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

[madge]

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....

that's a good idea - about the laundry. I've tried teaching DS more than once, and he doesn't seem to want to learn. (my middle son has, go figure. LOL) I guess it will be baptism by fire when he needs clean underwear. Lucky for my DS, his grandparents live about an hour from campus. He can have grandma do his laundry and get a home-cooked meal.

We must be one of few families that won't be involved with a move-in weekend. There's a move-in day:
http://www.georgetowncollege.edu/fns/fresh_orientation.htm

our other two children will already be in school, so DH & I will follow DS to school, help him get settled in his dorm, get any last minute details taken care of, and will head home after lunch. I'm hoping to get after-school arrangements for my other two kiddoes, so we don't have to rush home.

We're lucky, DS is going to school where we're well connected with trustees, other students, and employees of the college. If something isn't going well, we'll hear about it. It's not a large school. It's 90 minutes away, so he'll be away... but taken care of

 

[MerryPoppins]

Be sure you teach them about washing new red t-shirts or jeans with white underwear/socks. OU's colors are crimson and cream. A couple of weeks after school begins, you can always spot the freshman boys. They're the ones that washed the new red t-shirt with their socks....you got it they have pink socks. Or new jeans makes for baby blue socks. Ah the life lessons that college teaches.

 

[adkkev]

#2 son couldn't wait to get away for college, it was about 3 hours drive away. In less than 2 years he was back home again, having done very poorly at school (classes kept interfering with parties). Now, 6 yrs later, he's back at college, and working full time, and living away from home with his g/f. And getting up at 5:30am to go to the gym to work out, then his job all day (IT person), and then school 4 nights a week! This from the kid who couldn't move outta bed by noon on a good day.

#1 son went to a 2 yr school first ... about 3 hours away from home. He did very well, and actually came out of his 'shell' there. About 3 months before his graduation he announced that he was going to get his BS degree at the Univ of Alaska Fairbanks ... and so that August we drove him and his g/f to Newark and they flew, sight unseen, to Fairbanks. Where they still live to this day. On the negative side, they're 4500 miles away (and with a new grandson) ... on the positive side, we've visited Alaska six times in the past nine years, something we may have never done!! But even after being away for nearly ten years, we chat every Sunday on the phone.

 

[Kirby]

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!

Within the first month of college our son was sporting his first tatoo! He got his second one a year ago. He works 30 hours a week and goes to school full time. I figure that if the worst he does is get a tatoo then we are doing good.

 

[OhMari]

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.

I'll have to find a copy. Me a Helicopter mom-no way. The other big scenario-is the phone call home the first few weeks. You know they want to cry and you want to cry, but you have to stay strong and encourage them to get involved. Tell them not to sit in their dorm rooms and go join something.

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!

QUOTE]

Go to Kohl's . com. I've been ordering things my dd has picked out. This weekend they had a 30% off coupon plus free shipping after $75. The code is SAVE30JULY-you might have to have the Kohls charge for this coupon. Click on the Bedding and you will see a "dorm" section. They have sheets, mattresses bedding for extra-long.
My dd ordered the wrap around towel, a clock that shines the time on the ceiling and other things. We've been doing shopping since April. I always said, there should be a "college shower party" for college kids. Wow is it expensive.

 

[My sister's princess]

Im not a mom, haha in fact I am the girl that you are handing your kids over to. I am an RA at the school I attend. Here is the thing to know though, ask us LOTS of questions. You know the ones your kid doesn't want to ask, the silly things like, who can I talk to if I am home sick, what if my roommate smells? Ask us these things in front of you son/daughter so that they get to hear the answer and didn't have to ask themselves. If you are nervous, we are hear to help everyone understand what is going on.

*HINT*
Super organized moms: Please don't organize the room, please don't unpack their things, this happened to my freshman roommate, she couldn't find some of the stuff she needed for classes, and as soon as our moms had left me moved everything around because they didn't listen to what we had to say, they just wanted to oraganize

If anyone has any questions about good things to bring and such just let me know, I have been doing the dorm thing for a while now, even staying at school this summer to work much to my mothers

 

[mamacatnv]

Im not a mom, haha in fact I am the girl that you are handing your kids over to. I am an RA at the school I attend. Here is the thing to know though, ask us LOTS of questions. You know the ones your kid doesn't want to ask, the silly things like, who can I talk to if I am home sick, what if my roommate smells? Ask us these things in front of you son/daughter so that they get to hear the answer and didn't have to ask themselves. If you are nervous, we are hear to help everyone understand what is going on.

*HINT*
Super organized moms: Please don't organize the room, please don't unpack their things, this happened to my freshman roommate, she couldn't find some of the stuff she needed for classes, and as soon as our moms had left me moved everything around because they didn't listen to what we had to say, they just wanted to oraganize

If anyone has any questions about good things to bring and such just let me know, I have been doing the dorm thing for a while now, even staying at school this summer to work much to my mothers

Thanks for the insider tips. We told DS that if he wants to continue with dorm life after his first year that he should look into it. He did peer mediation in high school and enjoyed it. Of course I'm thinking about the reduction in living costs

There is no way I am organizing his room I figure, he can get it there, he can unload it and he can put it away Okay, his Dad can help I'm sure I will have been dispatched to the grocery store for rations anyway

I should mention that DS's dorm is about 15 minutes away (thank goodness) I don't know if I could take it if he were hours away. I told DS that I figured out how to pay for his meal plan. Parents eat free with their student at the student cafe (like a huge Disney food court only better, with lots of made to order goodies and it is all you can eat) so we told DS that we would just come by every evening for dinner (we only have to pay for DD who LOVES the idea) and weekends for brunch. He was not amused

For those of you with kids going away - I'm just curious, how much is the R&B for Fall & Spring Semester?
Room= $4590
Dining= $3899
Double occupancy room with the next to the top meal plan. We were told that because he is a "local" the all inclusive was a waste of money since it was a guaranteed 3 meals a day, 7 days a week with no roll over. We opted for 1 level down, with rollover options and campus cash.

To all of you responding to this thread, I am sooooo glad I am not alone.

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

My Ds's is going to run around $2,300 from room and the lowest level meal plan. That's a double occupancy room and basically 1 meal a day.

 

[madge]

For those of you with kids going away - I'm just curious, how much is the R&B for Fall & Spring Semester?
Room= $4590
Dining= $3899

$6700 total room & meals. DS gets 19 meals/week. It was the required plan for freshmen.

 

[My sister's princess]

My School runs 6700 I that is room and board. Students get to choose from a few different plans. They have meals in the commons and then dollars that they can use in the coffee shop, campus center (sandwiches and soda ect) and at a pizza place over across town. They are only good for one semester though so it is a use it or lose it type of thing. I found due to my class schedule that I could only make it to the commons once, twice a day at the most... So I don't do the 19 meals a week.
This price includes wireless internet, cable, heat ect. My DBF has decided to live off campus this year (we will both be third years) and I have a feeling with the cost of gas and rising food, he isn't going to do much better. I of course don't really worry about the bill. Not having the living expenses allows me to save more for DISNEY of course

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

My Ds's is going to run around $2,300 from room and the lowest level meal plan. That's a double occupancy room and basically 1 meal a day.

I should have added that is per semester so $6,900 for the year.

 

[happyatdisney]

Another new college mom here! We are sending our one and only off to college on Aug. 27. I honestly don't think the reality has hit me yet at all. Happily (probably more for me than her) she will be only an hour away, so it will be easy to see her......if she wants to see us LOL!

She has been so excited for so long now, and as another poster said, I can truly see that she is ready: she has grown up a lot this year. She has grown up a lot just this past summer!! When we visited the school for admitted students day in April, both DH and I just knew that she will really shine there, and are excited for her. She will have wonderful opportunities and will love it, of that I am sure.

Still I worry. It's a mom's job to worry about things that no one worries about, isn't it? Just today she called me from work, and wanted to know if I had time for a quick lunch, 'cause she had a bad day. Those are the things that I worry about: when she has a bad day, who will be there for her the way her mom will? Of course she will work out her problems, and be the better for it. But I will still get the call, hear the sadness or tears over the phone, and just ache because I can't give her a hug in person. (Of course DH says to me, "and you'll lose sleep worrying about how she's doing, and five minutes after she hangs up with you, she'll be fine...it's just that YOU won't!! )

I am so happy to find this thread. We can all worry together.

 

[mouseclick1]

For those of you with kids going away - I'm just curious, how much is the R&B for Fall & Spring Semester?
Room= $4590
Dining= $3899
Double occupancy room with the next to the top meal plan. We were told that because he is a "local" the all inclusive was a waste of money since it was a guaranteed 3 meals a day, 7 days a week with no roll over. We opted for 1 level down, with rollover options and campus cash.

To all of you responding to this thread, I am sooooo glad I am not alone.

Our total for the year is $9310. We opted for the all inclusive meal plan, however it looks like his dorm cafeteria has very limited hours during the weekends.

 

[mickeysgal]

If anyone has any questions about good things to bring and such just let me know, I have been doing the dorm thing for a while now, even staying at school this summer to work much to my mothers

Thank you for offering your help.

I am so new to this, I don't know all the right questions to ask. What are the not so obvious things that my son should bring? He'll be in dorm room with three other guys - it's an apartment style dorm with a mini-kitchen (microwave and fridge only). He'll have his own bedroom and share a bath with one of the other guys.

 

[ColoradoBuffaloMom]

Count me in too. My DD moves into her Residence Hall in 4 weeks and we have hardly bought anything. Her school is about 40 minutes away so I've been saying it is close enough to come home for a weekend but too far to come home for dinner every night

She is very excited and a bit apprehensive and I know she will be fine but I also know I am going to be crying like crazy-hopefully not too loudly.

She is my oldest and we spend a lot of time together so I know I will miss her. Her 17 brother says he won't miss her but I know he will.

The funny thing is I have worked in Residence Halls for almost 20 years so you'd think of all people I would be prepared for this but I am not ready to admit this year it is my daughter I'll be crying about. All those other years I'd cry as other parents said goodbye to their kids.

As the girl who is the RA wrote, we in Housing truly do care about your kids and want them to succeed and have a great time. Encourage your son or daughter to talk to their RA if there are any concerns and also feel free to call us Housing Adminstrators too. Most of us wouldn't be working in Housing if we didn't love working with college students.

Now remind me I said all of this in a few weeks when I am boo hooing over my daughter

 

[mermaidlady]

DD is going to be in a triple with the lowest dining plan. They have a declining balance program that gets funded on Sunday midnight. What you don't spend you lose. She also gets flex bucks that can be used in a lot of the area fast food places.

Room and board is 3600 per semester.

We saw a triple dorm on the tour and dang, is that thing small. She has a pile of stuff to get in there. She is going to see one of her roommates tomorrow. The other lives much further away and they have been emailing each other. Hopefully the three of them will get along.

Less than a month to go now. I don't know whether to be happy that she gets to spread her wings or sad that I won't see her every day

 

[Master Mason]

Oldest son Graduated from College this year, youngest still has 2 more years of HS. The older one was easy when he went to school, the younger will be much harder. But that is because we have very different relationships based on some choices the older one made during HS. (choices he has sence told me he regrets making btw)

 

[Green Tea]

I am looking at the statement right now. We just paid it. The double room semester is $2827. The base meal plan is $1611 and we upped it to the highest for an extra $454. So a semester of R & B is $4892, so $9784 a year.

I think I need to be buying stuff, but honestly can't think what I need to buy.

 

[Lynn CC]

Our Son is in his last year of undergrad...This is for Fall and Spring Semester in Boston

Tuition is $25,824
Fees $170
R & B $19,140
Scholarships = $13,176 (more than we expected for his last year)

May- Aug Classes 5 Days a week X 4 months = $5500 for Language Studies.

It's expensive, but he loves it, and is high honors!

He could have went free to a State School here in MA, but decided to go private, it was the right decision for him and we've managed to get him through with no loans with DH and I both working 16...extra hours each week. (12 hour weekdays + Saturdays)

Our reward is Tokyo Disney next year!

 

[WL Fan]

We'll be sending our DS#2 off to university about 2 hours away Aug. 21. We had orientation yesterday, just he and I went. We got to have another tour, and found the building he'll be dorming in. They have a nice set up, he's in a room with another student, but they have their own little kitchen, bath and two tiny bathrooms in the one room. He's excited, and he'll do fine, but I'll still be sad to see him go!

It's a big change coming. You can feel it. Even though the kids are gonna be fine, and turn out to be such wonderful people, it's hard to see them go from being your little guys into grown ups. It hurts even though it really shouldn't, we should be glad we did such a good job!

At least we're not alone!