<p>DD and I are taking a mother/daughter trip Feb. break to celebrate her ED admit. It's probably more for me as I wonder how much one-on-one she'll have for me once the whirlwind of college begins.</p>
<p>Digmedia, the situation at your school in regards to this is similar to what I observed here, but I know this differs from other communities that some live in (who post here) where it is a big topic and a competitive atmosphere. I don't think my D knew where all her friends applied, maybe a couple closer ones. It became more of a topic in April of senior year when plans were made. But during the application process, not that much discussion, unless maybe a very good friend. ´Even with my D who is a current applicant to college (granted she is a junior and none of her junior peers are applying but she does have friends who are seniors), she cannot name more than one school where those friends applied. Some of her close friends who live out of state who are applying to the field she is applying to with a very limitted list of colleges that offer it, she knows where they are applying as we are even running into them at auditions. But here in our own community, not that much discussion, no. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>When ED comes in or a senior decides on a college, the GC orders the the felt banner and hangs it outside her office. The student comes to school wearing the sweatshirt of her college. It's exciting and the rest of the classmates (the school) celebrates with her.</p>
<p>At my D's HS, the seniors have started a "wall of shame" on which they can post their deferral/rejection letters. They feel that it's a message of solidarity so that no one senior should feel alone in getting deferred or rejected.</p>
<p>As for the ED1 celebration, D received a college sweatshirt and stuffed mascot for Christmas and we did go out to dinner. Since S and D are four years apart, we've celebrated graduations by going on a family vacation--St. John in 2001 when S graduated from HS and D from elementary school and who knows where this spring. Just some place for R&R and family time since we generally don't do big vacations.</p>
<p>My D and I celebrated with an ice cream cone when she (finally) became toilet-trained, so we thought it appropriate to celebrate her first college acceptance the same way - we went out for ice cream. (The only difference was that she didn't pick the clown cone this time around! Well, that and the fact that I was kind of teary-eyed that night thinking about how quickly the past 15 years had flown by.....)</p>
<p>LittleMother,
Come to think of it, D did mention taping of deferral/rejection letters on the lockers last yr. Interesting...</p>
<p>I like the "wall of shame" idea, it has to be satisfying to slap that offensive letter up on the wall and jab it with a pin!
At DD's school there are 2 traditions. One day during seniors's finals week, everyone wears their college T-shirts (this school everyone goes to college, ordinarily wears school uniforms, so this is a big deal). The other is that about Nov- mid-Dec, someone buys some (preferably obnoxious) type of dancing/singing stuffed critter - one year Tickle me Elmo, once that awful Singing Bass (remember that Christmas?). Puts it on the college counselor's desk, when a senior makes their final decision/gets the big acceptance, they go to her office and get to dance with the fish/Elmo/snowman/monkey whatever the critter of the class is. It's fun and highly anticipated, especially by the kids who are having selective admissions or a tough time. - The 2.5s get to celebrate, just like the 4.0s.</p>
<p>Definitely celebrate. For us when the EA with merit $$ came in, we did have a champagne toast and - the important point - a little speech. Just the 3 of us, mom-dad-S, and a well-done-we're-proud-you-worked-hard. This is the important point because we are in the phase when S had extremely limited (close to zero) time to listen to us. But he savored the moment.</p>
<p>I think celebrating positive occasions is always a fine idea.</p>
<p>Cangel-
My kids' school does the same thing in the spring-- the seniors get an out-of-uniform day to wear their college t-shirts. It is a big deal, though the all-night lock-in/carnival where the teachers got dunked in a tank in that pitching thing, played pick-up sports games, poker, etc with the seniors was more memorable to my s.</p>
<p>Garland-
I wish I still lived up North. Down here in the south, school starts practically in the middle of the summer and ends in mid-May, so it is a very real possibility that the 2 graduations could land on the same weekend. This year, my HS freshman had a mandatory school day on Fri. Aug 13 (Yes, AUG 13- still summertime in my book), where they drilled the "HS counts" message into their heads, we picked him up from school, drove to the airport and jumped on a plane to take older s. to college. Flew back Sun. and younger s. started classes on Aug. 15, when older s. was starting his college orientation. We talked about the possibility of a dual graduation weekend, and each offered to fail a year so the graduations would land on different years. Gee thanks.</p>
<p>Digmedia-
Have you gotten any good ideas from these posts???</p>
<p>I liked the idea of the Einstein poster, but Atlanta lost so I can't use that (lol).</p>
<p>We have one other potential tradition/celebratory opportunity that has landed in our laps. My s's bicycle was, unfortunately, stolen from the bike rack about the 2nd day of college (his fault-- he locked the wheel, instead of the frame, to the rack, but the wheel was one of those "quick release" ones, and now that (the wheel) is all that is left chained to the bike rack.) Ironically, my s. couldn't remember the combination to the lock, and he lost the combination, so there the wheel sits, for posterity. We've decided if it doesn't get removed by the campus staff during a summer break, we will ceremoneously cut the chain with bolt-cutters and free the wheel when he graduates in 4 years. Ah, such transparent symbolism, but so fitting...</p>
<p>And Digmedia, allow me to lick my wounds for a few days..The Falcons didn't play well. Period. Oh well, it was a fun ride. Anyway, since you like the Einstein idea... I'll think about sharing it, especially since you are also mourning your Steelers loss--- but only if you tell your kiddo it came from a Falcons fan! :)</p>
<p>My parents took me out to a nice dinnner. It was really special and just a really nice thing to do. I think you should, because you'll miss your kid next year when you can't go out to dinner with them! (I've been using this on my mom and it's worked nicely ;))</p>
<p>My S was all set on one college, were he was given Merit and told he'd have a Masters in 4 years. Then the call from THE school came. Set his mind reeling. We went to beach and walked until quite dark.
Friends,along with their sibs and parent, relatives, my best friend, all came over next night for pizza. Since S was a junior, there was no resentment. pure joy. People there had known him since he was 3 y.o.</p>
<p>I was a younger kid, so my accomplishments always downplayed so as not to cause jealousy. Like Cour.., some enthusiam would have been nice.</p>
<p>S did it! In a very, very competitive competition he succeeded, and this will change the course of his college years in ways that will be incredible. He made it to the finalist competition and had to fly for interviews for the final decisions. He had two interviews. The first was a typical one, with the interviewer asking questions (although they were atypical questions - not a single one from the long list of practice questions I gave him from CC posts. Good thing - he didn't practice them anyway). The second interviewer asked very few questions, rather he seemed to be in sales-mode. As my son met more people, he was amazed at how many knew who he was (his portfolio had really gotten around).</p>
<p>We were first fooled by a fat envelope about a week ago. My mind was racing while we waited for him to get home from school. I was thinking, surely they would not send a rejection in a fat envelope. But the envelope contained only some informational materials and a thank-you for the interviews. Today, a thin envelope came. But it was official: he did it. I was jumping up and down and slapping him on his back like I had gone crazy (I'm usually very, very reserved).</p>
<p>I'm sorry that I can't go into lots of detail about exactly what this was, but now he's becoming more identifiable, so I'll just leave it at that.</p>
<p>Now back to the original question about celebrating....? I'm leaning toward a night out on the town (dinner, movie or play,etc).</p>
<p>Diggi:</p>
<p>Big congratulations! :) :) Do celebrate. What would he prefer? movie, play? another piece of equipment?</p>
<p>Where did he get in or what did he win?</p>
<p>Big congratulations to your son and to you! :)</p>
<p>Digmedia, this is terrific. Time for your family to celebrate. Well done--to your son.</p>
<p>yup, celebrate it for what its worth</p>