<p>Is anyone else feeling pangs of anxiety about sending your child off to college? In some ways I wish my son would leave RIGHT NOW and in other ways I know it'll be hard. Plus, I want to send him off with good words of advice. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>I feel like i am in the same position, i want to leave him on a pleasant note but right now he is on my last reserved nerve! Hasn’t packed a thing! Keeps telling me we have plenty of time, as I’m stressing over trying to fit everything including my family into the car for the very long drive down! Grrrr!</p>
<p>On the other hand, he is my oldest and I am feeling a bit sentimental and sad that the relationship we once shared has changed so much and will never be the same. I’m sure its going to take a few years to see that Mom really does have a brain and may have been right about at least a few things! Judging from my own experience I never truly appreciated my mom until I moved to Hawaii when I was 18! It was an eye opening experience and our relationship evolved into a much, much better place. </p>
<p>I too would like to leave him with some good advice or a hidden treat. There are a lot of good ideas on here. I can’t remember the name of the thread but I will try to find it for you. </p>
<p>In the meantime, hang in there! You are not alone!</p>
<p>Wow…our sons sound like twins. Mine is living in the here and now and if it weren’t for me, he wouldn’t be ready at all. And it seems like everytime I see him I want to nag. He won’t do anything I ask. Has too many people to see and things to do. I hope that things go more smoothly as the week goes on. Maybe one day he’ll appreciate me. I remember thinking my mom was crazy at that age. And, she’s really great now. HA Such is life, right.
Thanks for the good info!</p>
<p>I found the link, it had some great ideas…</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/725992-small-surprise-gift-you-leave-your-child-college-3.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/725992-small-surprise-gift-you-leave-your-child-college-3.html</a></p>
<p>In reference to packing…
If there’s rain forecast on moving day,consider packing in plastic bins or at least taking garbage bags. (Right now, the weather channel has Sat. Aug. 15 as 90 degrees with a 60% chance of rain. Keep your fingers crossed that rain doesn’t happen!) On move-in day, you have a limited amount of time to park your vehicle and unload, and most people have to just unload your student’s things on the sidewalk. I stood there with the belongings while my husband parked our car in one garage, and my son parked his car in his garage space…neither of which were near the dorm. Bring quarters for parking meters, too! (Capstone and Columbia have a small metered lot right there at the dorm if you’re lucky enough to get a space.) Students have to go through check-in and then go to the empty room to complete a check-in list of the room condition, then they come back and can swap their ID card for a huge blue rolling bin or a luggage carrier. My son was in Capstone his freshman year, and we were parked down at the end of the block. There are lots of friendly USC folks handing out water, etc. We did pack everything in plastic bins in case of rain. (Of course it didn’t rain and we had to lug those things back home!)</p>
<p>comming from a boy knowing how moms act during this time. please please do not nag him. Let him do his own thing, pack when he wents, and do what he wants. He is going to be living on his own, the nagging just makes everything more stressful</p>
<p>Wish I had 7 days (well 6 days now). D is leaving at the crack of dawn tomorrow 
Thankfully we’ll see her next week when we haul all her stuff down. She has to be back early for pre-recruitment activities, thankfully she has a friend in Columbia who has graciously offered to let her stay with them until the new honors dorm opens on the 15th. Really got used to having her around again this summer, going to be tough having her gone again – but she is counting the minutes until she is back – which is the way it should be. :)</p>
<p>I envy all of you. My son only spent his freshman summer at home. This summer, he stayed on campus doing research. We’ve made a few trips down to take him out to dinner on the weekends, and he’s been home for a weekend here and there. It’s sad when you realize they’re probably gone for good. I wish we’d had a few more summers with him.</p>
<p>Won’t even see S, he’s going straight from internship back to USC
b/c of that, we’re finally going to Parents Weekend!! (Now or never, he’s a senior!)</p>
<p>anxious to hear everyones stories of move-in, come back here and tell !
Hope the Honors Dorm is finished and as nice as its supposed to be…
D lived in a brand new dorm her freshman year at Arizona State and it was great.</p>
<p>I noted tomorrow’s forecast for Columbia is sunny and 99 degrees!</p>
<p>So 90 on Saturday would seem cool in comparison!</p>
<p>We are flying down on Friday and have an early morning flight – my daughter suggested maybe she would just stay up (and presumably out) all night, because it will be her last night home – I am trying to imagine when she would finally catch up on her sleep if she starts out on empty…
</p>
<p>fendrock,
Since classes don’t start until Thursday, your daughter will likely have a chance to catch up on some sleep during those first few “welcome week” days. I think they operate on adrenalin those first few weeks anyway with all the excitement of college and new friends!</p>
<p>Then again kids seem to develop all new sleep patterns once they are college students, lol. My recommendation is to spend as much time with her as she wants, the rest will fall into place. </p>
<p>We’ll report in on the new honors dorm after move-in on Saturday. Keeping our fingers crossed that elevators in a new building will be quicker than those in the old ones – Daughter is on sixth floor.</p>
<p>Ready…set…
We move our D in on Friday, flying into Myrtle Beach from Michigan. It will be so different to not have her close to us. Parents/Students, how are you coping? I’ve been doing quite well until about 5am today, feeling a little heavy hearted…I know USC is a very good fit, but the distance is giving this mom some worries.</p>
<p>DONHO
do a search for the STATE newspaper (the local Columbia newspaper) they did an article on the new dorm a few days back with a photo spread…it showed what the rooms looked like! it was called “New Dorm is Deep Green”: and was in the Sunday edition.</p>
<p>If anyone is living in the new honors dorm, let me know. I’m writing an article on it for the Honors College and would love to get some interviews.</p>
<p>Our D is packing more diligently now that we’re 60 hours away from leaving, and I think it’s starting to hit both her and me. Whenever I think about it, I have to stop and hug her. Whenever she seems overwhelmed, she stops and hugs her dog. Guess I know where I rate! </p>
<p>Meanwhile, I’m prepared for the big departure scene after Convocation. We discovered the joys of Cracker Barrel pancake syrup during our college tour last summer and this stuff is wonderful! Guaranteed to make you feel completely at one with any Southern roots you have or may be growing. I have my miniature bottle (the ones they put on your table) ready for the trip. As we pull out of the parking lot and wave goodbye, if the tears come, I’ll just take a big swig of my Cracker Barrel to feel better. D says if anyone asks her what Mom’s hitting, she’s saying it’s bourbon. </p>
<p>Parents - Good luck with the move-in! Come say hi at the Honors dorm to the lady with the syrup in her hand. We can sympathize, and I might have an extra bottle…</p>
<p>betterdays, my D is living in the new honors dorm and we’d be happy to give you some feedback if you’d like. Just found out she lucked out and her and her roomie have a private bath, so she is thrilled.</p>
<p>We’re leaving tomorrow for the drive down from New England. Excited for her, yet sad to see it finally here as well.</p>
<p>I read the STATE article Cathymee, thanks for the tip. A “little bird” in SC was able to get a sneak peak at the inside of the Honors dorm this week. Reports are that it is very nice, with hallways resembling a hotel (carpeted with door knockers on each room door). Closets are not built in but rather amoire style. There is room to stack stuff on top of the amoire and they are on wheels so they can be moved around the room. Also, the closets are not all that big (but that report is coming from someone who has a HUGE wardrobe and dozens of pairs of shoes). Ceilings are very high which makes the rooms seem spacious. There are “gathering areas” for every 3 or 4 rooms. Beds are raised quite high – but are adjustable.</p>
<p>excellent that you got an advanced report DONHO! you can’t tell from the pics that the closets are moveable, that makes it so much more “arrangable”! I can see those rooms turning out really nice once things are moved around and decorated!
its going to be a great building to live in I think.
Good luck to all who are on the move/moving in…hope the weather cools off for you this wekend!</p>