times. And nothing. I really thought he had just slept through his alarm after taking so much cold medicine. So I kept trying. I felt like "THAT" mom. The one that pesters and hovers. And I didn't want to be that. :rolleyes1 But today is his last Chemistry class before his exam on Friday and I knew he'd be mad if he missed it. He finally picked up. Turns out he was on his way to class. He said he had indeed overslept a bit but did get up and out.

He says he's feeling a little better. He actually sounds worse, but he said the throat doesn't hurt as much. So maybe that's a sign he turned the corner finally.

Glad you had confirmation that he is alive. ;) Kids! I find that when the sore throat disappears, the other symptoms becomes worse (stuffy nose, coughing, sneezing) so it probably makes sense that he sounds worse. Hopefully it clears quickly. DD said there are a ton of sick kids in her dorm. She somehow thinks she is immune since she just had a cold before she left. Yeah, good luck with that one, honey!



That sounds like meaningful way to mark the day. Was your daughter aware of it going on? Did she get to participate?

I don't think she participated. She has classes all morning on Wednesdays and the picture was posted when she would have been in class.
 
Glad you had confirmation that he is alive. ;) Kids! I find that when the sore throat disappears, the other symptoms becomes worse (stuffy nose, coughing, sneezing) so it probably makes sense that he sounds worse. Hopefully it clears quickly. DD said there are a ton of sick kids in her dorm. She somehow thinks she is immune since she just had a cold before she left. Yeah, good luck with that one, honey!

And DS says there aren't any other sick kids around his dorm! :lmao: I'm sure there are and he just doesn't see them, but apparently there aren't many.

He did say he slept through Honors Forum last night. So I reminded him to email the person in charge to let them know he was sick.

At least it sounds like he's on the down side of this finally. And just in time. In addition to the Chemistry exam Friday, he has an Econ exam tomorrow. Eek. Better him than me!

Do any of you plan to have your kids get a flu shot? He hasn't had one in years, but I think this might be the year to start again.
 
I got a LONG text from DD this morning. She had to take a test this morning for her online class. She got a 60. :scared1: She said she felt she studied as best as she could and she felt she knew the material. It was a timed test and she ran out of time. She said she really felt like she didn't get the set amount of time and that the format of the test was screwed up. She was clearly upset and I'm guessing PMS because it was a very dramatic, "I'm going to lose my scholarships and have to drop out" type thing. :lmao: She was on her way to class when she sent the text so I just told her it would be okay, I promised that the sun would rise tomorrow, and I assured her that one bad test will not result in a loss of her scholarship. I also told her she needed to let it go because she needed to focus on her next class.

I didn't hear from her for three hours when I got a text that she didn't let it go! She tracked down the online professor and he pulled up her test. It was suppose to be 40 minutes and it cut her off after 20! I guess there was also something wrong with the formatting and it cut off parts of the text. He let her retake it in his office and she got an 89!

Another crisis averted! :duck:

DD has to maintain a 3.5 to keep most of her scholarships. They do give a one semester probation for her main scholarship. If you mess up but pull it back up the next semester, you will have it reinstated. Two semesters with less than a 3.5 will result in the scholarship being pulled. I hope she can do it. DD dual enrolled during high school so she graduated with her AA. She is 18 and taking all 3000 and 4000 level classes in her major for her first semester of college. No pressure! :rolleyes1
 
And DS says there aren't any other sick kids around his dorm! :lmao: I'm sure there are and he just doesn't see them, but apparently there aren't many.

He did say he slept through Honors Forum last night. So I reminded him to email the person in charge to let them know he was sick.

At least it sounds like he's on the down side of this finally. And just in time. In addition to the Chemistry exam Friday, he has an Econ exam tomorrow. Eek. Better him than me!

Do any of you plan to have your kids get a flu shot? He hasn't had one in years, but I think this might be the year to start again.

I am extremely anti-flu shot for our family. We NEVER get the shot. But I am actually going to encourage DD to get one this year for the first time. I think she is in a prime environment for catching the flu: large group of people, staying up late, not getting enough sleep, not eating as healthy as she could, stress of school, stress of being away......seems rip for illness.

Good luck to your son over the next few days. Illness and tests.....YUCK! Poor guy!

Wanted to add that I am not against the flu shot at all. It was just something that was never necessary for OUR family. Didn't want anyone to think I was saying anything negative about it.
 

About the college GPA: much of that can depend on the major. My son is in engineering and I am told that it is VERY hard to pull a 3.0 in engineering. Some of the classes are killers. Couple that with the engineering teacher saying his highest grade is about a 68, well, what can you expect. I do think he might curve, (we can hope). I have a few engineering friends and have been told that you can feel very pleased to have a 2.5 GPA in an engineering major.

My DD, who is in a soft major, has been pulling a 3.4 GPA for the last two years--mostly B's with some A's or mostly A with a C here and there in a class that she struggles in.

Good news, my son got a B on his very first Physics test!!
 
Do any of you plan to have your kids get a flu shot? He hasn't had one in years, but I think this might be the year to start again.

Good point. My kids have gotten the flu shot every year- mainly because our school district gives it in school for free. :thumbsup2 I really should have him look into the health center to see if they give it- or at least get him into our PCP on fall break or something.
 
I am extremely anti-flu shot for our family. We NEVER get the shot. But I am actually going to encourage DD to get one this year for the first time. I think she is in a prime environment for catching the flu: large group of people, staying up late, not getting enough sleep, not eating as healthy as she could, stress of school, stress of being away......seems rip for illness.

Good luck to your son over the next few days. Illness and tests.....YUCK! Poor guy!

Wanted to add that I am not against the flu shot at all. It was just something that was never necessary for OUR family. Didn't want anyone to think I was saying anything negative about it.

Thanks Lisa!

And huge kudos to your DD for standing up and asking about that test. Tell her I said since she had 50% of the time she was supposed to and got a 60, they should just double her score and give her 120!

I gave my boys a pass on the flu shot years ago. But I have asthma and really don't want to risk any complications. I had a minor respiratory thing turn into pneumonia a few years ago and want to minimize risks of that happening again.

I'm hoping after DS's experience with a minor illness this week, he won't take much convincing to go get a flu shot when he gets home. I'd ask him to try student health, but I got him to hoof it across campus for that once already. I need to pick my battles. ;)

About the college GPA: much of that can depend on the major. My son is in engineering and I am told that it is VERY hard to pull a 3.0 in engineering. Some of the classes are killers. Couple that with the engineering teacher saying his highest grade is about a 68, well, what can you expect. I do think he might curve, (we can hope). I have a few engineering friends and have been told that you can feel very pleased to have a 2.5 GPA in an engineering major.

My DD, who is in a soft major, has been pulling a 3.4 GPA for the last two years--mostly B's with some A's or mostly A with a C here and there in a class that she struggles in.

Good news, my son got a B on his very first Physics test!!

I totally agree. I didn't have trouble with my GPA my first semester but I was taking mostly humanities, with only Calculus as my one technical class. My son is at an engineering school with a very tough course schedule, so I have been trying to get him to adjust his expectations on grades.

Highest grade of 68 though? Gulp.

Good point. My kids have gotten the flu shot every year- mainly because our school district gives it in school for free. :thumbsup2 I really should have him look into the health center to see if they give it- or at least get him into our PCP on fall break or something.

I'm thinking maybe over Thanksgiving when he's home. Or sooner if he gets a ride back before then. I'd like him to have it sooner, but most big flu outbreaks happen later into the fall I think (hope).
 
Well, I finally talked to my second son last night. I don't think he was purposely ignoring me, I hope, but just busy! He sounded so good, but tired. I told him that if he hadn't answered my text from earlier in the day, I was already making plans to go down there and check on him. I was starting to worry. That threat should make him answer me a little faster :)

He's a little disillusioned with school this year. The classes he's taking aren't very interesting or stimulating. He was hoping for more. The descriptions sounded good, but haven't translated into anything outstanding. That makes it hard to stay invested in your schooling.

He didn't get the dining plan so has been cooking for himself. He says that he likes it and can control when and what he eats. He likes that a lot. He works out in the school gym every afternoon after classes and then goes to "ultimate" Frisbee practice and then makes dinner for himself. I'm assuming he'll fit studying in there somewhere...LOL

I feel SO much better now that I have talked to both of them! I'm silly though. I was driving home from work tonight and ended up stopping on the country music station and started to cry. My youngest loves country music! Geez....
 
Well, I finally talked to my second son last night. I don't think he was purposely ignoring me, I hope, but just busy! He sounded so good, but tired. I told him that if he hadn't answered my text from earlier in the day, I was already making plans to go down there and check on him. I was starting to worry. That threat should make him answer me a little faster :)

He's a little disillusioned with school this year. The classes he's taking aren't very interesting or stimulating. He was hoping for more. The descriptions sounded good, but haven't translated into anything outstanding. That makes it hard to stay invested in your schooling.

He didn't get the dining plan so has been cooking for himself. He says that he likes it and can control when and what he eats. He likes that a lot. He works out in the school gym every afternoon after classes and then goes to "ultimate" Frisbee practice and then makes dinner for himself. I'm assuming he'll fit studying in there somewhere...LOL

I feel SO much better now that I have talked to both of them! I'm silly though. I was driving home from work tonight and ended up stopping on the country music station and started to cry. My youngest loves country music! Geez....

Tonights news made me miss my guy tonight. There is a 17 year old girl missing since Monday. Sounds like she met someone on the internet.
Anyway I texted DS to just say hi and asked if it was hot enough for him.
No response. Oh well as I said to my husband, his roommate has my number and his friend across the hall has my number so if something was wrong they know how to reach me. I'm sure he is just having fun. Ya not convinced there is a ton of homework being done. I have to trust he is doing what he is suppose to do.

I'll be talking to him Saturday to find out if he is coming home to help me out.

Have a good night.
I've gone back to AC as the humidity is killing me.
Should break tomorrow afternoon or Friday morning.
I love the cooler dry weather.

Sleep well.
 
Well, I finally talked to my second son last night. I don't think he was purposely ignoring me, I hope, but just busy! He sounded so good, but tired. I told him that if he hadn't answered my text from earlier in the day, I was already making plans to go down there and check on him. I was starting to worry. That threat should make him answer me a little faster :)

He's a little disillusioned with school this year. The classes he's taking aren't very interesting or stimulating. He was hoping for more. The descriptions sounded good, but haven't translated into anything outstanding. That makes it hard to stay invested in your schooling.

He didn't get the dining plan so has been cooking for himself. He says that he likes it and can control when and what he eats. He likes that a lot. He works out in the school gym every afternoon after classes and then goes to "ultimate" Frisbee practice and then makes dinner for himself. I'm assuming he'll fit studying in there somewhere...LOL

I feel SO much better now that I have talked to both of them! I'm silly though. I was driving home from work tonight and ended up stopping on the country music station and started to cry. My youngest loves country music! Geez....

Isn't it funny what triggers those feelings? I mostly do ok, but then it seems like it sneaks up on me sometimes.

I'm sorry your second isn't enjoying his classes. That really does make it hard to stay invested.


Tonights news made me miss my guy tonight. There is a 17 year old girl missing since Monday. Sounds like she met someone on the internet.
Anyway I texted DS to just say hi and asked if it was hot enough for him.
No response. Oh well as I said to my husband, his roommate has my number and his friend across the hall has my number so if something was wrong they know how to reach me. I'm sure he is just having fun. Ya not convinced there is a ton of homework being done. I have to trust he is doing what he is suppose to do.

I'll be talking to him Saturday to find out if he is coming home to help me out.

Have a good night.
I've gone back to AC as the humidity is killing me.
Should break tomorrow afternoon or Friday morning.
I love the cooler dry weather.

Sleep well.

I really don't send a lot of "how are you" texts just because I know it will drive me crazy when he doesn't answer. I don't think he has answered any of my texts that included pictures of his cat. But he says he enjoys getting them. I guess he just doesn't see the need to answer! :)

I think those texts are sort of the equivalent of small talk. And I just think boys are generally bad at small talk.
 
Nancygirl, I am glad your mind is at ease now that you have spoken to your son. And may I strongly recommend erasing all country stations from your radio? ;) If only it were so easy to just not have our emotions jostled, right?

My trigger songs are "In my Arms" from Plumb and anything by Maroon 5. "In my Arms" reminds me of my eldest, it plays on the Christian station (my eldest really enjoyed Christian rock for a long time, so we listened to alot of it before she left for college). Plumb sings about holding a baby with baby blue eyes, and my eldest DD has baby blue eyes, and well, get the floodgates going!

Then there is Maroon 5. I surprised my youngest with 6th row tickets to the Maroon 5 concert as a Christmas gift last year. I told her she could take a friend, I didn't mind driving, but she wanted her old mom to go with her, instead! Said I would enjoy it. She was right.

It wasn't the band nor music I enjoyed so much as it was seeing her all giddy and excited at being able to see Adam Levine. Then, when he walked over the bridge part of the set and was sooooo close to our seats in his tight white pants, well it was confirmed that my DD is a true Hungarian girl, willing to ogle with the best of them! :thumbsup2 So whenever I hear a Maroon 5 song from the concert, I think of my youngest, and her joyfilled smile.

Ok, taking my mind off that now (though honestly, Adam Levine in tight white pants is an image that one really doesn't want to let go of!). Younger DD called last night, and spoke to her Daddy. She had already talked to me earlier in the day, while walking the aisles at Walmart, and I "recommended" she might want to talk to her father to catch up, so she called him. My husband was so happy to talk to her! I just love the sweetness between them. :hug: And her reason for not calling us the last 2 nights? She got busy watching "Supernatural" and lost track of time. Hope the homework is just as compelling!

Thanks all for reminders about the flu shot! I will have to get DD to see if it is available on campus. Believe it or not, I have only had the flu once, I don't get the shot, and I don't think my kids have ever had it? They have occasionally had the shot, like if we have vacation plans in the winter and I don't want them to get sick, and eldest DD has had it once while in college, but she hates needles and hasn't had it since. Youngest DD has no fears, so I will encourage her to go find the shot!

And if you all don't hear from me for awhile, I shall be road-tripping through Eastern Canada for the next week and a half! Sure, some people are romantic and go to Paris for their 25th Anniversary, DH and I load up the car and drive to Canada. It is our first trip anywhere without our girls, so we shall see if we drive each other nuts being together, in a car, for 12 days. He is threatening to leave me in Canada (I am a Canadian citizen, permanent resident on Green Card, so he feels this is a valid threat :rolleyes1) if I do too much "backseat driving". I told him don't drive close to trucks, pay attention to the road not the hawk sitting on the pole, and don't drive under the speed limit, we should be fine. Taken many road trips in 25 years, but this is the true test of our marriage.:scared: Should be fun! If only the packing were done! :rotfl2:

Eldest DD is on her way here, 3.5 hours from now she will arrive to stay with the animals while we are gone. Her fiance will be here this weekend to keep her company, little sister is coming next weekend (and I am so worried, driving home from college, 4 hours, for the first time, but I have to accept that she can do this, at least she is driving with a friend, but still, I will be in Toronto when she drives up, 12 hours away if something happens! :scared:). We also have two German Shepherds, a 9 month old male of 102 pounds that will knock a grown man to the ground with one jump, and a 55 pound female that will then tear out his jugular since anyone entering our home uninvited must be dispensed with. Yes, our big boy thinks all visitors want his big face in their face, covered with big dog tongue, while our female thinks every visitor must be attacked. My daughters will be perfectly safe! :)

I love the security my German Shepherds bring. At least I won't worry about my girls being harmed by any intruders! And the squirrels won't get them, either, my female will make sure of that! :thumbsup2

Talk to you all in a bit. Unless everyone is fine and adjusted and keeping busy with their new family dynamics and I don't find this thread active, then you won't hear from me! I hope all does go well for eveyone and their children, that they all call and keep in touch so we know they are thriving, and I thank you (and Princess Vija for starting this!) for all the strength and support you have given me as I have tried to embrace my empty nest. Now lets go do something productive! After I get another cup of coffee, of course. :cool1:
 
FYI.... my buddy texted late last night. He said he was "melting" and he hoped Mother Nature would bless him soon with that nicer weather we had the beginning of the week. I told him Friday was coming!!!!!

I'm so glad I insisted that he not be in a top bunk. Can you imagine how hot it would be up here. At least, although the room is tight for space, he can have a fan blow on him from his desk.

Well I have to be honest, my DS21 with Autism has me so distracted with some serious regression issues that at one point yesterday I told DH I felt back because I forgot we had a second son. But once I remembered, I had some joy that he was doing great.

Boy oh boy I can't wait for my November vacation.
Someone mentioned romantic anniversaries, LOL what's that?
I guess we will be walking through France at Epcot but not sure Disney is romantic. LOL I know I know we can make it romantic but we are more a "do something fun" couple than a "romantic" couple.
Hope you have a blast in Canada!
 
The worst part though of her not calling was my DH asking me, all evening, if I heard from DD, what is she doing, when will she call, how is she, is she getting good grades, do we need to go see her, etc, etc. Sure, it is sweet that he misses his daughter, but honestly, he is driving me nuts! I guess I just never realized how much interaction he had with our daughters until they were gone, because now he only focuses on me, and I am trying to stay busy, but he follows me around, hovering, even as I clean the toilet or try to read a magazine! I am glad wants to be around me, but I am apparently much more comfortable being alone than he is, and I don't mind being along at times. Now I understand where my eldest DD gets her need to always have someone near her - from my DH! And my youngest gets her ability to be happy on her own from me! How on earth am I going to make it through another 25 years or so with this man? :faint::lmao:


I have told DD "You can't leave me here with that man!", when we speak about her going away to college next year, and it's because of this EXACTLY!

I'm gonna miss her like crazy, but DH is gonna drive ME crazy!
 
Today's phone call was to let me know that the construction workers working on the dorm next to his knocked out the phone, Internet and cable in his dorm. He was all atither- it sucks, blah blah blah. He has a Soc quiz to take online tomorrow and now no Internet. Hmmm- how about going to the library?? But MOM- it's so far!! It's across campus!! Ok- well, you will figure it out. Gotta run!! Love you!

Haha! Although I love hearing from him, I can live without the drama.
 
Today's phone call was to let me know that the construction workers working on the dorm next to his knocked out the phone, Internet and cable in his dorm. He was all atither- it sucks, blah blah blah. He has a Soc quiz to take online tomorrow and now no Internet. Hmmm- how about going to the library?? But MOM- it's so far!! It's across campus!! Ok- well, you will figure it out. Gotta run!! Love you!

Haha! Although I love hearing from him, I can live without the drama.

If you really love him you would go fix it for him
 
Today's phone call was to let me know that the construction workers working on the dorm next to his knocked out the phone, Internet and cable in his dorm. He was all atither- it sucks, blah blah blah. He has a Soc quiz to take online tomorrow and now no Internet. Hmmm- how about going to the library?? But MOM- it's so far!! It's across campus!! Ok- well, you will figure it out. Gotta run!! Love you!

Haha! Although I love hearing from him, I can live without the drama.

LOL this cracked me up. My son's complaint was that one of the plugs in his room blows a circuit. And the part that really got him upset was he and the 3rd roommate have 15 things plugged in and they don't have a problem, but the other roommate just has to plug in 5 things and it blows a circuit. I questioned what other room is effected and it turns out to be the RA. He couldn't understand that I was questioning how much the other person had plugged in and got a little huffy that his explanation wasn't enough. LOL
I don't take this personal cause I listened to him on Skype all summer. It's odd the things that get him all huffed up.

Now the internet crisis! Well ya Mom, that's totally inconvenient to have to plan my time better so I get it done at the library. :rotfl2:
I vaguely remember being that young minded but I do recall a couple of such in conveniences. Kind of embarrassing to remember. :guilty:
 
Thanks all for reminders about the flu shot! I will have to get DD to see if it is available on campus. Believe it or not, I have only had the flu once, I don't get the shot, and I don't think my kids have ever had it? They have occasionally had the shot, like if we have vacation plans in the winter and I don't want them to get sick, and eldest DD has had it once while in college, but she hates needles and hasn't had it since. Youngest DD has no fears, so I will encourage her to go find the shot!

And if you all don't hear from me for awhile, I shall be road-tripping through Eastern Canada for the next week and a half!


My daughter and I usually go to Disney in December (my husband comes when he can spare the vacation time) so I usually require that she get a flu shot too.

Have an awesome vacation/anniversary!

I have said many times that when we drop our youngest off at college for the first time, I'd like to get in the car and go on a big driving vacation out west again. A trip sounds like a great distraction! :thumbsup2

FYI.... my buddy texted late last night. He said he was "melting" and he hoped Mother Nature would bless him soon with that nicer weather we had the beginning of the week. I told him Friday was coming!!!!!

I think there are a lot of us waiting for Friday. Not sure where you are, but here in the Midwest the heat has just been stifling. I hope they weren't teasing us with that forecast for a break tomorrow!
 
Today's phone call was to let me know that the construction workers working on the dorm next to his knocked out the phone, Internet and cable in his dorm. He was all atither- it sucks, blah blah blah. He has a Soc quiz to take online tomorrow and now no Internet. Hmmm- how about going to the library?? But MOM- it's so far!! It's across campus!! Ok- well, you will figure it out. Gotta run!! Love you!

Haha! Although I love hearing from him, I can live without the drama.

Oh how quickly they call when they want to grouse! :rotfl2: I actually used to hoof it 20 miles across campus in the snow. No.... wait.... campus was only about a mile long. But I'm sure I went back and forth 20 times. :lmao: But there WAS a lot of snow! :)

If you really love him you would go fix it for him

:rotfl::rotfl2::lmao:
 












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