<p>Haven't heard from him in over a week, and when I call his voice mail is full (he says he doesn't have time to delete all the messages he never listened to, so why do I leave them at all?). I've sent a couple of emails with no replies. Unbeknownst to me, his father sent him a text message this evening saying "Call your mother! She's driving me crazy!" So, finally he calls.</p>
<p>The good news is twofold: he's got a B in physics so he doesn't have to take the final! He's thrilled and so am I. He even said he thought he could get an A if he took the final, but since it's pass/fail this semester, he'd rather spend the time on his other classes. Smart choice IMO. </p>
<p>Next good news: he's said he's getting excited to come home for 2 weeks. He really hasn't been homesick, but said the closer it gets the more excited he is. Of course the gf he hasn't seen in 4 months might have something to do with it, but I've never been one to look a gift horse in the mouth. (Or any other kind of horse either.)</p>
<p>Who else has some good news? This might help the harried senior parents know that it will be over soon - and there is light at the end of the tunnel.</p>
<p>Over30, and here I thought your son and Megsdad's daughter were going out! Hmm....not much to gossip about here, then, how disappointing! ;)</p>
<p>I don't know about good news, my son seems to be doing all right. He's applied for a position on one of the newspapers on campus but there are 12 vacancies and 70 applications. Gotta wait and see how that works out!</p>
<p>My D is in her final week of classwork at Dickinson, then 3 finals next week and she's out (forever). The good news is that she seems to be leaving on a high note with a good academic experience; she had a good time participating in a mock Senate hearing for Government; went caving in Geology; and had a successful presentation in her freshman seminar. She's much happier now, both to be done with the semester, and to be "moving on." She's looking forward to her break, and to starting her new college life at Maryland.</p>
<p>My daughter is a freshman at UIUC engineering. She seemed to have no problem adjusting, has developed new friends, does go to parties on Friday and Saturday nights, has missed only one class the whole semester, got her dream schedule for next semester (no classes before 10), and her biggest complaint has only been the size of her room (small). She has finals next week but so far through all prior exams and assignments she is carrying an A or A- in every course.</p>
<p>My son is "in love" with his college experience. He is taking a crazy first semester load: Chem & lab, Bio, Physics & lab, intermed. Spanish, and is pulling straight A's. What he is most happy about is that he was selected to be a member of the student run EMS program.</p>
<p>And, he is excited about coming home, but I think a big part of that is that he can snow board with his H.S. friends.</p>
<p>Just off the phone with son who sounds great. His school had their "Winter Waltz" this weekend and happily the suit purchased for the prom still fits, and he had a great time- he assures me he has "always known how to waltz!" Classes are going well with "culminating activities" in 3, a final exam only in Calculus II. Reservations are made for the shuttle to the airport, gifts are purchased for cousins in Secret Santa exchange, and a cheap but functional refrigerator has been purchased to store "essentials." He has sounded pretty great all along, this was the best. I think he is excited after seeing friends over Thanksgiving and is looking forward to seeing us on the 23rd. </p>
<p>By the way, a year ago next week he got an outright rejection from his ED school, and went on to get into the other 7 schools he applied to, some with merit money. All is good.</p>
<p>After taking advanced calculus, economics, Latin, and an intensive writing seminar this semester, our son was extremely happy and very excited about getting in to a particular seminar course for spring semester. The course is entitled: "Acting for the Camera". </p>
<p>Oh no, we think the movie star dream may be back. That's what we get for telling him to pursue his dreams. Now what do we do?</p>
<p>My son is also looking forward to coming home--although mom and dad are towards the bottom of the list I think! He's only got one exam during the official exam week, so he can leave Friday. I haven't seen him since mid-August. </p>
<p>This weekend he spent the entire time judging and hosting a debate tourney at his school. Some poor guest had to camp out in his room! He's written another piece for a campus publication, an added Open Mic Night performances to his activities. Grades will be good. He expects only one B in Bio (he is not a math/science person to begin with and was very worried about lab science requirements.)</p>
<p>My D loved being home at Thanksgiving, is taking pride in adapting to cold weather (snow today!), and is working her butt off. Don't know about grades except that they're generally "good" and the finals and last papers will tell the tale anyway. The math final is a take-home where you have a week...uh-oh.</p>
<p>I think she's going to be very happy to be home in a couple of weeks but is too busy working her butt off until then. She had blocked out her reading schedule very sensibly, I thought.</p>
<p>Calls home have diminished in times of heavy workload, like now. Though she was chagrined that I knew from the e-version of the campus newspaper that there was an "after hours" closed party at her house on Saturday night. :)</p>
<p>TheDad: Our e-version of the campus newspaper doesn't carry the blotter, so we're on about a two week delay with regards to some of the more juicy things. Like the weekend our son's dorm flooded because someone playing football inside broke a sprinkler head!</p>
<p>This sounded weird to my son, but I was thrilled this week to discover someone had updated the website for one of the university sponsored bands he is in at school, and there was his name, along with a list of the band's past and future gigs. I can't exactly explain my reaction, but it was visual proof that he really is part of something ongoing and pretty great.</p>