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

[Ariel Mae]

Her RA checks on them at least 3 times a day.

Really? It's college. Not a babysitter's club/daycare. :S

 

[FINFAN]

Everyone sounds like thinkgs are off and running!
Amy, my DD also said something similar...she said everyone seems so happy and relaxed ( so far) so unlike high school, and the differends is everyone WANTS to be there, they chose it, unlike high school where you have no choice but to go. ( for the most part)
There are a lot of on campus activities/events still going on which she loves, example:
yesterday was the pre-screening of the DVD release for Kung Foo Pnda. 4 or 5 alumni worked on the movie and the pre-screening was an advance look at the extras , etc. that will be on the DVD. ( she felt so important being able to see this ahead of the general public)Before the screening there was a "learn to make sushi" event, and after the screening a drawing session on portraits. To DD, this was about as close to heaven as you could get. She would live on Sushi if she could, knowing she is attending the same school as successful grads and seeing their work, with their instructors, drawing portraits for fun? A tri-fecta of amazement for her. I was thrilled that this was how she was choosing to spend a Satuday/night. I'm sure many hit the beach.
I just wish I were closer, or win the lotto so I could afford to go see her. She does not have classes on Wednesday, so we are hoping to make Tuesday evenings a night for video cam I'll be the queen of the cyber !
OhMari: Airports must spray some sort of drug into the air to mess with one's emotions! I hope you were able to enjoy your birthday some My DH is having a VERY tough time, we all are. I am torn to see DH,DS and then my own feelings..I don't know which way to turn, feel...we have too many changes this year. DD off to a school so far away, DS starting high school and he is not a kid who likes school, ever and grades are not an easy thing..so there's major stress. I am on a major job search, need something more accomodating to DS schedule and my sister is going thru a wicked divorce, elderly parents on both side of me and DH.... just too much uncertainty. Actually, I think I just figured out WHY DD is loving away at school! good golly! She is free and clear of all the mess back here! I want to go there too!
Hang in there everyone, one day at a time!

 

[fraggle551]

I just found this thread, and wanted to pipe in. Im a college senior, and reading through all this made me sad! I won't have another drop off at school . You're kids are all in for the times of there lives. It will be quite a ride of ups and downs, but man, is it one incredible ride.

If anyone has any questions at all, please don't hesitate to ask me! After 3 years of campus living, I think i've seen it all, and dealt with it all. Hell I went from hating school so much my first semester freshman year to getting accepted to a school closer to home. Decided to stay put, and now I want the past three years back cause I loved them so much!

But enough reminiscing for me...I just hope you're kids are loving school! And once again, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me

 

[FINFAN]

Hi Fraggle, thanks for giving us insight to the "other side"!
I am sure we will have many questions for you, and glad to hear you loved the overall college experience. Welcome to the thread!


Pam

 

[mickeysgal]

I just found this thread, and wanted to pipe in. Im a college senior, and reading through all this made me sad! I won't have another drop off at school . You're kids are all in for the times of there lives. It will be quite a ride of ups and downs, but man, is it one incredible ride.

If anyone has any questions at all, please don't hesitate to ask me! After 3 years of campus living, I think i've seen it all, and dealt with it all. Hell I went from hating school so much my first semester freshman year to getting accepted to a school closer to home. Decided to stay put, and now I want the past three years back cause I loved them so much!

But enough reminiscing for me...I just hope you're kids are loving school! And once again, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me

My question of the day...do they ever learn to get off the phone with the girlfriend and get serious with the studying? Seriously. This has had me upset all day.

 

[fraggle551]

My question of the day...do they ever learn to get off the phone with the girlfriend and get serious with the studying? Seriously. This has had me upset all day.

It'll get better, I promise! They're both adjusting to a whole new life and people and are just clinging to each other cause its normal and comfortable. And the work will get done. Was your son a decent student in high school? He'll see after a few weeks that its a lot harder than high school. He'll be studying and cramming for midterms just like the rest of us, even if we have been studying all along. I know none of this sounds very reassuring right now, but I promise it gets better. Also, my first semester load wasn't very hard. I certainly didn't have 5 15 page research papers to do like I do this semester! As soon as he gets some quizzes and test grades back, he'll know where he stands, and what he has to do in order to make good grades. Everyone finds their balance after a few weeks. For example, Its 11:11 right now where I am, and I just started doing laundry, cleaning up my room, and am going to read for one of my classes tomorrow. If I tried to do that during the day, it just wouldn't work for me.

As far as the girlfriend thing....I don't know what to tell ya. I just hope it gets better for you !

Hope that helped.

 

[mickeysgal]

It'll get better, I promise! They're both adjusting to a whole new life and people and are just clinging to each other cause its normal and comfortable. And the work will get done. Was your son a decent student in high school? He'll see after a few weeks that its a lot harder than high school. He'll be studying and cramming for midterms just like the rest of us, even if we have been studying all along. I know none of this sounds very reassuring right now, but I promise it gets better. Also, my first semester load wasn't very hard. I certainly didn't have 5 15 page research papers to do like I do this semester! As soon as he gets some quizzes and test grades back, he'll know where he stands, and what he has to do in order to make good grades. Everyone finds their balance after a few weeks. For example, Its 11:11 right now where I am, and I just started doing laundry, cleaning up my room, and am going to read for one of my classes tomorrow. If I tried to do that during the day, it just wouldn't work for me.

As far as the girlfriend thing....I don't know what to tell ya. I just hope it gets better for you !

Hope that helped.

Yes, it did help. Thank you.

He was an ok student in high school ....B/C , easily a B if he put effort into the class. That's what I'm worried about. I think he's assuming this is the same pace as high school. We'll see, I guess.

 

[fraggle551]

Yes, it did help. Thank you.

He was an ok student in high school ....B/C , easily a B if he put effort into the class. That's what I'm worried about. I think he's assuming this is the same pace as high school. We'll see, I guess.

No problem. Just remember he has 7 semester after this to get great grades. Hey if he happens to go to school in CT, I could go give him a little pep talk/lecture about studying!

 

[mickeysgal]

No problem. Just remember he has 7 semester after this to get great grades. Hey if he happens to go to school in CT, I could go give him a little pep talk/lecture about studying!

No, he's in Georgia.

Thank you though, I've been upset all day and you did help.

 

[Green Tea]

Great transition here. DS LOVES it.

 

[phorsenuf]

I dropped mine off on Saturday. Haven't hard a peep from him since!
Guess he's having a good time. Today they meet with the president and deans and such. I don't think he starts classes for a couple more days. Maybe he'll call today.

Three down, one to go (and maybe a year early too!)

 

[donac]

Mine was home over the weekend. He just went out with some friends, did a boy scout thing on Sat and went to bed early.

When we talked about taking him back dh offered one time and he said he wanted to go back earlier so that he could go to a game night the honor's program was having. He has so many new friends. I am so happy for him.

Mine talked about seeing Kung Fu Panda also one night soon. They saw Ironman outdoors on a large screen.

 

[mamacatnv]

My question of the day...do they ever learn to get off the phone with the girlfriend and get serious with the studying? Seriously. This has had me upset all day.

My DS while living on campus is still local - he is 10 minutes from home and 15 minutes from his GirlyFriend. Girly is a HS senior and the only way I can judge the amount of time together is in his gasoline consumption which has almost doubled since he started school. He has unlimited Text and so does she, they don't talk because neither of them have plans that are rich in minutes, they text. The increase in the gasoline tells me he is running back and forth to her house, a lot. I mentioned it to him last night, which means he will probably just pad his gas tank with his own money because I know he is not going to back off on Girly. My biggest concern is that he will forego a college activity to go spend time with her, but alas, I am keeping my mouth shut.

DS too is having a great time. He did a ton of laundry last weekend on free laundry weekend. Yesterday, he stopped by to drop off his Dad's car that he had used for a quick trip to Girly's mother who lives in N. California. He swiped several quarters from the change basket, he was "out of clean underwear"

He is being heavily recruited by a Fraternity and has attended several of their functions. He just worked his last LifeGuard shift of the season and won't be starting his Fall part time job until the first weekend in October.

He says college is easy and that he is staying up on his homework.
He and I went to the HS football game on Friday. It is an old rivalry and he wanted to go.

He thinks his roomie is weird and the kid is a total slob. Now, if my DS is complaining someone is a slob, OMGosh, it must be bad! They just have absolutely nothing in common, but DS says they are getting along well. He says they don't talk much and they do not interact but they seem to be co-exisiting just fine.

As for how things are going in our house. Well, first of all the house is cleaner than it has been in months. I threated DH, told him there was now an available spare room and that if he didn't start picking up his crap and cleaning up after himself then he could move into that room. Hummmm, it's working. Also, I have a lot of nervous energy to deal with, so I have been cleaning.

DD is adjusting slowly, DS gave her his email address and I just learned that they are communicating regularly through email.

All in all, everyone is adjusting.

 

[undercovermom]

Mine's been away for just over a week. We dropped her off Labor Day Wekend, stayed out of her way as she moved herself in, then met her roommates and their parents -- and the dads had to rearrange furniture because there are three girls in a room designed for two and all the electrical sockets and internet connections are on one wall.

the room is lovely, though, with a big picture window that looks out at a view of trees -- which will be lovely as autumn reaches New England.

I promised her I wouldn't cry, and I didn't -- until I got into the car and watched her go back into her dorm room.

she sems to be adjusting OK.

meanwhile my ex and I are planning our "Parents' Weekend" visit in November.

 

[luvflorida]

As for how things are going in our house. Well, first of all the house is cleaner than it has been in months. I threated DH, told him there was now an available spare room and that if he didn't start picking up his crap and cleaning up after himself then he could move into that room. Hummmm, it's working. Also, I have a lot of nervous energy to deal with, so I have been cleaning.

I have tons of nervous energy, too! I can't help it, but every time the phone rings, my heart takes a giant leap. I'm still afraid of getting "that" call- "I want to come home."

I'm also finding that it doesn't take much time to keep the house clean, and I spend way more time talking to my husband then I did when we had kids at home!

 

[mamacatnv]

Mine's been away for just over a week. We dropped her off Labor Day Wekend, stayed out of her way as she moved herself in, then met her roommates and their parents -- and the dads had to rearrange furniture because there are three girls in a room designed for two and all the electrical sockets and internet connections are on one wall.

the room is lovely, though, with a big picture window that looks out at a view of trees -- which will be lovely as autumn reaches New England.

I promised her I wouldn't cry, and I didn't -- until I got into the car and watched her go back into her dorm room.

she sems to be adjusting OK.

meanwhile my ex and I are planning our "Parents' Weekend" visit in November.

Our DS's Univ. cancelled "Parents' weekend" due to budget cuts They are encouraging us to attend HomeComing but there are not parent activites planned.

I have tons of nervous energy, too! I can't help it, but every time the phone rings, my heart takes a giant leap. I'm still afraid of getting "that" call- "I want to come home."

I'm also finding that it doesn't take much time to keep the house clean, and I spend way more time talking to my husband then I did when we had kids at home!

Oh I wish my DH would talk. The cats and I have been bonding

 

[madge]

Our DS's Univ. cancelled "Parents' weekend" due to budget cuts They are encouraging us to attend HomeComing but there are not parent activites planned.

I just checked to see when Parent's Weekend is held at DS school.

It's during our younger two kids' Fall break. We'll be out of state, likely at WDW. LOL.

 

[Kath2003]

What the heck is parents' weekend?

University in the UK is very different. You drop your kid off in their room and you go. You come back to get them at Christmas if you're nice; if you're a mean mom you make them get the bus or train home!

 

[Green Tea]

I have had flights for Family weekend for the 4 left at home for about four months already; as soon as he picked his school, I made flight and hotel arrangements.

 

[mickeysgal]

My DS while living on campus is still local - he is 10 minutes from home and 15 minutes from his GirlyFriend. Girly is a HS senior and the only way I can judge the amount of time together is in his gasoline consumption which has almost doubled since he started school. He has unlimited Text and so does she, they don't talk because neither of them have plans that are rich in minutes, they text. The increase in the gasoline tells me he is running back and forth to her house, a lot. I mentioned it to him last night, which means he will probably just pad his gas tank with his own money because I know he is not going to back off on Girly. My biggest concern is that he will forego a college activity to go spend time with her, but alas, I am keeping my mouth shut.

I'm am very much trying to keep my mouth shut or at least to watch how and what I'm saying.

Last weekend, his GF and her mother went to see him and check out the campus. She's interetested in the school along with a handful of other schools in the state. So, he was fine last weekend since she was there. (The prior weekend (Labor Day weekend, he came home.) Now today I got a call...he wants to come home this weekend. I don't want to say no, you can't come home, but it is a school that is 4 hours away. I don't want him to get into the habit of coming home every weekend and start thinking of school as a temporary location, if you know what I mean. I want him to fit in and adjust, not put up with it until the weekend hits where he can come home. Not to mention we just don't have a gas budget that will accomodate an 8+ hour trip every weekend.