<p>Re college seniors and their plans for the future, ours gave us what she considered good news and bad news.</p>
<p>The bad news was that she didn't know what she wanted to do after college. The good news was that she has a long list of things that she does NOT want to do.</p>
<p>I guess every data point helps...</p>
<p>Since S has never been home for the summer since he started college, we really don't expect him to show up on the doorstep now. We just aren't sure which direction he's headed. He has ideas and some of his former jobs with the national park service still look appealing to him as an interim. We're just glad he's graduating in 4 years ;) It is also comforting to find others in the same boat.</p>
<p>My D is only a junior, but I have told her that what she does now is completely up to her. I mean it too. If she gets a job, I expect her to get paid. If she goes to grad school, I expect her to get as much funding as she can and I will help where I can. I wonder if I will undergo a metabolic shift and be worried 12 months from now?</p>
<p>After 2 summer research internships, D1 decided to apply to doctoral programs in organic chem. She took the GRE at home during her 3 week summer break...and the subject exam at a neighboring university near her college back in October. We can't help but feel that the mentoring she has received from her chem professors has had a tremendous impact on her decision. She has found her "passion." And, in terms of the BF, D1 seems determined to pursue this on her own terms... So far, I've seen 4 graduate application fees charged against our credit card. ;)</p>
<p>By the time most "kids" are seniors, they have hopefully developed a plan of their own. I have been stepping further and further back each semester, and have no intention to exert any pressure on senior D. She was eligible for a free 5th year scholarship, but is anxious to get into her professional field. She plans to spend the Christmas holiday researching entry level jobs in our metropolitan area. She also is deeply involved with a BF who is planning on grad school and they are seriously talking about their future together. I fully trust her instincts, and all the wisdom we have taught her over the years. She has also gotten lots of real life experience by living off campus the last 3 years. Anecdote:Today she called with a great coping story. She and 2 room mates had a leak in their apt. for the last few weeks and had been calling landlord to no avail. This morning at 7:30, she was awakened by 2 strange men pounding on the door. Since room mates were not home and she was in pajamas, she didn't open the door (smart girl). They then proceeded to break in through the window. She called out and they said they were the plumbers. Then the landlord showed up-he had told them to break in since he had forgotten his key. She let him know she was not happy. Then the police showed up, some neighbors had called to report a break in. She had to let them in to prove everything was all right (still in her pajamas at this point). She had a big presentation today, so had to shower with 2 strange men downstairs in the apt. (creepy)before heading off to school. I advised her to call the landlord and let him know how wrong this was. She is handling life well, and I am comforted to know she has dealt with these real life experiences before moving out on her own. I am as proud of this as any academic success she has had.</p>
<p>We have two girls in school in NYC, and if anything has made up for all the fears I had about lack of support, overstimulation, urban alienation, crime, drugs, too many pairs of leggings (being silly about that one!), it's been the real-world experience. Both have had really substantial part-time jobs that were as cool as internships and actually pay with galleries, museums, consulting firms, architects... it's turned my Ph. D program-bound bookworms into confident women who are eager to contribute. Our NYU senior D is ready to get as far from the classroom as possible, and has been offered a part-time development job with her favorite non-profit, is 2 months into a 9-month grant-writing gig with another, and starts an intensive pastry certification at a culinary school this summer. She's happy, healthy, and able to pay rent, which is all we could ask for. :)</p>