Parents of College Class of 2018 (A.K.A., "Is this the line to the poor house?")

[Pembo]

GA - that is frustrating! DS said he gets an email when he has a package as he has to pick it up. He only checks his mailbox when I tell him he might want to check it. I placed a photo order for him from snapfish before he went to school. It should have gotten there his second day. He got it about 10 days later. I don't know what happened with that one. The box I sent last Sat got to him on Tues.

Maybe your son's mail system was overloaded at the beginning. Maybe try and send something small and see what happens before you send the bday one.

 

[JeannieNM]

So much for the college mail system where my son is at.

I sent him a package that said it was delivered on Tuesday, Sept. 3rd but he has checked every day and it's not there.
In the package is a card and probably a check from his Uncle for graduation along with some other things I sent him. I have no doubt that the brownies I made and put in the package are now garbage for sure.

Now I'm nervous about sending him his birthday package in two weeks. I think I'll just go that way to Disney World and drop it off with him personally instead of mailing it. It will take me a couple of hours out of my way but at least I won't have to worry about it not arriving in time or even at all.

I find it so annoying that I can't trust that packages will get to him. I'd planned on sending one a month. But now I don't know what to do. Sigh.

That is frustrating. I sent DD a package, that included a few books that had not arrived before she left, and some other fun things. I used the post office one price priority boxes, one price includes all you can squeeze in, two day priority mail, insurance, and most importantly tracking. I would try one of those boxes then you will know when it arrives at the school and if the problem is at school or in transit. DD also gets an email notice when a package arrives, the only problem is the package pick up is at the other end of campus where she has no classes and closes at 4 pm and is closed on weekends6t5. DD has class until 4:15 two days a week. OH well it took her longer to get around to picking up the package then it did for the package to get there

 

[sk!mom]

So much for the college mail system where my son is at.

I sent him a package that said it was delivered on Tuesday, Sept. 3rd but he has checked every day and it's not there.
In the package is a card and probably a check from his Uncle for graduation along with some other things I sent him. I have no doubt that the brownies I made and put in the package are now garbage for sure.

Now I'm nervous about sending him his birthday package in two weeks. I think I'll just go that way to Disney World and drop it off with him personally instead of mailing it. It will take me a couple of hours out of my way but at least I won't have to worry about it not arriving in time or even at all.

I find it so annoying that I can't trust that packages will get to him. I'd planned on sending one a month. But now I don't know what to do. Sigh.

DD has two separate addresses. Her dorm address and a PO box. The two are on different streets so the addresses are completely different.

UPS and Fed EX deliver directly to her dorm and it is signed for at the front desk and a note is put on her door. This seems to be the best way for her to get packages. We've sent a couple already and they were delivered without incident. USPS delivers only to the campus post office.

This week came the first glitch. Her grandmother thinking that Amazon always ships UPS used Prime to send DD a care package. The shipment was split into two. One arrived at the dorm the next day and the other showed delivered but seemed to disappear. Grandma contacted Amazon and they reshipped. Package showed delivered again but also disappeared.

DD finally went to the Post Office and they had both packages in a lost package bin. "Lost" because they were incorrectly addressed- wrong street address and no PO# since grandma used the dorm address thinking they would be UPS as usual from Amazon. Both packages contained a specialty water that DD drinks. DD texted, "my arms nearly fell off hauling it back to my room!"

The Amazon rep Grandma talked to was very helpful but couldn't explain why 1 package went UPS and the other USPS or how you could know when you order what shipping would be used. I thought Amazon Prime was going to work great but maybe not.

We do have an unusual surname so she will likely always get packages eventually. Pretty sure she's the only one at her large Uni with this name since we have no relatives there.

 

[PlutoPony]

UPS and Fed EX deliver directly to her dorm and it is signed for at the front desk and a note is put on her door. This seems to be the best way for her to get packages. We've sent a couple already and they were delivered without incident. USPS delivers only to the campus post office.

THIS! Have your students figure out the shipping situation at their school. There are often differences in where they go to pick up packages that have been sent USPS and UPS/FedEx.

My son's school is similar to the above, which is tough for me because USPS priority flat rate boxes are by far the most economical (and easiest) way for me to ship. But it seems to take forever for the package to make it from the local post office to where my son can pick it up.... then he gets notification and then he has to get around to picking it up during the day.

 

[JeannieNM]

I wish DD had delivery to her dorm for packages. I want to send her a fruit assortment by the thought of her not getting to the mail room in a timely manner and then having to carry it across campus has made me hesitant.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

THIS! Have your students figure out the shipping situation at their school. There are often differences in where they go to pick up packages that have been sent USPS and UPS/FedEx.

My son's school is similar to the above, which is tough for me because USPS priority flat rate boxes are by far the most economical (and easiest) way for me to ship. But it seems to take forever for the package to make it from the local post office to where my son can pick it up.... then he gets notification and then he has to get around to picking it up during the day.

Today I texted him asking about the shipping policy at the school and he said he's been checking his P.O. Box and that's it. I asked him if there was another place he could check - ie: an actual live person at a post office - but I never heard back. I have the tracking number and it says it was delivered to the campus post office on Sept. 3rd. That is what is making this even more frustrating. I'm ready to pick up the phone and call the campus post office myself - a number is listed on the college website.

We decided for his birthday presents, I'll drop them off myself since I'm driving to Disney before his birthday. It will take me 3 hours out of my way but that's ok, I can handle it.
He also wants me to bring his TV, bluray player and movies. He didn't bring them when he moved in because he wasn't sure if his roommate would be bringing that.

We have to have the shipping stuff figured out soon since he needs to get the emissions done on the car he is using and then I will be receiving the registration sticker at home. I'll need to send that to him in October so he can get it on the car and won't get ticketed.

I just never thought we'd have a problem with mail. Sigh.

 

[mom2rtk]

I'm sorry so many of you are having trouble shipping things to your kids. We thankfully don't have that problem. I ship USPS Priority and it's there in 2 days (a couple times it got there in 1 day, 3 1/2 hours across the state!). I just watch the USPS tracking and when it says delivered, I text him to go check with the front desk. It would be very frustrating to have to wait and wonder.

 

[elgerber]

I haven't had any shipping problems yet. I gave her a magazine subscription and sent one box ourselves and two have come from Amazon. She has gotten them all no problem. The funny part is, her Prime account is new and I ordered myself something on Thursday and forgot that my shipping address isn't in there yet. So my package is now going to her, 3 hours away LOL!!! She has mail right in her dorm, which is very nice.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Thankfully my daughter's school seems to do well with shipping. She gets an email telling her when a package arrives and in what area of the school post office it's being stored. She then goes to the window and shows them the confirmation (or prints it out) and she gets her package. My mom sent her a package and there were no issues at all.

Hope this gets straightened out for you soon.

 

[Gina]

So far my son hasn't had any problems receiving mail -- the problem is in his being too lazy to walk all the way to the student center where the mail is, LOL.

He actually called me last night out of the blue, just to say hi. Made my day! I'm sure y'all understand that. I'll get to see him tonight, and that makes me happy too. There's an Aggie Moms Club meeting tonight, so I'm going to try and jet out of work a little early and meet him for dinner in the dining hall.

And apparently, he had his heart set on he and I going to the A&M vs. Ole Miss game which is on my birthday next month. I had no idea! So now I'm really looking forward to that!! For four years now, I haven't really had a birthday... I'm sure you other band parents here know how October is THE busiest month for marching band. Every single weekend there is a football game and a big competition and a whoooole lot of traveling. So I'm really looking forward to this now.

Hope everyone has a good week, and hope everyone's kids are easily sliding into the groove of college life now!

 

[JeannieNM]

DD thinks she has an infection from where her wisdom tooth was removed. She had an appointment with student health for late this afternoon, but she got up early to walk over there when they first openned because it had gotten worse. They would not see her and told her to come back at 9:40. I was not impressed and she is really upset. She is now missing class which she did not want to do because she is too sick to go and she has to return to student health. She is 14 hours away so, I can not just drive over and help. Hopefully this will get resolved soon.

 

[mom2rtk]

DD thinks she has an infection from where her wisdom tooth was removed. She had an appointment with student health for late this afternoon, but she got up early to walk over there when they first openned because it had gotten worse. They would not see her and told her to come back at 9:40. I was not impressed and she is really upset. She is now missing class which she did not want to do because she is too sick to go and she has to return to student health. She is 14 hours away so, I can not just drive over and help. Hopefully this will get resolved soon.

Hugs to you and your daughter. I hope she's on the mend soon.

 

[Bec3b1g]

DD thinks she has an infection from where her wisdom tooth was removed. She had an appointment with student health for late this afternoon, but she got up early to walk over there when they first openned because it had gotten worse. They would not see her and told her to come back at 9:40. I was not impressed and she is really upset. She is now missing class which she did not want to do because she is too sick to go and she has to return to student health. She is 14 hours away so, I can not just drive over and help. Hopefully this will get resolved soon.

((Hugs)) I know how hard it is not to have them home when they are sick.

DS moved into his dorm on Thursday and was so sick by Tuesday that he went to the campus health center. I know he felt horrible because he usually fights me when he has to go to the dr. He had a fever and the worst sore throat of his life. The health center was too busy to see him so they sent him off campus to an urgent care clinic He felt horrible and had to miss class. He tested negative on the rapid strep and it took the clinic another 6 days to call back on the culture results. Ugh! I felt so helpless! I tend to get anxious anyways when the kids get sick at home, but not being able to see DS really put my anxiety on another level. This is tough stuff for moms.

 

[Gina]

DD thinks she has an infection from where her wisdom tooth was removed. She had an appointment with student health for late this afternoon, but she got up early to walk over there when they first openned because it had gotten worse. They would not see her and told her to come back at 9:40. I was not impressed and she is really upset. She is now missing class which she did not want to do because she is too sick to go and she has to return to student health. She is 14 hours away so, I can not just drive over and help. Hopefully this will get resolved soon.

Your poor DD.. And poor mom too, because I know you must feel so helpless right now. I hope they've seen her by now and she's on her way to feeling better fast!!

 

[Pembo]

A friend told me the worst part of having a kid at college is when they are sick and you can't be there to help. Hugs to the kids and the moms - hoping all is well soon.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

DD thinks she has an infection from where her wisdom tooth was removed. She had an appointment with student health for late this afternoon, but she got up early to walk over there when they first openned because it had gotten worse. They would not see her and told her to come back at 9:40. I was not impressed and she is really upset. She is now missing class which she did not want to do because she is too sick to go and she has to return to student health. She is 14 hours away so, I can not just drive over and help. Hopefully this will get resolved soon.

I hope she is feeling better now!

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

((Hugs)) I know how hard it is not to have them home when they are sick.

DS moved into his dorm on Thursday and was so sick by Tuesday that he went to the campus health center. I know he felt horrible because he usually fights me when he has to go to the dr. He had a fever and the worst sore throat of his life. The health center was too busy to see him so they sent him off campus to an urgent care clinic He felt horrible and had to miss class. He tested negative on the rapid strep and it took the clinic another 6 days to call back on the culture results. Ugh! I felt so helpless! I tend to get anxious anyways when the kids get sick at home, but not being able to see DS really put my anxiety on another level. This is tough stuff for moms.

Poor guy. I hope he is feeling better.

My DS put on facebook today that he was feeling sick. And he even thanked me for putting together a first aide kit with medicine that is helping him feel better. Luckily what he has seems to be from not eating healthy enough (needed the pepto).

 

[Bec3b1g]

Poor guy. I hope he is feeling better.

My DS put on facebook today that he was feeling sick. And he even thanked me for putting together a first aide kit with medicine that is helping him feel better. Luckily what he has seems to be from not eating healthy enough (needed the pepto).

DS is back to normal thanks to magic mouthwash (not sure what that is), pain pills, and antibiotics! He got sick, then stopped drinking because his throat hurt and got dehydrated. I've never heard of prescribing narcotics for a sore throat. It must have been pretty inflamed.

It was a terrible way to start freshman year of college. His 2 roommates asked him to go home because they didn't want to get sick.

 

[sk!mom]

My DD visited the Campus clinic today too. Geez, is three weeks the breaking point?

Hopefully they are all on the mend soon!

 

[elgerber]

My DD visited the Campus clinic today too. Geez, is three weeks the breaking point? Hopefully they are all on the mend soon!

Lord I hope not! I am not going to handle a sick child away from home well. Her roommate had a cold last week. I told her the second either of the feel sick, lysol wipes on everything!!