Wednesday...how horrible might a road trip be?

[MaryAnnDVC]

My DS wants to visit a college Wednesday, of all days, about 3 hours (normal traffic) from home. I don't want to be on the road that day unnecessarily, never mind my kids. DD, home from college, planned to take him. They figured, erroneously, that it would be no big deal to just make these plans and then let me know, since it wouldn't involve me, since she's free to take him.

I've never traveled on the day before Thanksgiving. (We've flown to WDW on Thanksgiving morning, and it's been great...much less airline traffic.) I've heard mostly airport horror stories about Wednesday. If you've traveled by car that day, has it been really dreadful? Going there would be very early in the morning. It's coming back later in the day that worries me most.

Unfortunately, there are other reasons why that day would be just perfect. And if they do end up going, I will go with them. But boy, I dread it.

 

[tar heel]

Not a great time to visit a college as students will be gone/going.

 

[hambirg]

I drive for a living, and I would avoid it.

And honestly, I think the PP has a point. It would be better to visit when classes are on and he gets a better feeling for what it's like there. JMHO

 

[Hillbeans]

We used to drive from NJ to PA that night and it was always horrible traffic and really busy at the toll plaza - i'd rather get up at 7 am on Thanksgiving and drive.

 

[scrapquitler]

My DS wants to visit a college Wednesday, of all days, about 3 hours (normal traffic) from home.

Please call tomorrow to the admissions office and ask if this is a good plan. I think that if you go on Wednesday, you'll drive all the way there only to find that the campus is deserted and completely closed down for the holiday.

Better to do a college visit when you can walk around and see what the campus is like with students there, buildings open, people to talk to and ask questions, etc.

 

[marybet]

Might help if we knew where you were driving. We are going to Atlanta and trying to time the trip to avoid rush hour. Hoping for the best but Atlanta traffic is horrible even when it's not the day before a holiday.

Have you checked to make sure anyone will be at the college? Does he just want to look at the grounds? I agree with the others, not a good day for a college visit.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Not a great time to visit a college as students will be gone/going.

That's what I said to them! It just so happens DS has that day off, and that's why he wants to go...doesn't want to take a day out of school. If he hates the campus, then we can cross it off the list. If it looks like he REALLY likes it, he can take out a day out of school and go again.

With my DDs, we eliminated a few places just by factors outside of observing classes. (And I just confirmed with DD, who considers herself his other mother that there are no classes that day, but admissions is open.)

I would really really rather not go...it's the convenience factor of his not missing school that's the draw of going Wednesday. I'm thinking of staying at a hotel Wednesday night and coming back early Thursday morning. Luckily, DH is the cook in the house.

Just found out a cousin I reconnected with recently lives near the college too. Not so sure she's THAT thrilled about reconnecting that she wants us moving in on her the night before Thanksgiving, on short notice. A hotel would definitely work better.

We'd be traveling on Route 90 through MA to upstate NY.

And since I started writing this post, I've FB'd with DD and talked to DH, and I'm talking myself out of even considering going. We can just as easily go on a Saturday, if he really doesn't want to miss school, to see the campus if we're going to consider going on a day that there are no classes anyway.

Thanks for all your input...helped me bounce around the idea in my head.

 

[golfgal]

Well, if he is just going to wander around campus then a visit is ok. I would be more concerned about weather issues then traffic. If he leaves in the morning and is home by 4 or 5 I would be the traffic won't be all that bad yet.

 

[deedeetoo]

We'd be traveling on Route 90 through MA to upstate NY.

You will be driving on the Mass Pike on the day before Thanksgiving voluntarily? If you live east of Sturbridge you are in for a very rude surprise. Traffic getting through the Sturbridge tolls is horrendous, and it backs up onto the Pike for miles. Even though you won't need to get off and go through the tolls you will be trapped in the backup. Every year there are stories on the news about how long the backup is.

There is no way I would do this.

 

[Jen414]

The Mass Pike will be awful ALL DAY!!!!! Avoid it all at costs!

 

[Buckalew11]

MC????

Just askin'...

 

[MrsPete]

I cannot add anything to the discussion of those particular roads, but I'm with the majority: On Wednesday before Thanksgiving the campus is likely to be a ghost town. I would choose another day.

This may be a time to use the Mama-Veto or the "Because I said so".

 

[deedeetoo]

I already posted but I just have to comment again after thinking more about this. You really really do not want to do this.

All those college students and young professionals who live in Boston go home at Thanksgiving and most of them go down the Mass Pike to get there. I have been in back ups that started in Westborough right after the 495 interchange.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

MC????

Just askin'...

Why yes, Bren! Isn't that where MC is? LOL

So I'm absolutely convinced it's a "no go" and DD, annoying little creature that she is, is hitting me with reasons why it's just FINE to go on a no-school day...you can still see lived in dorms, and academic classrooms that aren't packed away, like in the summer. (She works in admissions at her college.) All of which we can do on a Saturday, if we had to. The last message to her was quotes from here...just waiting for her rebuttal. She's persistent, that one. But, I'm the mom, and we're not going. She IS fun to debate with, especially since...I repeat, I'm the mom...I always win.

The funny thing is, DS...who's the HS senior who wants to see this school...is quietly sitting in his room down the hall doing HW, oblivious to the great debate between his sister and me on FB. Like I said...she adores him and is like his other mother...the nice one, who goes along with everything he wants. But I'm the smart one...with the final say.

Thanks again.

 

[suzanna1066@comcast.]

Might help if we knew where you were driving. We are going to Atlanta and trying to time the trip to avoid rush hour. Hoping for the best but Atlanta traffic is horrible even when it's not the day before a holiday.

Have you checked to make sure anyone will be at the college? Does he just want to look at the grounds? I agree with the others, not a good day for a college visit.

FYI Thanksgiving rush hour in Atlanta will start Tuesday afternoon. Wednesday is the WORST traffic day of the year. One T-day eve it took me over 3 hours to get home from work. I suggest you get to your destination as early as possible.

OP, I agree with everyone else. No point in a college visit that day. It will be shut down.

 

[msmayor]

Why yes, Bren! Isn't that where MC is? LOL

So I'm absolutely convinced it's a "no go" and DD, annoying little creature that she is, is hitting me with reasons why it's just FINE to go on a no-school day...you can still see lived in dorms, and academic classrooms that aren't packed away, like in the summer. (She works in admissions at her college.) All of which we can do on a Saturday, if we had to. The last message to her was quotes from here...just waiting for her rebuttal. She's persistent, that one. But, I'm the mom, and we're not going. She IS fun to debate with, especially since...I repeat, I'm the mom...I always win.

The funny thing is, DS...who's the HS senior who wants to see this school...is quietly sitting in his room down the hall doing HW, oblivious to the great debate between his sister and me on FB. Like I said...she adores him and is like his other mother...the nice one, who goes along with everything he wants. But I'm the smart one...with the final say.

Thanks again.

Has she called to ask? To simply assume that she can gain access to buildings to "see" them isn't always a possibility on a normal day, much less the day before Thanksgiving.

At my daughter's school, access to campus buildings is ID-controlled. No student or staff ID and you have nothing to "scan" to unlock the door.

Visiting students normally cannot simply walk into a dorm and 'see' a room. You have to be an invited guest and sign in, or be on an official tour with a school official. If the dorms are still even open when you get there (some will not be...some schools require students to leave) they will be crazy-busy with students leaving for the holiday.

In short, you'll be making a miserably long drive to/from this school with very little chance of seeing nothing more than what you can see through pictures on a website or catalog.

As others have already said, its a wasted trip.

 

[MrsPete]

DD, annoying little creature that she is, is hitting me with reasons why it's just FINE to go on a no-school day...you can still see lived in dorms, and academic classrooms that aren't packed away, like in the summer. (She works in admissions at her college.) All of which we can do on a Saturday, if we had to. The last message to her was quotes from here...just waiting for her rebuttal. She's persistent, that one. But, I'm the mom, and we're not going. She IS fun to debate with, especially since...I repeat, I'm the mom...I always win.

Hmmm . . . who's she hoping to see /what's she hoping to do on this trip? Sounds like more than a desire to help her brother see a desserted college campus.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

All of which we can do on a Saturday, if we had to.

Just found out we can't do that until March. Ugh.

OP, I agree with everyone else. No point in a college visit that day. It will be shut down.

No classes, but not closed. DD called.

Has she called to ask? To simply assume that she can gain access to buildings to "see" them isn't always a possibility on a normal day, much less the day before Thanksgiving.

At my daughter's school, access to campus buildings is ID-controlled. No student or staff ID and you have nothing to "scan" to unlock the door.

Visiting students normally cannot simply walk into a dorm and 'see' a room. You have to be an invited guest and sign in, or be on an official tour with a school official. If the dorms are still even open when you get there (some will not be...some schools require students to leave) they will be crazy-busy with students leaving for the holiday.

In short, you'll be making a miserably long drive to/from this school with very little chance of seeing nothing more than what you can see through pictures on a website or catalog.

As others have already said, its a wasted trip.

Yes, I understand that we can't just walk into any building we want unsupervised. DD DID call...there was no assuming...and admissions is open and we could get a tour. That was all checked. We all agree (here) that in general...traffic, no classes open, etc...that it's not the best time to go. If it wasn't for the traffic tho, I'd definitely go for a preliminary trip, because DS has the day off from school, so we'd have nothing to lose. Based on a preliminary trip, we can decide if another trip would be warranted, where it would be best to take a day off from school. He hates missing school, and has had to do so to visit another college, and also has had several field trips already this year. And he hates to miss school anyway; too much to make up.

 

[Hutchy]

FYI Thanksgiving rush hour in Atlanta will start Tuesday afternoon. Wednesday is the WORST traffic day of the year. One T-day eve it took me over 3 hours to get home from work. I suggest you get to your destination as early as possible.

OP, I agree with everyone else. No point in a college visit that day. It will be shut down.

I'm driving through Atlanta tomorrow and I'm already dreading it. Planning to get there no later than 2pm and pray it isn't too bad already.

From that everyone else has said you couldn't pay me to drive on Wed!

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Hmmm . . . who's she hoping to see /what's she hoping to do on this trip? Sounds like more than a desire to help her brother see a desserted college campus.

Oh please, are you serious? WTHeck are you implying? She loves her brother, she'd be driving out there round trip in a day (6 hours on a good day), a road trip would be a great time to hang out with him, she's interested in what he plans to do college-wise, she's worked in an admissions office for 3 years and considers herself something of an expert, she's got the week off of school and works AT school so she's also not working, he's got the day off of school and as I've said repeatedly it works for HIM, he naively suggested it and she naively said "sure" without considering holiday traffic, the campus is NOT CLOSED nor deserted...there are no classes but it's a regular work day for the staff, she has a boyfriend near HOME not out there. Anything else?

Or maybe, she wants to do drugs and hook up with a stranger. Which I'm thinking she can do anytime if she really wants to since she's got her own apartment near college, year round.

Too funny. Only on the DIS.