<p>Hmmmmm, I thought to myself....another thread? Well, what the heck, what's one more??!! ;)</p>
<p>It's that time!! Kids are packing and will soon be beginning their adventure to school. I have made such great cyber friends with parents of the class of 2010 right here on CC. </p>
<p>Please have safe journeys, keep us updated on your dear D's & S's progress and what they think of their programs. Most of all remember you have shoulders here to lean on when you come home to that empty/quiet house!</p>
<p>BTW, my MT Ss left on Monday, the house is deafening quiet...my youngest leaves in a couple weeks. Oh, the thought of it....</p>
<p>SUE, thank you for starting this thread. I was going to do the same but was waiting a little longer and you know, probably some are leaving already (though it seems so early to me?) and I do know one poster on here who is moving her D in now, so I guess it has started! I also want to wish all the incoming freshmen and their moms and dads a great great year. We have followed your journey to this point and now the adventure really begins. I'd love to hear back from you about how it is going once it gets going. It is always helpful to hear from those actually AT the programs, not just those applying to them. And for the parents, good luck enduring this bittersweet moment sending your child to college for the first time. It's an adjustment for you too. </p>
<p>SUE, best wishes to your youngest as he also starts college. You can join me in the empty nest phase :). My house has been quiet all summer except in early June as both of my girls have been gone all summer. My youngest one, unfortunately, does not even get to come home between her summer theater job and college and has to move straight from one to the other (which we'll be involved in) as she has to start classes the very next day. My other D is still in France but comes home in one week for about a week and then is off to Florence, Italy all semester. </p>
<p>There was a great bunch of moms, dads, and students on this forum who went through the college admissions process this past year and we are really thinking of you all as you embark on freshmen year. You are past all the angst of college admissions and auditions and here you are on the threshhold of all you had worked toward. Now the fun really begins! We hope you'll stay in touch! </p>
<p>And welcome to all those just starting this cycle. It is quite the ride. </p>
<p>Best wishes and good luck college freshmen!</p>
<p>May MT nesters unite!! I do not look forward to that infamous ride home from dropping S #3 off to college. sigh</p>
<p>Lowe's has a great commerical advertising dorm room items for college students. At the end of the commercial, Lowe's boasts how their establishment prepares students for dorm living, but they can't help parents with the long ride home. Wow, did they E-V-E-R hit the nail on the head!!</p>
<p>SUE, my kids are NOT the homesick type and were very eager to start college and get on with it. They didn't have trepidation, but it was all exciting and they couldn't wait. As I a parent, I truly was, and continue to be, excited for their adventures and want them to have them. But on my end, yep, I cry every time I leave them and particularly driving away from the first college drop off. They have had no problem adjusting and it is me who had to adjust, LOL. I think most parents feel this to some degree because we have been with these kids for 18 years (in my second child's case, it was only 16 1/2 years) and then all of a sudden they are not a part of our daily lives IN PERSON and it is just different. It is from afar and they are indpendent and we are not aware of every move they make. I never worried if my kids were gonna like it or have a good time but more worry about their welfare as it is hard to not know where they are all the time and stuff like that. </p>
<p>After a while, as a parent, you do get used to not having them home. It is a different stage of life. The first one leaving was a big deal and a very new experience. My younger one even wrote one of her many college essays that had to do with her sister having just left for college. Anyway, when they all leave, and no kids are at home, that is a major shift in daily life. No more kids' schedules. Cooking just for two. Lots else is different. But I also know it is time to let them fly. It gets better over time as you do get used to it. I sure don't drive like I used to though! Their schedules don't rule my life. However, there are times I am glued to the phone like today both my girls are traveling and so I will wait to get their calls that they arrived safely....one is traveling overseas on trains and busses today, and the other just state to state. But no more long car rides with my kids which I used to do daily. Sometimes, now, I listen to CD's of my younger one sing as I drive (she used to sing in the car). But we still travel to their events but it is just a lot farther to go. This fall I will be sending one of mine off to study abroad where she knows nobody (she actually is also abroad this summer and knew nobody at first either, nor were they American). This time, I will have to travel very far to visit her and I just might. </p>
<p>I haven't seen the Lowe's commercial (we don't have that store here) but it sounds quite clever. Likely whomever wrote it is a parent of a college student. We have to send both our girls off this year in NYC on the same day and it is a very complicated arrangement and involves two cars and all. My husband will be doing the bulk of the move in at NYU until I rejoin them after taking the other one to JFK.</p>
<p>As of tomorrow I will join the MT empty nesters. Our D moves in tomorrow morning at Webster. Thanks for everything and to everyone on this thread (particularly 5pants aka Sue). Because of all of your advice this move seems a little less daunting. </p>
<p>We decided to fly, using the excuse that Saint Louis is a long way from Montana but the truth is we did not want to face a three day car ride home with one empty seat.</p>
<p>On the bright side, I will have a LOT less laundry to do.
Break-a-leg to everyone headed back!
Marianne</p>
<p>Marianne, best wishes to your D as she starts her adventure at Webster! And good luck to you as you weather this big event in your life, as well. You will have less laundry but wait until they come home, LOL.</p>
<p>My S doesn't leave for another 12 days but I am already starting to shed tears-especially after having read your posts! It is an exciting time for all-and a little stressful (alot, who am I kidding??!!). I am leaving right now to go shopping with him for a few more items we forgot. His roommate is in Europe and won't be arriving back to the US until a couple of days prior to the start of school so basically we are buying everything for the room-hopefully they will share in some of the cost, if not, I have to remember that it is making my S's transition into college more comfortable. Good luck to all and maybe I will see some of you in cooking classes, yoga, sky diving classes......whatever it is that floats your boat, now that you have the time to delve into things you have always wanted to but couldn't because of the kid's busy schedules and yours...</p>
<p>We just got back from that long car ride. Yesterday afternoon when we sat down for a "last" late lunch and were reviewing any last things to do, then I looked at my husband and said, "then we leave him here", well it hit me out of the blue, I started to cry. He had a couple of orientation meetings to go to, and we couldn't wait around for them to be over, so in the middle of this big building, we said good-bye and off he went. We only had about 4 busy hours when we got there, then it was over. I can't really describe how I feel, but I know it will pass in time.
I hope the rest of you can take a little more time to say your good byes, ours was too abrubt.
Good Luck!, I'll be thinking of you all.</p>
<p>Here's hugs for you SRW. I know your pain, or I will next Friday when we fly home and leave our "baby" 3,000 miles away from home. Sat night she had her last camp performance at a local MT camp she has attended since she was 12. They honored her with flowers and a group hug at Intermission right before the second act, and she had to go back on stage and smile and and dance and sing. And of course, being an MT kid she did it. So I guess I too will put on a brave face for her as we say goodbye. But I already warned my hsband to expect me to cry for two days with the covers over my face when we get home.</p>
<p>srw, the goodbyes were also very quick with both of our girls when we moved them into college for the first time (the younger one actually had to get to the first welcome event) and in lots of ways, I think this was better because I'd have been in a big cry fest in front of them and so could just cry on the way home instead. And they were anxious to get off and running and meet new people. </p>
<p>Anothermom, I know your D is going far but in many ways, away is away and it feels the same pretty much if my kid is four hours away or on the other side of the world. Today my 19 year old called me from the Alps. I think your D will love Muhlenberg. Coincidentally, my younger one is in NYC today and ran into a girl she knows through theater who just graduated from Muhlenberg. </p>
<p>I hope you guys will report in when your kids have experienced these programs and give us the "view". </p>
<p>You are all making me cry already and I have the whole senior year to get through! Today I left my D in NYC to visit with CMU pre-college friends. I am proud and awed by how much she has grown this summer. Watching her walk down 45th st. she blended right into the crowd. No longer a little girl in the big city!
Best to all of you parents as your sons and daughters take their next steps. Keep us all posted!</p>
<p>Thanks for all of your support, I am feeling a little better. He told us he wasn't scheuled for any activities from 4 to 6 today so to call him then, because he'd probably be in his room. So we called at 4 then 4:30 then 5:00,
etc. my husband even called a little later and still no answer, soooo that means that he was busy! and being not a scheduled time he must be with new friends, yay!</p>
<p>Soozievt, I am sure you are exactly right, a fast parting is better and I know I'll say that with more conviction in a week or two, but I would have killed for another 10 minutes. Don't tell anyone but my husband and I watched some of his videos this evening!</p>
<p>Thanks, Sue and Soozie - you've made me cry, and I have a whole week to go! No doubt, our 830 miles drive home will be hard. We're letting him keep his car at college, so we're driving 2 vehicles to get there.</p>
<p>We did this before, but our older son went to our state university 180 miles away - much closer!</p>
<p>The only thing that makes it easier is how very much we love Elon. I know how happy he will be there. He already has some good friends he's met who go there, also, including new people he's gotten to know this summer.</p>
<p>I'll be thinking of all of you in the next week or two, maybe I'll have some wise words to say by then, in the meantime, revive those cryin' towels!</p>
<p>Ericsmom,
I really will be thinking of you since I have followed Eric's journey for so long and have met you and everything. He had such an amazing summer going into this too. You guys really researched schools in depth and I truly believe you have found a great fit for Eric. He already has met kids and is on his way. When kids have looked forward to college for so long, plus have a passion in a particular area and are entering a program with like minded kids, they are in their element when this adventure begins. What's not to love? You've been to Elon enough times and know what it is all about.</p>
<p>I know how hard this step is to let your "baby" go but you just KNOW he is going to have the time of hs life and THAT helps so so so much. I mean what more could a parent want then to see their kid happy? You are just moving onto a new stage of parenting them not on a daily basis. But you are still involved in their lives, just in a different way. It's an adjustment after 18 years for you, no question about it. I got used to it and so it doesn't affect me daily like it did in the weeks after first dropping them off. However, I must admit when I read threads like this every year at send off time, I become a sap. I become a sap every single time I say goodbye after a visit, etc. Even so, the one thing I never worry about is whether they are enjoying themselves. I realize some also worry if their kid will like college or being away from home and all that is also common and some kids actually are homesick or don't end up loving their school. Each kid is different but in this particular area, I wasn't concerned. My kids had been away from home before and have loved it. Also, they eagerly want to go away and have no trepidation when going to new program where they don't know anyone. I'll be sending one of my kids to a study abroad program this fall where she does not know anyone and that is VERY far away. With the college send off, it also helped that each was going to one of her first/favorite choices and so that can be a plus because they really wanted to go and their schools were a good fit. Now that my kids are at their colleges, I can truly say they love them and I can see how each chose the perfect fit for herself. That's all I cared about. </p>
<p>So, now you can use the phone, email, IM a lot. My kids haven't lived at home since they started college and likely never will again. That is a tough idea to think about and even now, this thread gets me choaked up so I better stop!! :) When I don't read threads like this or don't think about this sort of thing, I'm fine. I have gotten used to no kids at home and you will too. Some things, even though they were a joy at the time, I don't miss, like the constant driving and juggling of schedules! I miss going to events constantly but we still see their events but must travel much farther to do so. You will too. Besides the usual calls home, sometimes they call while walking down the street to tell me something exciting that just happened and to share it. That's always cool too. So, you'll still "there" but it is just long distance, you'll see! I know what you are saying about the distance but the kids are so busy and away is away and the only difference really with a kid within six hours vs. further, is the ease of seeing them but otherwise, it isn't much different. It is not like I go running to my kids' schools and they barely ever get home. They are too involved to do so. We try to catch events and such. Both my kids have gone entire semesters without ever being home and they are less miles from us than your son will be. When vacation breaks and summers come up, my kids make all these plans and aren't home either. Neither was home for spring break and for only a small portion of winter break and only a tiny part of summer break.</p>
<p>I know you'll cry when you leave 'em and be in a weird state for a few weeks but then it does pass (until ya read threads like this every year and rethink the whole deal again!).</p>
<p>Here is how much of a sap I am. Days after we dropped the guys off to school, I literally bawled in the grocery store...especially their when I caught site of their favorite foods. Walking into their room was a guaranteed meltdown also....like time stood still.</p>
<p>Two years later, it is better. They took the car to school this time, so it was breakfast at I-Hop beforehand and then a loving good bye, call me when you get there moment and off they went. I KNOW it will not be easy for us when the youngest leaves in two weeks....it will be deja vu all over.</p>
<p>Thank goodness for cell phones and computers. Those items keep them close by.</p>
<p>Best wishes Ericsmom & to Eric!! srw, hang in there!! ;)</p>
<p>SUE, those were the two exact things that got to me right after taking my kids to college, particularly the first time around. Going into the market and seeing foods I would normally pick up that she liked and thinking, oops, no more. Same with going in the rooms. (to all parents about to go through this....it doesn't last THAT long...) Even my younger one who was writing college essays soon after the older one left for her freshman year, starts off with how it hit her when she had to set the table for only three, not four. So, it affects everyone. But it is merely a change and transition to another level of the relationship and stage of life. You guys will all get over this hump!</p>
<p>Susan and Sue - Thanks so much for your kind words of wisdom. Both of you were so helpful last year as we went through the process, having been there and done that before. I can't thank you enough. Really, this site and all of my friends here have meant so much! I can tell that your support will continue to help!</p>
<p>srw - Best of wishes to your son at OCU. OCU holds a very special place in our hearts after last summer's camp. My son really clicked with all the faculty. I think one or two camp friends from last summer are going there, and he has older friends there. My son also hit it off very well with his roommate at BTP in July from TX who is a freshman in MT at OCU.</p>