<p>Just wondering how your kids are doing in their first year. Is it what they expected? Is it more?</p>
<p>Well, he doesn't seem overwhelmed. He's never been one to gush and he's never had a lot of friends so it's really hard to tell. He's playing video games with other kids. He seems happy. He had two "easy" math tests this week and did very well in a history paper.</p>
<p>My daughter had a very difficult college application process. She ended up at a school she never thought she would ever be. But a week after she got to her school, she said, "It's like heaven on earth. I can't imagine to be anywhere else."</p>
<p>She is loving her school, made 3 best friends. She has a job on campu. She also took her first prelim in her major and got her first A(I am so proud). We speak to each other everyday, sometimes a few times a day. Every time I speak with her, she just seem so happy. What bothered her initially was she felt she always had to be "up" at school. There is never a time when she could be quiet - she's eating, walking, studying, partying with people. At home, there was a lot more quiet time for her. But I think she is adjusting to it now.</p>
<p>We are getting ready for her to come home next weekend for her midterm break. I cleaned her room, washed her sheets. We are going to her favorite restaurant her first night home. We are very excited, just in case if you couldn't tell.</p>
<p>My D has made a very smooth transition even though she's 1,500 miles from home. "A" averages in all her classes so far, lots of new friends and she loves being semi-independent. She tooks lots of APs and four college courses while in high school, so I think that helped quite a bit with the academic adjustment to college. As for homesickness, she took her horse with her to college and boards her at a facility near campus. Whenever she's feeling a little blue, riding seems to be the perfect antidote, so I consider the monthly board to be money well spent.</p>
<p>Mine seems to be struggling a bit. </p>
<p>She dropped one course after about four weeks, which decreased her credit load from 17 to 14, and she's had some not-too-serious but troubling medical issues. Some of her grades have disappointed her, but they're far from disastrous. I think the academic pressure is a bit overwhelming. </p>
<p>I don't hear much about friends, but I don't think she feels particularly pressured to make any since she has a good friend from home on campus. She has one extracurricular activity and is enjoying it. </p>
<p>We communicate a lot by e-mail and phone, and despite the fact that there are obviously some troubles, I'm not seeing any signs of impending disaster. I will know more when she comes home for fall break next weekend.</p>
<p>The transition to college can be difficult for all sorts of reasons. I never expected it to be completely smooth.</p>
<p>Mine is struggling a lot. Masses more work than she imagined, low grades which I expected but not she, doesn't like the food at all. She seems to have made a lot of friends, though, and is lucky enough to have found the perfect roommate. I won't see her until christmas and for some reason when we skype, her image disintegrates into thousands of tiny squares, so I can't even tell if she's looking well.</p>
<p>He sounds very good by email and phone, cheerful and productive. Since he's 3,000 miles away, we can't read the body language until December.</p>
<p>In the first weeks, there were some nervous phone calls about getting all the books purchased, initial college admin deadlines met, etc. which told me he WILL call if anything's amiss. So nothing big is amiss now, I figure, that he can't handle. </p>
<p>He's enjoying classes a lot, describes gleefully his first film projects (that's his major), surprised himself by doing very well in his worst h.s. subject (Math). He said that he was "surprised that college isn't harder than high school" so I wondered what that meant. He said, "I think I figured this thing out. If you get started on the assignments right away, everything goes well." Exactly. </p>
<p>By last week, he was relaxed enough to call and just joke around: "Hi Mom, hey, I'm just too tired to go down to the food court, so could you just send some food to my room?" "Sure," I joked back, "and if it's not there in 30 minutes, it's free." </p>
<p>He's only nagged about getting a car, since he's in SoCal, but other than that there are no problem areas between us. </p>
<p>He sends us political articles of interest to him. He loves his History courses.
He made a book of poetry and distributed 70 copies all over the campus. He phoned out to ask if I'd round up his h.s. girlfriend and take her to synagogue, which I was glad to do. Always interesting, since she's not Jewish, but it tells me they're still in daily email contact still.</p>
<p>No complaints, and he does sound quite happy.</p>
<p>oldfort - I think my freshman daughter is the same way regarding having some alone time. Her last three years in high school, her sister was at college, so she truly was used to having solitude at home. Her roommate match-up couldn't have been more perfect - they get along great, but the best part is that her roommate lives six miles from campus, and goes home each weekend to work, at least for the time being. When we first realized said roommate lived so close, and would be more likely to go home more often (there's a boyfriend, too), I cringed, wondering if D would feel alone. Everytime I talk to her on a weekend now, she's basking in the alone time. She has good friends next door, but does get that total solitude that she is used to. Maybe this will help her with the transition of probably having a roommate in future years that don't go home. But she's been lucky so far. I really haven't heard any 'negatives' from her yet, but she's just not the type to complain about a lot of stuff. I guess if the place wasn't a good fit, I would be hearing about it.</p>
<p>Good. Two best friends in the first three days which is funny because he started his high school career with a trio. His room is full of kids when we call. He's always preoccupied with five things when we call, on his way out the door, with kids waiting for him. That's typical too. </p>
<p>He dropped two freshman courses for two senior courses in week three. Sheepishly went back to one of those courses in week four. Didn't understand a word of the advanced class. Loves the other senior course. I'm not sure he can compete but he'll find that out in due course.</p>
<p>He's playing his sport in a club outside of school and signed up one of his friends to go too. He's made a new website for his EC and tells me he is getting ready to let that EC rip, full steam. I want him to collaborate with schoolmates and school resources. So far...nada.</p>
<p>All good. Fingers crossed he doesn't skip too many classes or overestimate his writing skills. Other than that, he should experience the biggest mind bender of his life. He had few expectations. Didn't remember a thing we told him. Can't wait to see him at Thanksgiven.</p>
<p>Just returned from Parents Weekend with firsthand info. D is stressing about grades, papers and tests; and is also trying to keep up with several outside activities that she's really interested in--they weren't available in high school, and she'd been looking forward to getting invovled. She's getting along fine with her roommate, seems to have made a small number of good friends, which is what I expected/hoped, and mostly likes her classes despite the workload. My biggest concerns are eating and sleeping. She's become vegan, and her diet has become pretty monotonous. And she goes to bed way after midnight (probably around 2 in the morning), getting up either at 8 or 10 depending on the time of her first class. She contends that crazy hours are the norm...do others hear that too?</p>
<p>Oh, yes, crazy hours are the norm. DOn't sweat it.</p>
<p>Ask her to educate herself as a vegan (or let you send her info that you might research, share the research, make it a dialogue) so she doesn't lose too much weight too fast. I'm sure there's good stuff online.</p>
<p>A monotonous diet would bother you, but to her this is a very important, ethical matter and it's probably good to just cheer her on for believing in something (whether or not you agree). I wouldn't get into a power struggle over food; go with her on this one; lots of vegans do fine...but they need to learn about it. Learn what TO eat, not just what NOT to eat.</p>
<p>Crazy hours are the norm. I have a sophomore, and he says that nobody goes to bed before 2am. He only has one 8am class per week this semester!</p>
<p>My son (at Worcester Polytech) is certainly being challenged by the work, but he's doing fine (or so he tells me). When I ask him how he is, he always answers the same thing, "Pretty good." I take it to mean he is still settling in.</p>
<p>He says the kids on his floor (who are his only friends so far I think) split up on weekends. Some go to off campus parties and some stay behind to play video games or watch movies. He is my teetotaler (inexplicable) and so he stays behind.</p>
<p>So far it seems to be a much slower social scene than for son #1 at the LAC. Not too surprising though - fewer girls.</p>
<p>He is trying out for a play this week so <strong><em>keep your fingers crossed please.</em></strong> I think it will be his ticket to a social life if he can get a part!</p>
<p>Does anybody remember back in July or August when I was asking about whether or not it was a good thing that he got a single room? Well - LOL - it's a VERY good thing according to him! :)</p>
<p>DD, crazy hours and credit load, but in her element. Loves the school, making friends and roommate is at least compatible or they have worked it out. Emails, phone are cheery, text messages are for things needed or little chatty items that are happening. I think she is finding it even more amazing that she anticipated to be in that environment. So much more than HS. The calls, etc are tapering off. She is settling in.</p>
<p>My son HATED his chosen college and decided to withdraw after orientation week and the first day of classes. Aaargh. Now he's happily attending the state university in our city and living at home. Go figure.</p>
<p>Crazy hours may be the norm -- in which case my daughter the freshman is abnormal.</p>
<p>She goes to bed at about 11:30 every night and gets up at about 8:30 in the morning (no classes before 10 this semester). On the weekends, she seems to stay up an hour later and gets up about an hour later. I know this because I asked and because the time stamps on her e-mail messages confirm it. </p>
<p>Obviously, this is only possible because she lives in a single (which she absolutely, utterly loves, even though some other aspects of college life are a strain for her). It's even a nice single -- bigger than her bedroom at home. But I wonder how she will cope in future years if she has roommates. </p>
<p>On the other hand, I have had the experience of calling my son, a college senior, at 3 PM and waking him up. I guess he's the normal one.</p>
<p>My daughter is similar to Marian's daughter. On week nights she is in bed by 12am, gets up at 8am becaus she works every morning at 9am. I know because she calls me every morning at 8:45am (on her way to work). On weekends she will stay out late (2am), and I know better not to call her until after 10am.</p>
<p>Wild enthusiasm. "My first [Humanities Core class] was the best hour-and-a-half I've ever spent in a classroom!" "I love the teacher in my calculus class. He has a heavy Russian accent, just like Mr. ___ [math chair at his high school]. Some of the other kids had trouble understanding him, but for me it was exactly like math ought to sound." "There's this midnight soccer league. My team won our first game! It was great!" "What could be better than watching Ferris Buehler's Day Off with a bunch of 18-year-olds?" He's only had a week of classes, though, and he's got a hard row to hoe.</p>
<p>And wild hours? Absolutely. But he did that his last year of high school, too.</p>
<p>D seems to be doing very well. The kid who plays 4 instruments has joined an a capella group but not the symphony. Crush on a diferent cute boy this week. An A on the first chem test - this week's calc test was "evil" so maybe she should have started with Calc1 instead but I think it's too late now.
I hope she's going to bed before 3 since she has 8 o'clocks 4 days a week!
She called last night (on a Saturday) out of the blue. I was afraid something was wrong but it was just to say hi and ask a "settle this bet" question. Evidently several of them were eating dinner at a pizza place..... "Bye now, our food is here."</p>
<p>S is adjusting well to all aspects of college. From what I am hearing they study as hard as they play. He is learning all about time management too which is something he never has do to in hs. Classes are tough but he knew that when he chose this college. He seems to be up for the challenge and so far so good. He is much more social this year and has made a lot of new friends and is always so upbeat when we talk. He has been there for 4 weeks now and even though he is only 45 minutes away, he has not wanted to come home on the weekends. Always busy both with studying and hanging out. I am very happy for him.</p>