Regardless of the RMP ratings, I’ll see for myself what the classes are like, and honestly right now I’m more focused on resting and thinking about move-in. So, I’m gonna table the RMP topic and I’ll update y’all next week about move in, when it happens. /thoughtful, warmly
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Dorm stuff has been ordered. Packing super light (literally taking my old summer camp duffel bag to dump like half my clothes in there) when I say half my clothes it’s probably half of that, too. Just. A small amount. - plus my sports duffel bag (riding and competition gear + my boots will not fit in a normal bag.) exactly 7 days to go. and I’m still sick. and yes, I’m not packing til like Friday. (I move in Sunday) /lotta emotions but mostly over being sick
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Duffel is almost fully packed, pending some essentials on the way + decor. My chem class syllabus got posted today and it’s kinda overwhelming, but I think I’ll be okay. It’s a lot of emotions. /excited and nervous
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Yay!
You’re going to be okay, no matter what happens. You’ve developed strategies to help you learn and NEU has additional resources to help. Use them all. And no matter what happens in any of your classes, it’s a learning experience and you’ll learn more about yourself and the subject.
Totally understandable! This is a big transition for you (and all students who are going away to college for the first time). Focus on the excitement and remember that everyone else is nervous, too (even if they’re trying to act as though they’re not). You’ve got this!
/Sincere & encouraging
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Thank you! I’m going to make sure I’m doing the readings beforehand and the prelabs and all of that, but there’s definitely more exams than I thought. /sheepish
It’s definitely a lot of nervousness but I’m just hoping that I do well in my classes. /sighing
I’m going to respond to your last post, and then I want you to go off and continue healing and enjoying your time with friends and family as you spend the remaining days before move-in.
Yes, to all of this. I know you have strategies that have helped you be successful, but I’m going to be a parent and give you a few reminders:
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As you’re doing the readings and pre-labs, write down questions as you have them. If you’re in a class where it’s appropriate to ask them, ask them during class. If it’s not appropriate, ask during office hours or…
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Go to the school tutoring center. These locations are not just for people struggling…they’re for all students. I recall a different thread when I think it was @momofboiler1 talking about how females were more likely to use tutoring services and ask questions and so they were able to understand the tasks faster than the boys who wanted to figure it out on their own and didn’t want to ask for help. Basically, be proactive about using the tutoring services. Don’t go in only when you need help…use them before you need help. This is also a great place to have your questions answered on readings before you get to the class so you can get even more out of each class session (assuming it’s a lecture and not a discussion-based class).
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Attend office hours on a very regular basis. Not only will it help you to understand material better, show the prof that you’re working hard, build a relationship with the prof, etc, but sometimes it can have additional benefits. For instance, my first semester of college I took an honors class that really kicked my butt. More than half the class dropped and by the end of the class, there were only 2 females left. I attended every single office hour because that class was a real struggle for me. If office hours were being canceled, I got an individual email letting me know, because they knew I’d be in attendance. In the end, I earned a “C” in the class, which I was thrilled to earn. On my report card, however, I received a “B.” I’m sure they knew I was never going to continue on in the major, but giving it the old college try is what helped me from getting more heavily dinged on my GPA.
Of course, there was no way to know in advance that this would happen (and I still would have been satisfied with the C…I honestly feared a D or F and to this day, I’ve never had to work so hard to understand in a class), but a “C” is a whole lot better than an “F” and if I hadn’t been in office hours, I’m pretty sure I’d have an “F.” -
Join/form study groups. If you feel like you’re the only one struggling, or if “everyone” else is out having fun while you need to study, then it can help a lot to be in a group that’s all studying together. Not nearly as lonesome, and people can also help explain to each other and work through any misunderstandings (to later be confirmed as correct with the professor).
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Adding on: After doing a chunk of your readings (a section, a chapter, a page…whatever makes sense to you), you may want to talk to a plant, your favorite stuffed animal, or a picture of a friend/celebrity and tell them everything you’ve been reading about. If you realize you can’t explain it or you’re forgetting something, then you know to go back and reread that section. Also, if you’re consistently having trouble and needing to reread, talk to your “item” after a shorter chunk than you were doing previously.
On that note, make sure you sign off of CC if you haven’t already, and enjoy the rest of your summer.
/Gently reminding
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So housing informed there would be a 
cat:sparkles: (approved ESA for a student in my hall) in my dorm hall- …and I’m SEVERELY allergic (throat swelling up, the works). If the cat is out in the lounge or in the study space or even if I get secondhand exposure I’ll get allergic- I emailed them and called them and we’ll see if they’ll move me (or them) in a different dorm. That’s the only update I got. Otherwise… I’m almost all done packing. /sighing
Ugh. Is the cat in a room close to yours? At a school one of my kids attended (smaller LAC) there were no dorms without ESAs…but cats were NOT allowed in the common spaces. Keep contacting them until you get a satisfactory solution, you may need a doctor’s note. You have a single, correct?
Yes! I’m in a single and so is everyone else, but not all students will keep their ESA in the dorm only, and that would mean I’d get allergic instantly. Seriously; it’s not pretty. So… we’ll see what happens dorm-wise. They told me to call them (Housing) back if they don’t respond by the afternoon to my email. /sighing
Sorry for the unexpected and last minute issue. Did they tell you specifically that cats could be let out of the room? That seems nutty to me (my kid’s school was strict about that wrt cats, of course dogs had to go outside multiple times per day). I don’t know how many students are in your building but there must be other students with pet allergies too. I hope you get a quick and satisfactory resolution.
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No, but the Housing person on the phone pretty clearly said a lot of students let their ESAs roam in the lounge or study spaces in their dorm halls (aka they don’t follow the rules, they’re supposed to stay in the dorm) so… I don’t know, but even secondhand exposure can cause me to get allergic. (Like fur on a person, fur on the couch/in the air) /sighing
…and I move in in two days (27th). /sighing
Hoping that everything goes well with moving the other person or moving you into a different space. But, worse comes to worst, the RAs or other res hall personnel can make sure to emphasize to the hall and others with ESAs that there are people in the hall/dorm with severe, life-threatening allergies to their animals, including secondary allergies (like fur on the carpet/furniture/drapes), and just really impress upon them the importance of keeping their ESA in their dorm room. Hopefully, thinking about the health consequences to another person rather than just “dorm rules” will have people be more thoughtful about following the rules.
/Hopeful & sincere
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Hopefully it doesn’t come to that. I also now need to buy allergy medicine…. sighs why can’t there be no ESAs in dorm rooms? /sighing slash internally screeching inside but it’s okay it’ll work out (
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EDIT- the Housing staff emailed me back but we all know how likely it is the cat’s staying in the dorm. They said it’s supposed to stay in the dorm and it’s not in a room near me but like… secondhand allergies. inhales and they’re like “do you know about the DRC? They can give you a housing accommodation!” I’m like… this IS my housing accommodation?? /you know what it’s fine
I’m not going to worry about a cat. Hakuna matata and hopefully I don’t get allergic. /whelp
If you have allergies of course you must bring allergy medication regardless. I take meds daily and year round and definitely need Benadryl if I encounter cats. My nephew doesn’t leave the house without Benadryl, inhaler and epipen. Unfortunately in this situation, if they allow esa as medical accommodations, it’s probably easier to move one person than many (so I guess it depends on the numbers?). There’s no way I could live in a cat dorm.
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Yeah. My throat swells up, like… it’s severe allergies, but I’m just not having it with Housing. I’ll be fine, hopefully. /sighing
I’ll be fine, I’ll just keep allergy meds with me. /that’s it I guess
My husband is also very allergic, so I understand.
Do you have allergy meds or an epipen to bring with you? Did you bring one to HS just in case there was fur on somebody’s coat or book bag?
Ok I see you will keep meds with you. I would ask about living on a floor without these animals.
Okay, two thoughts here:
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Ask if there is a floor in the dorm that has no ESAs allowed, or ask them to create one. If the whole dorm is singles, then there are no roommate or other issues involved and move-in hasn’t happened yet. Who cares if they’re now in room 417 rather 322?
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Get them to indicate in writing that the RAs and Res hall personnel will include the topic of ESA restrictions in the first night meetings that are had (every university I’ve ever heard of has a dorm hall meeting on the first night). Have them emphasize the nature of secondary allergies as well.
I’m sorry you’re having this issue right before move-in, but the good news is, it’s still before move-in and there may be a way to get things right for the school year. Better to expend some energy on the issue now rather than having to deal with it throughout the school year when it could be an even bigger issue with fewer solutions.
/Sincere
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I have allergy meds (I should get more before I leave)- but I don’t use an epipen. I didn’t use one in HS predominantly because I wasn’t around allergens like that, which was… a relief. But this cat (as much as I love cats) is a bit worrying, because I can’t get allergic like that, you know? I guess I’ll just keep allergy meds in my bag at all times. /sighing
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Should I email my RA and Residence Director about adding it in the floor meeting? They’re aware of the allergy situation since they were CC’d in the Housing email. /wondering
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Sounds like a great idea.
/Earnest
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