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

[Bluestars]

Family weekend for DS is this weekend. Of course, we're going ... then he comes home on Wednesday for fall break. Someone didn't really think that schedule through very well.

I anticipate a little shopping on Satuday, considering I've already been texted a coupon for a store near campus. My son, who couldn't care less about clothes 6 weeks ago ... is suddenly shopping for Vineyard Vines and Southern Tide
We'll stock up on necessities & swap out the wardrobe next week. College town is tiny & the only place to shop is Wal-Mart. No thanks.

Other than the shopping, I have no idea what the schedule for the day/weekend is. Oh, to be the parent of a boy.

That's strange to have family weekend and fall break so close together. I don't think my son's school has a fall break. We are flying up there for a week in October. We'll spend a weekend there, fly to see my husband's family, then fly back for the family weekend.

Your comment about the clothes is funny. It made my think of my son and his boots. He never wore a pair of boots in his life, but we had to go boot shopping when we visited him in several weeks ago. He is going to school in Texas and thinks that boots are a requirement for doing the two step or whatever it is they do at the dances. We found a boot store that had hundreds of boot styles. I had never seen anything like it.

 

[Bluestars]

We had a great visit with DD. We went up Friday because she's finished by 10 am. We went to one of her favorite places for lunch and then she showed us around the Town Square. We went to the Pep Rally that evening and then to another of her faves for dinner. Saturday we tailgated and went to the football game and then out that evening to a fun place with live music for dinner. We took her out to breakfast yesterday and headed home. If we go to Family Weekend next year, I will not pay the $60 per person fee. The only organized events we attended were the tailgating and game. We could have bought game tickets and been way ahead on cost. DD didn't want to eat at the group breakfasts and dinners. She wanted to take us to her favorites and have mom and dad pay, of course. She is completely settled in and loving it which was great to see. She didn't want to stay at the hotel with us and doesn't understand the kids who, "go home every weekend. They're missing out on so much!" She had no plans to come home until Christmas but her friend has been trying to convince her to share the driving to come home for their high school's homecoming. DD realized this weekend that homecoming is the same weekend as her home dance school's first performance of the season. Her cousin has been cast in her first partnering role and one of DD's dance friends is leaving for Russia later in October to study with the Bolshoi so it looks like she's going to come home then. I'll be happy for her to be here and will conveniently forget that it took all these outside factors to convince her. Missing mom and dad was never part of the equation. Oh and DH and my birthdays are the week after she'll be coming home but that never came into the discussion either. I love that girl and I'm so happy that she's so settled!

That's great that you will get to see her before Christmas. She'll be happy that she did come home with all of that stuff going on.

 

[Bluestars]

We visited DD this weekend also. We were up there by dinner on Friday. We checked into the hotel and then went and picked her up. Of course I had to cry on the way down the hotel stairs because I was so excited! Then I had to cry, just a little, when we said goodbye again. She didn't want to stay in the hotel with us either.
We ate several meals LOL, did some shopping, showed her how to unhook and rehook her car battery (her car does weird things that occasionally require that) and checked out a couple of things in her room.
She was saying at dinner all giddy, how The Fault in Our Stars came out on video last Tuesday. Dh asks her, did you buy it? She says not yet, then she says, I was hoping you'd buy it for me LOL. So, of course, I did. $75 at Target, every single item for her. Dang kid, I have always had a hard time saying no, and now the missing her factor, I am a goner.

It sounds like you had a wonderful time seeing her. I don't blame you for giving in and buying her things at Target. I would have done the same thing. It's hard going weeks or months at a time without seeing someone you used to see every day. I am glad that my son responds to text messages and calls once a week. The texts make me feel close to him without feeling like I am bothering him.

 

[madge]

That's strange to have family weekend and fall break so close together. I don't think my son's school has a fall break. We are flying up there for a week in October. We'll spend a weekend there, fly to see my husband's family, then fly back for the family weekend.

I think family weekend was supposed to be a week sooner, but there was an issue with the football schedule. Fall break comes as a result of nearly every school district in this part of the state being out one of the next few weeks. Colleges followed suit, but the break is usually just a couple of days. (vs. a full week) Unfortunately for us, DS is out next week, DD is out the following .. so no overlap.

Your comment about the clothes is funny. It made my think of my son and his boots. He never wore a pair of boots in his life, but we had to go boot shopping when we visited him in several weeks ago. He is going to school in Texas and thinks that boots are a requirement for doing the two step or whatever it is they do at the dances. We found a boot store that had hundreds of boot styles. I had never seen anything like it.

boots are serious business! LOL!

 

[sk!mom]

That's strange to have family weekend and fall break so close together. I don't think my son's school has a fall break. We are flying up there for a week in October. We'll spend a weekend there, fly to see my husband's family, then fly back for the family weekend. Your comment about the clothes is funny. It made my think of my son and his boots. He never wore a pair of boots in his life, but we had to go boot shopping when we visited him in several weeks ago. He is going to school in Texas and thinks that boots are a requirement for doing the two step or whatever it is they do at the dances. We found a boot store that had hundreds of boot styles. I had never seen anything like it.

That's so funny. My DD is Texan born and bred and still in Texas for college yet she does not wear cowboy boots...ever.

I think about your son a lot. I know how difficult the corp experience is at TAMU especially the first year. I hope that it becomes easier as time goes by.

 

[sk!mom]

We visited DD this weekend also. We were up there by dinner on Friday. We checked into the hotel and then went and picked her up. Of course I had to cry on the way down the hotel stairs because I was so excited! Then I had to cry, just a little, when we said goodbye again. She didn't want to stay in the hotel with us either. We ate several meals LOL, did some shopping, showed her how to unhook and rehook her car battery (her car does weird things that occasionally require that) and checked out a couple of things in her room. She was saying at dinner all giddy, how The Fault in Our Stars came out on video last Tuesday. Dh asks her, did you buy it? She says not yet, then she says, I was hoping you'd buy it for me LOL. So, of course, I did. $75 at Target, every single item for her. Dang kid, I have always had a hard time saying no, and now the missing her factor, I am a goner.

I feel you! Missing them makes it so hard not to buy gifts ALL THE TIME. I passed right by that movie when we stopped at Wal Mart with her to pick up a few things but I bought it on Amazon today and shipped it to her.

 

[sk!mom]

Double post...sorry

 

[elgerber]

Yes I bought her The Fault in Our Stars, and when we dropped her back at the dorm that night, she promptly rounded up some girls and watched it LOL.
funny we were looking at boots too, but for a different reason...she is at school in northern MN!!

 

[Bluestars]

That's so funny. My DD is Texan born and bred and still in Texas for college yet she does not wear cowboy boots...ever.

I think about your son a lot. I know how difficult the corp experience is at TAMU especially the first year. I hope that it becomes easier as time goes by.

When we visited, we saw a few girls wearing cowboy boots and shorts or skirts. I don't see that where I live. It looks cute though.

The Corps is much harder than he thought. He is in great physical shape and thought that it would mostly be physical. I think they are trying to teach the kids discipline and structure. He gets annoyed about the attention to details like the hangers being a certain distance apart and all of the restrictions. He will get used to it though. I couldn't do it myself and am amazed that anyone willingly does it. LOL. I have a lot of respect for the cadets.

 

[Bluestars]

Yes I bought her The Fault in Our Stars, and when we dropped her back at the dorm that night, she promptly rounded up some girls and watched it LOL.
funny we were looking at boots too, but for a different reason...she is at school in northern MN!!

That's good that it was something she could share with her friends.

I am sure it gets very gold up there in MN! It would be fun to shop for boots and sweaters.

 

[elgerber]

That's good that it was something she could share with her friends.

I am sure it gets very gold up there in MN! It would be fun to shop for boots and sweaters.

Ha, when you live here it's not fun!! The tough part is getting boots that will keep her pretty warm and dry walking to class, but not make her sweat puddles when she is in class.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Ha, when you live here it's not fun!! The tough part is getting boots that will keep her pretty warm and dry walking to class, but not make her sweat puddles when she is in class.

So would you like to share what you've found? My daughter (in NJ, not Minnesota) will be needing new winter boots and I'd love to know what you recommend.

 

[elgerber]

So would you like to share what you've found? My daughter (in NJ, not Minnesota) will be needing new winter boots and I'd love to know what you recommend.

So far nothing! We didn't look terribly hard, because the stores in town, are actually in North Dakota and they charge 7.5% tax on clothing, and MN does not. So when she comes home in a couple of weeks, we will look more.

I just mailed her some bright blue eyeliner that she wanted LOL, dang kid!

 

[PrincessKsMom]

So far nothing! We didn't look terribly hard, because the stores in town, are actually in North Dakota and they charge 7.5% tax on clothing, and MN does not. So when she comes home in a couple of weeks, we will look more.

I just mailed her some bright blue eyeliner that she wanted LOL, dang kid!

I went to visit this weekend. Spent a fortunate before I went, then spent another fortune once I got there. Most of the money spent was on food because she hates the campus food. Had begged me to take her out for "real food" and then passed a comment about being outside the prison walls when we left campus. Didn't dawn on me she hasn't let the campus since she got there because she doesn't have a car. There is public transportation, but she's not that adventurous yet.

 

[njmom47]

DS has a car.
He didn't take it the first week, but I went to get him the Friday of Labor Day weekend and he took his car back Monday.
Then he came home the next weekend, and told us he didn't need or want his car...it had just sat in the parking lot. I drove him back. Grr
Now he called and said he wants his car (it needs repairs to the tune of about $600 for us to feel as if it's safe enough for him to drive the Turnpike) because his best friend wants him to come to visit him at bf's school (1 1/2 hrs away from ds's school). Oh my gosh. Make up your mind kid!!!
I have been looking at his banking and he is making his way around (Wawa, Applebees, etc) so I guess his roommate is driving.

 

[Bluestars]

DS has a car.
He didn't take it the first week, but I went to get him the Friday of Labor Day weekend and he took his car back Monday.
Then he came home the next weekend, and told us he didn't need or want his car...it had just sat in the parking lot. I drove him back. Grr
Now he called and said he wants his car (it needs repairs to the tune of about $600 for us to feel as if it's safe enough for him to drive the Turnpike) because his best friend wants him to come to visit him at bf's school (1 1/2 hrs away from ds's school). Oh my gosh. Make up your mind kid!!!
I have been looking at his banking and he is making his way around (Wawa, Applebees, etc) so I guess his roommate is driving.

That could go on all year. I want the car. I don't want the car. Kids.

I wish my son left his vehicle, but he took it. He ends up being the one who drives his friends around when they go to stores and out to eat.

I look at my son's banking too. One of his accounts is linked to mine, so I can see where he goes to eat, when he goes to the store, and everything. He doesn't spend much, but it's nice to have an idea of what he is doing.

 

[sk!mom]

DD has been gone a little over a month now and we just finished the bills for that month, anyone else notice a significant reduction in your monthly overhead?

DH had long predicted that we would be able to cash flow a decent portion of the college bills through our reduced overhead. I scoffed at the notion but month one has proven him correct. Electricity, water, groceries- everything is less. The grocery bill surprised me the most as DD doesn't seem to eat much but I now realize that I bought a lot of special things just for her.

I still miss her but at least there's this...

 

[IDoDis]

DD has been gone a little over a month now and we just finished the bills for that month, anyone else notice a significant reduction in your monthly overhead? DH had long predicted that we would be able to cash flow a decent portion of the college bills through our reduced overhead. I scoffed at the notion but month one has proven him correct. Electricity, water, groceries- everything is less. The grocery bill surprised me the most as DD doesn't seem to eat much but I now realize that I bought a lot of special things just for her. I still miss her but at least there's this...

I noticed the grocery bill is way down! The water bill was actually higher because we had our old sod ripped out and planted new sod a few weeks ago which needs lots of water. So I won't know until next month if that bill is lower. Our monthly gas (for cars) is way down. DD has her car with her, but it sits in the parking garage most days. A tank of gas has lasted her for over a month. The students can ride the city bus for free and she's taken advantage of that perk already. Her parking pass was $400 though, so in the end we aren't really ahead on the car expense. Midterms are coming up fast end furiously. Two more weeks until fall break for The whole family!

 

[Bluestars]

I've noticed that our grocery deal is way down and my grocery shopping time is cut in half.

 

[elgerber]

So my dd goes to school in MN and one of her best friends in ND. We picked her friend up at her school and went to dinner Saturday night. Sunday night when we came back home here there was a news story that they were looking for a missing ND freshman ( no one we knew). Sad enough he was missing and our girls are the age in the same area (the two universities are only a few miles apart). Tuesday they found him a couple of miles from my dd school. Today they announced it was murder. Now I am sure my dd is just as safe as before but to say it freaks me out a bit, would be a fair statement! I wish they would release some more details so we know if it was random or something. This on top of ds telling us a girl was raped on campus already this school year. Can I put her back in her bubble please?