Parents of College Freshman who are now Sophomores... UpDate 7/28/09

[undercovermom]

my 17 year old dd will start her freshman year right after Labor Day. she'll be 3 1/2 hours away. she hasn't gotten her dorm assignment or move in day information yet. we haven't bought a thing for her dorm room yet -- except for the laptop, which I bought from the college computer store. my baby will celebrate her 18th birthday in november but she's already leaving me!

my younger dd just turned 16 and she'll be a high school junior in september, and she's already talking about colege.

it goes by too fast.

 

[luvflorida]

Today she said that she wants to look at USC and UCLA on our upcoming trip to California. What?!?!? We live in New England! How can she be thinking of going that far away!

Just do what my husband and I are doing and go with her! Our daughter will be a freshman at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Right now we are in Maine, but will be moving to Tucson next month and will be about twenty miles from campus.

We've always said that as soon as our youngest graduated from high school, we were moving to warmer climates. We thought that would be in Florida. However, our older daughter and husband live in Arizona (and will be presenting us with our first grandchild just about the same time that youngest daughter starts college ) and our son is relocating to the Las Vegas area, so Arizona it is! I'll have to change my disname to Luvarizona.

 

[Green Tea]

Mine will be 27 hours away. I realized yesterday I am trying not to do the mental countdown. I am an over organizer, super packer, list maker. And I am not this time. We;ve ordered the bedding, but past that, have not done anything else. Surely he needs stuff, though can't imagine needing 60 pairs of socks!

I think if I didn't see the tremendous growth he has shown in the last year, I would be completely freaking out. The difference in last year, particularly in the last 6 months has been almost as dramatic as the first 6 months of life. Truly, astounding to watch a kid grow up in such a short amount of time. He is ready to go off, even if I emotionally am not ready for it.

 

[aprilvaca04]

We were in your shoes last year sending our oldest DD off to school. It is a rollercoaster ride for certain!!!! So here we are looking at starting her second year in a month and I thought it would be soooo much easier. Well, it's not so much. While she had a great year and isn't too far from home so we did get to see her, I'm not looking forward to those moments that jut randomly hit me where I missed her just being around. I never knew whenthey would hit, often when I least expected and I would just be so sad. Yes they would pass and I would be so happy when she would call so excited about a class or an experience but it is a bittersweet thing! And boy did her sister miss her Yikes...the process of letting go....

 

[CraftyMouse]

Just do what my husband and I are doing and go with her! Our daughter will be a freshman at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Right now we are in Maine, but will be moving to Tucson next month and will be about twenty miles from campus.

Nope. Not happening. I just couldn't leave New England...especially for Southern California! No offense to those that live there, but after visiting the area a few times I am quite certain I wouldn't be happy living there.

I doubt she'll end up out there anyway. I have a feeling she'll end up on the East Coast somewhere, but we'll see. We're just starting the search process. So far she's interested in seeing UMass/Amherst (my alma mater), Worcester Polytechnic Institute (her father's), NYU, Boston College, Boston University, either the University of Florida or Florida State (I can never remember, but one has a Dance & Technology major she'd like to look into) and the two in California.

 

[OhMari]

I'm not a parent of a college freshman but my sister will be starting college this year (at the same school I graduated from! ) It's going to be weird for me because I'm 23, living at home while I try to find a teaching job, and both of my sisters are going to be away at college.

Not to hi-jack-look into the prison system. My oldes dd-works at Union Grove Women's prison, and she says they are always looking for teachers. Pay and benefits are great-but environment is different.

Anyway, my youngest, my baby is leaving August 28th. I am looking at her bundle next to my computer. We got her dorm room assignment with her choice of roommate. I'm sure her tuition bill will be in the mail tomorrow.

See my ticker-we were suppose to leave on vacation the day she left. It was suppose to be our "Empty Nest Vacation", but my dh decided Florida was to hot in August. I'm sure I am going to cry all the way home from Green Bay. We even talked about checking her in at 8:30 a.m., move her things in and then letting her come back home till Labor Day, she starts school Sept. 1. She told me she doesn't want to do all the "Camp" College orientation rally's". She has an older sister and 2 older brothers in college and she knows the spiel. I almost fell for it, but I told her she has to participate in a few things.

 

[Lynn CC]

For all us college Moms

My son is a senior in college this fall and plans to go to Japan to study for a year after he graduates next May.

I'd like to say it gets easier as time goes by, but DH and I miss him around here.
We work a A LOT these days to keep him out of debt, so we don't have much time to dwell on it LOL

 

[mickeysgal]

New college mom here.

So far, I've been good. A bit apprehensive, but I think it's more attributed to making sure all the things that need to get done, get done. Tuition, parking fees, dorm supplies, that sort of thing.

He'll be 4 hours away. THAT is what makes me cringe. He is a quiet and reserved - yes, shy, kind of kid and I hope he acclimates quickly, makes friends and socializes - but not too much if you know what I mean.

What's strange is that he doesn't seem to be thinking about it too much. He's been working all summer and I don't think the reality of it all has hit.

 

[Teacher03]

Am I the only one sitting here crying as they read this thread?

OMG! What an emotional roller coaster! Our youngest will be going off to college in about a month. We've been through this with her older brother and sister, but I have to tell you, it is SOOOOOO much harder sending that last child off to college. She is our baby!

Like everyone else has said about their own children, I want her to go off and have a wonderful experience, and spread her wings, and learn to be more independent, and to explore and discover all that is out there, but geesh...there are moments when I just can't stop the tears. I'm really happy for her, but sad at the same time.

My daughter checks into her dorm on August 21st, her 18th birthday. She is so excited, but also apprehensive at the same time. I think what has helped tremendously is already knowing her roommate. They actually haven't met yet, but a few months ago our daughter signed up with Roommate.com, a service offered through the university. It is a secure site where only registered freshmen can log on (college ID is needed) and they can post information about themselves. Other registered incoming freshmen at the same college can e-mail and text each other. It is an excellent way for freshmen to find other freshmen with the same interests, or that have been assigned to the same dorm, or have the same major, etc.

If both of them request each other as a roommate, generally they will be assigned to the same room. Just a few days ago, my daughter got her room assignment and was thrilled that she and her new friend will be roommates. They've been on the computer discussing what each will bring to the dorm, etc. My daughter and the other girl are both in the college of fine arts, and they have a lot of similar interests. So, that has taken a lot of the stress off an already stressful situation.

My daughter and I just returned from her new student orientation. It was a two day event filled with meetings and tours and tons of information to digest. I could tell my daughter was nervous about being able to find the locations of all her classes. We spent the last part of the second day walking over the routes she'll take to get from her dorm to her classes and to other areas on campus. I was quietly getting panicky thinking that she'll never find where she needs to go, or that she'll get lost along the way. In my mind, I easily came up with at least twenty different disasters that could befall her! I just had to keep reminding myself that she can do, she can do it. I have to let go, I have to let go!

I can't even think about the day my husband and I will actually walk away from campus, leaving our daughter behind. Here come the tears again. I really need to pull myself together!

It would be nice if this thread sticks around. It could become a good suppport line for DIS parents of college freshmen!

I am exactly where you are! My baby will move in August 19th, and I am having such a hard time with it. In fact, I cried myself to sleep last night! She is my third, so I have gone through this twice before, but this last one is so difficult. Plus, I have had so many changes in my life the last year in a half; my mom passed away, my older daughter graduated from college and moved 7 hours away; it's just been tough.

I am happy that my daughter is attending the same college as my son, so they can come home together, etc. (He will be a senior.) She doesn't seem nervous at all. She has talked to her roomate through emails, and they are both excited. She is cheering in college, so she has met some of the other cheerleaders and leaves for camp next week.

It would be nice if this thread stayed around, especially for the middle/end of August when most move it! I know I will need the support!

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

Man I was fine till I started reading this thread My oldest has his orientation and registration on Monday with school starting in mid September. He will only be 2 hours away so it won't be too bad. Got to remember to take a box of kleenex when we go to move him to the dorm.

 

[kbkids]

Am I the only one sitting here crying as they read this thread?

UH, nope. I'm crying, and my kids are only 10 and 7.

 

[madge]

Man I was fine till I started reading this thread

I was thinking the same thing.... except I'm wondering if maybe there's something wrong with me because I'm not crying and worked up about it. I have too much to do to really give any of it any thought yet. I don't know. This weekend will be a good test for me & our family, since DS will be gone from Thur-Sun for an orientation. I suspect he'll come back somehow changed - and ready to get on with the business of going to school.

 

[Lynn CC]

Man I was fine till I started reading this thread My oldest has his orientation and registration on Monday with school starting in mid September. He will only be 2 hours away so it won't be too bad. Got to remember to take a box of kleenex when we go to move him to the dorm.

And don't forget the DARK sunglasses!
when DS moved in they had a move-in weekend which involved the parents from Sunday until Convocation on Tuesday. I wore those glasses during the evening hours too, my eyes were so swollen. Watching the students and professors march in dressed in their robes during Convocation and saying good bye on Tuesday morning was very hard, I tear up just thinking about it.

 

[Olaf]

My DS is only 13, so I have a few years yet. You guys should check out last month's Oprah magazine. There's an article about helicopter parents with children leaving for college. Not that any of you appear to even come close to approaching the nutty parents profiled in that piece, but I think you'll find it interesting.

 

[mouseclick1]

My oldest son moves into his dorm on August 28, and he will be rooming with one of his best friends from high school. I just hope they stay good friends once they start living together! In fact, most of his closest friends will be attending the same university.

We haven't started getting anything together yet, and from reading the other posts, I'm starting to think we ought to get going! I guess that means reality really hasn't set in yet!

My boys are only one year apart in school, and I know my other son will miss his brother a lot once he is gone. I know I am going to miss him, but at the same time, I am very excited for him. He got into his first choice college, which he has had his heart set on since he was in elementary school. I do feel very lucky that we live only 45 minutes from the university.

 

[DJR]

We're sending our only DD off to Boston August 23rd. We've held up pretty good so far, but I think we're going to struggle as it gets closer. She's really excited to go, has picked out her roommates and is buying things like crazy. I think she'll do great but it will be a real eye opener for her.

 

[jimmalru80]

Our twin DD's leave soon. August 1st for one and August 17th for the other. They both will be playing soccer in college. I have my moments just about every day and their departures will be here before you know it. One will be eight hours away, the other about one and one half hours away.

We've already been through this once with DS, now 24 and it was not easy. Even when he comes to visit for a few days or goes to WDW with us every year, saying good bye still hurts.

I'm just not sure how I'm going to handle this. The past few years have been a whirlwind of activity with High School Sports, Club Soccer and AAU Basketball taking up nearly every weekend and spare moment. That will come to an end soon. We will try to see as many games as we can, but I've never missed a game before. Never.

It's not something I'm looking forward to but it's something I'll just have to deal with.

 

[CPT Tripss]

One piece of advice. Start preparing now for the changes you will see over the Thanksgiving and Christmas break! You'll have a stranger living in your "child's" room!

The first move in day seemed like yesterday as DW and I sat proudly at graduation!

 

[Amy]

New college mom here.

So far, I've been good. A bit apprehensive, but I think it's more attributed to making sure all the things that need to get done, get done. Tuition, parking fees, dorm supplies, that sort of thing.

He'll be 4 hours away. THAT is what makes me cringe. He is a quiet and reserved - yes, shy, kind of kid and I hope he acclimates quickly, makes friends and socializes - but not too much if you know what I mean.

What's strange is that he doesn't seem to be thinking about it too much. He's been working all summer and I don't think the reality of it all has hit.

Another new college mom of a shy, quiet, reserved DS. I'm joking that when he comes home at Thanksgiving we won't recognize him....he'll be totally different, outgoing, tatoos, the whole bit! At least I HOPE I'm joking and it doesn't turn into reality!

Anyway, he's our oldest, and he's been too dependent on me all along. His college is 1.5 hours away, so he's far enough to be away, but still close enough to have the comfort of being semi-close to home. He's decided to join the college marching band, so we have to move him into his dorm about a week ahead of the other freshmen so he can attend band camp. I'm hoping this helps him....he'll meet all the band kids first and get comfortable on the campus before the rest of the freshmen arrive.

I've been trying to get ready a little at a time....I don't want to deal with a $500+ shopping trip to Target - I'd rather break it down into $100 at a time! And this summer I told DS that he has to do his own laundry all summer so he's used to it by the time he leaves. Baby steps for both mom and DS....

 

[aprilvaca04]

Another new college mom of a shy, quiet, reserved DS. I'm joking that when he comes home at Thanksgiving we won't recognize him....he'll be totally different, outgoing, tatoos, the whole bit! At least I HOPE I'm joking and it doesn't turn into reality!

Anyway, he's our oldest, and he's been too dependent on me all along. His college is 1.5 hours away, so he's far enough to be away, but still close enough to have the comfort of being semi-close to home. He's decided to join the college marching band, so we have to move him into his dorm about a week ahead of the other freshmen so he can attend band camp. I'm hoping this helps him....he'll meet all the band kids first and get comfortable on the campus before the rest of the freshmen arrive.

I've been trying to get ready a little at a time....I don't want to deal with a $500+ shopping trip to Target - I'd rather break it down into $100 at a time! And this summer I told DS that he has to do his own laundry all summer so he's used to it by the time he leaves. Baby steps for both mom and DS....

Yup...baby steps are critical to success