Kids headed to College Fall 2012 Check-in

[KAMLEM]

DD moves in on August 16th, about a week and a half earlier than the general population because she's playing soccer and fall athletes go early. She has a triple and she's excited about getting there before her roomates so she can get the single bed. She's only about 1 1/2 hours away and we will be able to go to most of her games so I think that's helping me get through this. The littlest things set me off, even this thread has me a little weepy!

 

[SC Minnie]

I have set up to automatic draft $20 twice a month (when I get paid) to DD's account. She had money from working so really should need my $40/month but I feel better putting it in there. She also just applied for a CC at our credit union. It only has a $250 credit limit so she can't get herself into too much trouble. Since I have access to put $ into account if she needs work on her car or something else we can also get it to her.

 

[goofy4tink]

There is a big difference between a helicopter parent and an involved parent. The past few years has put the two on the same level and it's about the same as an abusive parent and a parent who disciplines an unruly child. NOT the same by a long shot.

The Mommy Daddy wars which changes ever few years need to realize that reinventing the wheel does not show the end result. If we find a process that WORKS (and by works I mean the results are apparent in the people RAISED) then we wouldn't have to make it up as we go along.

::stepping off my podium::

I wasn't trying to say going to orientation is helicoptering. Matter of fact, I was really feeling like I was slacking for not going & DD was just pushing me away. Everyone I know has gone to orientation w/ their kids, including this year. Several of my friends have been really surprised that ours was set up this way. A few have said they would have attended anyway. Now that I know how ours played out, I am relieved I didn't go -- but I still kind of feel a twinge of bad parent if that makes any sense.

Sorry...didn't mean to generalize. I wasn't saying that going to orientation was helicopter parenting. Wasn't my intention to case aspersions on anyone. But there sure were a lot of helicopter parents in attendance!!! You could tell...they were the ones asking the dopey questions, and then come to find out??? Yep, first time having a kid go off to college. Figures.

Here is a question which I know will vary widely, but how much $ are you planning to give your college freshman each month? My first one that went off had one of my credit cards to use if there was an emergency. I wouldn't have cared if he bought clothes or things, but he never did. DD? NOT getting a credit card. She is spendy!

My dd is getting nothing from us. In fact, I told her we were done after paying for tuition and room/board. She had to buy her own textbooks!!! She is doing work study which will give her spending money each month. And she has a fairly hefty amount in her checking account. She won't need money for food/drink. So, if she wants to spend extra, she has to find the money.

 

[tar heel]

In answer to Green Tea's question,we're planning to put $200 a month into our son's checking account. He is not getting a big meal plan and we look at this as part of his "board."

 

[ckay87]

Here is a question which I know will vary widely, but how much $ are you planning to give your college freshman each month? My first one that went off had one of my credit cards to use if there was an emergency. I wouldn't have cared if he bought clothes or things, but he never did. DD? NOT getting a credit card. She is spendy!

We have nagged DS for MONTHS to save money and he's not doing such a great job. So I will greatly enjoy NOT giving him any money. I plan to get him a gift card to the gas station/mini market (he has to drive to some off campus classes) and a gift card for the local grocery store. That should cover incidentals/emergencies. Oh, and a AAA membership. But no cash. We are mean.

 

[StephMK]

DD will be doing work study and using that for spending money. She also has plenty saved from gifts, etc unless she gets too out of hand.

DD leaves 2 weeks from Monday! She is going early to rush and I think it will be good that she can settle in and get to know her roomie and some other girls before everyone shows up the following weekend.

It was funny, we were discussing moving in & I said I could help if we were back before too late. She then reminded me that she wouldn't be coming back w/me! Oh yeah, I guess not!

We are taking the opposite tack of helicopter parents. She will be an hour away but we are considering a move next year that will take us several hours away from her! I absolutely hate to leave her but really want to move more. At least we'll be around for her first year & she's fine w/it. She knew it was a possibility when she was choosing colleges.

 

[java]

Hope that the market keeps going UP! I sold some mutual fund today and it gets priced at the end of the day so we may have more $$ If it keeps going UP!!
Tuition is due on the 1st!

WOOHOO! Made another $500 by waiting until today vs. last week!

 

[pixie dust 112]

My daughter leaves in 16 days and they finally got their room mate notifications yesterday!

 

[SC Minnie]

DD moves in on the 19th. Her last day at work is this Friday. I think she has everything ready and she is very excited. One awesome thing she found out last week is the school has accepted all her AP classes/exams for credit. With that and her 2 dual credit classes she is starting with 19 hours under her belt.

 

[Snowflakey]

DD moves in 2 weeks from Friday! She still doesn't know her dorm/roommate

I can't believe she will be gone I will miss her so much but she isn't too far from home so I'm getting the best of both worlds I guess

I'm so very proud of her and excited for her to begin college

 

[ez]

DD moves in on the 22nd. She has 53 credit hours because she did IB, so I guess she is a sophomore already! The good thing with that is also, she has gotten so much of the really hard stuff out of the way, calculus, bio, physics. I really wish they had had something like that way back when I was in HS, there was no jump start at all back then.

 

[Southernmiss]

We bought DS his laptop he needs for school last Tuesday at Best Buy.

And he SPILLED WATER on it on Monday night. Arghhh!! We are so mad.

Lucky for him, we bought the extended warranty damage protection and it looks like it will be covered. Believe me, if it's not covered it's all on him .

Looks like he may be without a computer for the first few days/weeks, oh well, he's gonna have to find the computer lab.

Who knew that 18 year old college kids need sippy cups?

 

[zurgswife]

My daughter leaves in 16 days and they finally got their room mate notifications yesterday!

My son leaves in 18 days and no roommate info yet....

 

[Green Tea]

We bought DS his laptop he needs for school last Tuesday at Best Buy.

And he SPILLED WATER on it on Monday night. Arghhh!! We are so mad.

Lucky for him, we bought the extended warranty damage protection and it looks like it will be covered. Believe me, if it's not covered it's all on him .

Looks like he may be without a computer for the first few days/weeks, oh well, he's gonna have to find the computer lab.

Who knew that 18 year old college kids need sippy cups?

If you paid with a credit card, that will likely refund the cost; call and check. If you have the Square Trade warranty then you won't have any trouble. If you bought a Best Buy warranty you might have to end up going with the credit card. BB is just awful to deal with on warranties.

I figured out the credit card protection by accident, well my kid's accident. I purchased a new cell phone which got destroyed nearly day one. I called because i the back of my mind I remembered reading about credit cards offering purchase insurance for some period of time. I called and sure enough, they sent me a check for the full amount.

 

[Southernmiss]

If you paid with a credit card, that will likely refund the cost; call and check. If you have the Square Trade warranty then you won't have any trouble. If you bought a Best Buy warranty you might have to end up going with the credit card. BB is just awful to deal with on warranties.

I figured out the credit card protection by accident, well my kid's accident. I purchased a new cell phone which got destroyed nearly day one. I called because i the back of my mind I remembered reading about credit cards offering purchase insurance for some period of time. I called and sure enough, they sent me a check for the full amount.

Great reminder! I used our Disney Visa. I will look into that!

 

[SC Minnie]

We bought DS his laptop he needs for school last Tuesday at Best Buy.

And he SPILLED WATER on it on Monday night. Arghhh!! We are so mad.

Lucky for him, we bought the extended warranty damage protection and it looks like it will be covered. Believe me, if it's not covered it's all on him .

Looks like he may be without a computer for the first few days/weeks, oh well, he's gonna have to find the computer lab.

Who knew that 18 year old college kids need sippy cups?

We bought the extended warranty damage protection from Dell for DD's computer. She doesn't know it though.

 

[StephMK]

DD leaves Monday! Ack. I don't know if I'm ready or not!

I think we have gotten pretty much everything she needs and just have one trip left for school supplies. I'm going to pick up a mattress pad today & will get her some snacks when I go to the grocery store later this week.

She is very organized & has everything piled in her room. She washed her towels this am & her sheets are in there now. Other than shopping w/her, I haven't had to do much.

She also went online for jobs and already got hired on campus. She is thrilled and I'm so happy she took the initiative to get that going. She loves her hours & starts the first week of classes. She's used to being busy so hopefully she will be ok transitioning to class & work the same week.

We will have a celebration dinner for her Sunday night. I think I will have trouble w/that but hope to make it through moving tear free. She is pretty used to me crying all through her senior year. I'm so excited for her but like pp said, it's hard to realize that stage is over. I know she's ready & will do great so I feel like I did my part and look forward to watching her in her new adventures.

 

[Chelley00]

DS moves in on Tuesday. He's packed and ready to go, and out of town on vacation before he comes back to load up and leave. All his boxes are just sitting in my office. It's a little sad.

I just need to get him cold medicine for his "just in case you get sick" box and I think he's good to go. He's only going to be an hour away, so this isn't really making me sad or anything, is that bad?

 

[WDWBarb]

DD leaves Friday morning. I am ... a wreck. I'm trying SO hard to keep it together but I'm finding it almost impossible I can't imagine my daily life without her. From the minute she pulled out the suitcases and started packing, my little dog won't eat (the big one is getting fatter because of it, too). I keep thinking about Saturday morning... without her.

It's like knowing that come Friday, the sun won't shine again.

I know, I know. I'm being terribly dramatic. Her dad and I have done nothing to plan our future ,post-DD (an only child, as you probably summized). We need to get our lives in order and give ourselves something to look forward to .. with just the two of us.

It's just been the three of us for so long.

I'm holding back tears in front of her because as much as I don't want her to leave, I DO want her to leave and start what will be a fabulous and remarkable life. I had SO much fun my freshman year at college. I want her to have incredible experiences as well.

Oh.. and she's going to school about 7 miles away from home. I know, I know!! I said I was being dramatic.

 

[java]

DD leaves Friday morning. I am ... a wreck. I'm trying SO hard to keep it together but I'm finding it almost impossible I can't imagine my daily life without her. From the minute she pulled out the suitcases and started packing, my little dog won't eat (the big one is getting fatter because of it, too). I keep thinking about Saturday morning... without her.

It's like knowing that come Friday, the sun won't shine again.

I know, I know. I'm being terribly dramatic. Her dad and I have done nothing to plan our future ,post-DD (an only child, as you probably summized). We need to get our lives in order and give ourselves something to look forward to .. with just the two of us.

It's just been the three of us for so long.

I'm holding back tears in front of her because as much as I don't want her to leave, I DO want her to leave and start what will be a fabulous and remarkable life. I had SO much fun my freshman year at college. I want her to have incredible experiences as well.

Oh.. and she's going to school about 7 miles away from home. I know, I know!! I said I was being dramatic.

but no matter how far away they are they are still away- not there all the time. Mine is moving 5 hours away! But it's better than the 16 hour away school that was in the running.