<p>I hope I'm not overdoing it. :) It's just such a great fit for her, and college is so damn fun. (not the party part, but the meeting interesting people, and being in a class where everyone WANTS to be there, and setting your own schedule, and the concerts and plays and speakers.......) I mean, my goodness, she's going to be in the Sci Fi Dorm. What a hoot!</p>
<p>Don't get me wrong, I've teared up a couple of times, and I'm sure I'll cry when we part. But dang she's going to have a such a good time.</p>
<p>Is anyone else so excited for the kid they can hardly stand it?</p>
<p>Yes! This is what DW and I have worked for, for 18 years - to have a strong, confident, mature daughter going out into the adult world. What could be more exciting?</p>
<p>My son just left today. I thought I would be more teary-eyed, but I am just so excited for him! And in a strange coincidence, just last night he met two recent alums of his new college who described their years there as the best four years of their lives. Here’s to all of our kids who are embarking on big adventures!</p>
<p>Yes Usernamelm, I too am all smiles thinking about all the “firsts,” that await our D(our 1st) in school. College is where I met my wife and life-long friends and I remember my time there fondly. There are no guarantees her experience will be happy and/or fruitful but there is a guarantee of “life lessons,” and we’re hoping that she’ll grow and learn from them. So yes, I’m so excited for her I can hardly stand it . . .</p>
<p>Our D starts her senior college year in 3 days and we are as excited for her now as we were for her freshman year. She has grown so much as a person both maturity and caring. I remember that she first down (out of country) we asked to txt us when she would leave, at customs when she was driving home just so we would know that all was ok</p>
<p>Tried to edit my last post but it wouldn’t let me. Anyway, after our first trip down to visit her she started asking us to txt because she worried about us driving. Ironically we still get a txt every night at 10 just saying good night- love you. She is in her 2nd year as RA and that has been great as well. We are so happy she likes it where she is.</p>
<p>It is indeed very exciting, but the start of college can also be a bewildering, unsettling time for a young person.</p>
<p>Whenever our no-longer-kids start a new phase of their adult lives – college, graduate school, jobs, whatever – it’s good to be enthusiastic, but I don’t think we should be so overwhelmingly upbeat that the kids would feel uncomfortable admitting to any problems that they’re having.</p>
<p>I was super-excited about DD (my first) starting college too, mostly because I know how happy I was from Day One at my school. She was over-obsessed about her school as it was one of her top choices. However, her freshman year was pretty bumpy and not what I expected. She was resilient, but it was so painful for me because I was projecting so much based on my experience. Just want to throw some caution into the mix…</p>
<p>Having said all that, my DS is starting his senior year and I am pretty excited about the doors that will be open to him in college admissions. Based on my first experience, though, I will try to temper my emotions so that I’m not on an emotional roller coaster throughout this process.</p>
<p>I am very excited also for my D, but at the same time I am sad. It’s an odd feeling. She is my only child, and I know my life will be very different now. I think I will probably have a rough few weeks after she leaves, even though I could not be happier for her.</p>
<p>Re the caution: I have told my D to expect some degree of homesickness and adjustment discomfort. The first semester is generally not the greatest for most kids, and there is a gap between college dreams and reality. I told her that even when/if she feels homesick, she will be so busy that the semester will fly by. I don’t think she understands why I am telling her this, but she probably will later.</p>
<p>Usermom, I think it’s great you are so excited - you should be! I don’t get all the parents who are so sad that their kid(s) are leaving home, but I know I am an outlier. My son will be starting his soph year in a few weeks and I can’t wait for him to be gone and he can’t wait to be gone.</p>
<p>Because D2 (youngest) will be attending my DH’s alma mater, where we have had season tickets for football for years, I am not very sad at all. I know we will see her frequently this fall if she so chooses, Thanksgiving and Christmas aren’t far away, etc. </p>
<p>Plus, she is only a one hour plane ride away, so any severe homesickness can be remedied quite quickly and inexpensively. </p>
<p>I’m actually looking forward to life with DH as it was in the short time we were married before kids. I got pregnant 6 months after we got married, so we didn’t have much newlywed time. It might be very nice. :)</p>
<p>D started college 3 years ago and I remember being just a little sad but mostly excited for her. Yes I do miss her, but I feel that she is where she should be and doing what she worked for. Enjoy!</p>
<p>Having had pretty much an empty nest since D left for college in 2005, I can attest to the fact that life now is analagous to life BC (before children). It’s great having the freedom to doing something on the spur of the moment or to plan to do things on practically every day of the week without having to worry about kids’ schedules! Now our S is engaged and we are moving into another phase of life as “in-laws.” Life’s great!!!</p>
<p>I am excited. And sad. But mostly very jealous of my son who is going to have a fun new adventure. He has always made transitions easily. I am sure there will be a small amount of anxiety, but he would never admit to it. Mostly I am anxious he will break his leg in the three days before we leave or something like that. (He already survived a 9 hour road trip with friends – phew!)</p>
<p>Feeling excited and a liitle sad. I am proud of the man he has become so far and anxious to see the man he will become, but I am not sure he will come through it all unscathed. </p>
<p>And hoping that the nest fouling will end once he reaches campus.</p>