So how is your college student doing?

[Sandy V.]

Didn't want to take the time to look for the old thread, so I thought I'd start a new one . . .

Well, they've been in school for a month/2 months depending on where they are. How is your son or daughter doing?

DD loves CU-Boulder and is very happy. We miss her lots, but have she's been home twice and we've been up there to take her out to dinner once, so that helps. She's been pretty good about calling regularly and we have used the web cam a lot. It helps to see her smiling face.

We had one "bump" in the road after I sent her a VERY nice care package with Halloween decorations, candy, etc., and she responded pretty nonchalantly about getting it. I told her that she hurt my feelings because she didn't even say "thank you" after I had put a lot of time and effort into assembling things I knew she would like, and that if she ever wanted to get another one from me, she should be a little better in showing her appreciation. (I don't expect hero worship, but DH and I raised her so that she knows she should take the time to say thanks when someone does something nice for her.) We had a good talk and smoothed it all out.

And just when I start having a pity party for myself yesterday because I missed her and hadn't talked to her in a couple of days, she calls last night with tears in her voice to say, "I got your card today, Mom. Thank you so much. I also just wanted to say how much I love you guys and how I should say that more often because you do SO much for me and I really appreciate it." Now I'm crying too!

It's hard to let them go, but so gratifying to see them grow and be happy. Plus, it's nice to know that they still need Mom and Dad too!

Please take a minute to let us know how your college student is doing. Thanks!

 

[LindaR]

DD17 won't go til next fall.......but CU-Boulder is one of her choices. Beautiful campus......beautiful area!

 

[Sandy V.]

I agree about how beautiful it is. I love how all the buildings are Colorado sandstone blocks with red tile roofs.

LindaR, if you or your daughter ever have any questions about CU, just send me a p.m. and I'll try to answer it. Or I'll forward it to my daughter, since she's probably the real "expert". I just pay the tuition!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

DS is a freshman at University of Maryland and seemes to be doing fine. So far the midterm grades we've seen are good. He is involved in the marching band and seems to be making friends. The fact that DD is a junior at the same school and also in band may have eased his transition. He certainly has had an easier time of it than she did.

 

[ozarkmom]

DS is a sophomore and things are going well. He's a mentor and involved in student government and doesn't have alot of time to come home. He's home now they have a fall break and he did tell me he has a girlfriend and I thought he didn't have time!

 

[Feralpeg]

DD is doing great at FSU. We had a rough spot about a month ago. I got "the phone call". She cried and told me that she missed me. It turned out that she wasn't feeling well. She'd picked up a bug that was going through her dorm. Once she got over it, she was much better. She did come home for a weekend to do the Food & Wine Festival with me. That was a lot of fun (although I wasn't feeling that great at the time).

I did caution DD not to overdo. She's gotten involved in a lot of activities and I am a bit concerned that she will wear herself out. Oh, she called me last weekend to tell me that she now has a boyfriend. I guess that's good.

 

[jsmith]

DS #1 graduates from CU Boulder in May-triple major in Physics, Math and Econ ( and in 4 years-yikes). He started at Clemson but transfered home to be close to his little brother while dad was in iraq the the first time. he loves boulder and has a great experience there-Im dreading the fall -this one is hoping to go to grad school in Berkley-DS#2 is going to go to the university of washington and it looks as tho DH will be taking an all expense paid vacation in the Hindu Kush (afghanistan) leaving me here all alone

 

[Pugdog007]

My DD18 is at the Univ of AL and absolutely loves it! She's only come home once to spend the night, but will be home this weekend and next since her boyfriend from England will be in town.

She knew no one initially, but has made fast friends and loves living in the dorm! Her grades are very good also. A's & B's so far. I've talked with her almost every day via email or phone.

 

[MerryPoppins]

DS19 is a freshman at the University of Oklahoma. He's pledged Kappa Alpha Order and has joined the crew team. He has a new girlfriend that seems really nice (we took them to dinner).

His grades seem to be pretty good. Mid-terms were last week and he felt good about them. He's struggling a bit with Zoology and Calc, but I'm sure it will work out okay. We were relieved when he said he'd contacted tutors to help him over the rough spots, because initially he had told us that tutors were for people who were failing classes - not to help good students who were having trouble.

He's done a lot of growing up. He told me he's learning to figure out when he has time for some fun and when he needs to say no parties because he needs to study. That makes me as a parent feel really good.

 

[momrek06]

My DS is a Junior but I am posting because even though he has been in college for two years...this semester he is at a new college...the University of Glasgow in Scotland. He is LOVING AND LIVING IT UP LARGE in the UK.
He is double major and one minor...pre-med/poli sci and minor is art history. He has classes every day all day esp with the chem and bio labs but manages to have NO classes on Friday...that he absolutely loves. Thursday nights is International Studies Night and all the overseas students go out and party party party...Oh and the drinking age is 18 in Europe.... !!! He is called the "wild American" at UofG and DS..."WHY, do they call you THAT"..."no clue, no clue at all, ma"....

DS is a student at Providence College in Providence, RI...GO FRIARS!!!

 

[Tess]

Our son is doing wonderfully and we couldn't be more pleased. Of course, we miss him, but because he's close to home, we are able to see him more often than most parents. While in HS he was such an introvert--totally focused on his goals and not at all involved with a social life. He participated, but never seemed to enjoy it and he did not approve of his classmate's party attitudes. At college, he's become a social animal--has friends of like mind, pledged a frat (ATO), and is loving dorm life and the college atmosphere. He's a totally different person than the one who graduated in June!

He informs us that his grades are spectacular and he can't wait until he gets his cable connection. My husband told him that if he earned a 3.6 or better (pre-pharmacy student) he would pay for cable so he could watch sports in his room. I'm not so sure he actually needed that carrot because he's self-motivated, but it did teach him the fine art of negotiation!

Other than missing my baby boy (he's our first), we are thrilled to see him growing and changing. . .

 

[momrek06]

DD is doing great at FSU. We had a rough spot about a month ago. I got "the phone call". She cried and told me that she missed me. It turned out that she wasn't feeling well. She'd picked up a bug that was going through her dorm. Once she got over it, she was much better. She did come home for a weekend to do the Food & Wine Festival with me. That was a lot of fun (although I wasn't feeling that great at the time).

I did caution DD not to overdo. She's gotten involved in a lot of activities and I am a bit concerned that she will wear herself out. Oh, she called me last weekend to tell me that she now has a boyfriend. I guess that's good.

Ahhh...Peg, such a doll-baby!! I love that pic of her in your siggy!! So glad to hear she is settling in nicely to college life!!

 

[Towncrier]

With every report, it seems that our son is enjoying college more and more each and every day. He has joined the Fencing Club (and has the bruises to prove it). He loves his professors. He has a great roommate and a great group of friends to hang with. Studies are going well.

You might recall that he went directly to college less than three weeks after high school graduation. James is attending Youngstown State University (Go Penguins) in the BS/MD program. Within a couple of years he will start medical school at NEOUCOM.

We could not be happier at how he has taken to college life. Now if we could just teach him to do his own laundry....

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Now if we could just teach him to do his own laundry....

DD is a junior and has done her laundry maybe 2 or 3 times. She comes home when she runs out of clothes. DS is a freshman and has already done laundry 2 or 3 times this year. She said he doesn't have the timing down right.

 

[momrek06]

DD is a junior and has done her laundry maybe 2 or 3 times. She comes home when she runs out of clothes. DS is a freshman and has already done laundry 2 or 3 times this year. She said he doesn't have the timing down right.

My older Ds grad in 2004...yup, he came home every time he was out of clothes...so I did his laundry for 4 years ...then DS#2 heads out...first two years...yup did his laundry as well .....BUT
now DS#2 is in Scotland and has to do his own laundry ...SHOCKER...I got more calls in Sept from does this go in here or there or what do I do with this piece of laundry...had to be calls from Scotland and not when he was in the good ole USA...

AND I can almost quarantee when he returns in Jan...he will completely forget how to do his laundry...

 

[Cool-Beans]

I dunno.

He's made friends with his roommate and a few other people. So, that's great.

Says that he's not having too tough a time with the classes. He's now happy with his high school education. Some of the kids are better prepared than others, and he counts himself among the fortunate. So, at least that money wasn't wasted.

But he tells me, "I could be doing better. I waste a lot of time." I told him he better do well and to not tell his father that. If he wants to get Cs now, that's fine...but he damn well better pass, all the money we're pouring into this.

 

[Lynn CC]

It sounds like everyone is doing just fine this year!
Our DS is a sophomore this year, he started out at Suffolk in Boston. He lived in the dorm last year and couldn't wait to get an apartment this year. He now commutes to Cambridge to MIT from Beacon Hill where his apartment is. He LOVES it. He says he's learning so much and the classes are very interesting. He attends class 12 hours a week and has at least 8 hours of studying/reading etc EVERY night. One of his professors took him out for a 2 hour lunch to discuss his future curriculum and career path.
He hasn't had a lot of time to socialize, but he says everyone else is just as studious so they get together for lunch or dinner once in a while. He calls a lot usually when he's home safely from Cambridge so I don't worry, he's so thoughtful and he knows what a worry wart I am LOL
He sounds happy and extrmely busy with his studies and he says he is loving every minute of it except when it's 2 am and he still has 500 pages to read for another class. To be young again

As for us, we miss him A LOT!

Sandy, I did the care packages for DS last year in his dorm for him and his roomates. They loved them. My neice wasn't thrilled with hers when I sent her one at her dorm in Rhode Island, so maybe it's a female thing. Maybe you could send your DD a GC for a local store, or University Bookstore, or restaurant close by, and see if she likes that better?

 

[Sandy V.]

Hi Lynn!

Actually, she LOVED the care package - she was just remiss in telling me "thank you". Teenagers.

I put in Halloween garland strands (ghosts and jack o'lanterns), a plastic pumpkin filled with candy, orange and black fuzzy socks, a pair of Halloween underwear (whoo-whoo! ), her favorite red licorice, Halloween stickers, ghost shaped earrings, and some decorations (black cats, witches, etc.) to tape to the walls.

Now I'm working on November's.

Glad that your son is doing so well. It always makes you feel better when they're happy, doesn't it.

 

[vsimeone]

What a great thread!!!

DD is a freshman at a small school (Mount Union College) and is playing soccer. She's played in 12 of 15 games so far. They only have 3 left but she hurt her ankle last week (mild sprain) so will probably miss at least Saturday's game.

She was thrilled that she didn't get any deficiencies this week (coach would have ridden her butt!) and she's made some wonderful friends. She's only spent one night at home since she left but has been home a couple of Sundays to do laundry.

I miss her but we talk 4 or 5 times a week. Sometimes more. She is growing up and maturing and I'm proud of her!

I hope all the college kids keep up the good work!!!

 

[Caradana]

DD is a junior and has done her laundry maybe 2 or 3 times. She comes home when she runs out of clothes. DS is a freshman and has already done laundry 2 or 3 times this year. She said he doesn't have the timing down right.

Carol I cracked up at this !!! I did the SAME EXACT THING, back in the day!!! I couldn't figure out how to make my laundry smell like "home." And it was just so much nicer when it did. Heck, the laundry machines were free at my college and I STILL trucked it the 45 minutes home!

Lynn, did your son transfer to MIT? He sounds like he's working really hard! Great for him!