<p>Hi all - I'm here in Coral Gables while D attends "Band Camp"...I can tell you that Target, Bed Bath and Beyond and Linens and Things are ready for you!! </p>
<p>A tip I learned on this board that worked out well for us - BBB takes as many coupons as you have! (expired or not, even the competitor's).
D is living off campus this year, so we came down early to move in before rehearsals started.</p>
<p>The weather is great, campus is being spruced up for your arrival, and aside from the Village apts., all looks ready for you!
I'm heading over to the bookstore today to get my UM "stuff" :)
If there's anything I can answer for you while I'm here, ask away!</p>
<p>No, its not too hot...it is humid, but there have been evening storms that clear the air. And of course the air-conditioned buildings are freezing, so don't forget a sweater or hoodie!
The guy in the bookstore today was trying to explain to a mom why they have so many sweatshirts for sale (she didn't think it would ever get cold enough in FL) - he said the offical uniform of a UM student is a hooded sweatshirt, shorts, and flipflops :)
My D is all moved into apt. and busy with bandcamp, so I leave tomorrow :(
Good luck with move-in everyone!</p>
<p>How do you get all the stuff up to the higher floors in the towers?</p>
<p>I know I'm packing quite a bit and I can't imagine carrying my refrigerator all the way up the stairs....or even to the elevator? Do they haver carts to put the stuff on?</p>
<p>Ladyconfused...yes. When you check into your dorm, ask one of the orientation people (or a DA) where to rent the carts. Think over-sized laundry carts on wheels. If I'm not mistaken, you give them 5.00 (which is returned to you when you return the cart) and you have use of the cart for as long as you need. And this cart held a lot. I know we couldn't have carried the big "mini-fridge" either! :) Park your car in the temporary short-term lot (it is very close to Hecht/Standford), move your stuff in...then go move your car to a long term lot so others can use the closer lot. Then have fun!! The lines for the elevators are the longest on Friday afternoon, although they do keep them running smoothly (usually expressing at least one elevator). (We had son's vehicle LOADED down) and I think it only took us 3 trips to get it all in. (Of course, it was another 3 trips after doing the Target/Publix (grocery) shopping. :) </p>
<p>Good luck to you all!! </p>
<p>1tcm (soon to be the mom of a UM alumni).....:)</p>
<p>Last year, there was no deposit for the carts. They just checked off your name and room#. I completely agree with 1tcm (as usual) that everything runs pretty smoothly and the lines are longest Friday afternoon, just be patient. Take the time you're waiting on line to meet the kids waiting with you. Since S was on the 4th floor, for any small trips, we just took the stairs. There are lots of stations all over handing out bottles of water, take advantage of them, you will be glad you did. There are alot of people around to help, if you are unsure of anything, just ask. It really is an exciting day.</p>
<p>My S left yesterday (driving :eek:) and was excited to be heading back. Since he had moved his stuff into the fraternity house at the end of last semester (the house is dry :)), he really didn't need us to help him move-in. I miss being down there, though. Ctmom, I'm envious, but looking forward to visiting this fall. Where is your D's apt?</p>
<p>1tcm-Can you believe the finish line is in sight? What an exciting December you are going to have!</p>
<p>Since I don't do humidity very well (coming from Colorado where if the humidity hits 18% we think there is a Hurricane coming or perhaps the end of the world as we know it), the bottled water is going to be very helpful. Thank goodness that I will have TWO strapping young men to do the heavy work, I plan on sitting back and directing the effort which I do SOOOOO well, lol.</p>
<p>Just think, only three years from now and I'll be a parent of an UM allumni. S just agreed to strive to be out in 3 years since he enters in as a Sophomore.</p>
<p>I'm also entering as a sophomore due to college credits I earned during high school... hoping to graduate in 3yrs if not sooner (I'm planning on going to med school so I'm trying to save time during undergraduate).</p>
<p>Glad to hear about the carts, that will help greatly... I'm not exactly packing lightly (I'm sure it'll all fit in the room though)!</p>
<p>Oh, you're going to have fun in So Florida in August! LOL I just checked the weather and at 10AM it's 86, but feels like 95 with the 71% humidity. If you look at the humidity reading in a dyslexic kind of way, maybe you can trick yourself into thinking it's only 17%. ;)</p>
<p>Wife and family are used to me just refusing to go outside anymore if I decide that the humidity is not fit for man, beast, or any other kind of normal living. S says it will be no problem, he doesn't know what he's getting himself into. He'll be begging for winter and some snow inside a week.......</p>
<p>Keep an eye out for me, I'll be the red headed guy running from building to building, scurrying like a rat or prairie Dog looking for its burrow as I try to get across campus in the coolest and least humid way possible.......</p>
<p>I think the kids get used to it pretty darn fast! </p>
<p>On our 3 day drive down my D was constantly turning the AC off, and I cranked it up every chance I could! I hate being hot but she thrives in it :)
...she has never once missed the days of "snow, sleet and freezing rain"!!!</p>
<p>My-3-sons - D's in a 3 bedroom apt. on Ludlum - its 1.5 miles from UM and she doesn't have to go on Route 1 (yay!!!). The advantage of being in the MBand is that she's made friends with upperclassmen who have sort of taken her under their wings...a spot opened up in their apt. and she grabbed it - it will cost us the same or less than the dorms, and she gets her own room. I wasn't really ready for her to be off campus, but she makes pretty good decisions so we trusted her on this one.</p>
<p>We just got back yesterday, and things went pretty smoothly. Only some small glitches. My D's name wasn't on the approved Monday move-in list--her ID number was inputted incorrectly--involving a trip over to the Residence Office (lovely people by the way). And ID cards were not at the dorms, involving a trip way over to the other end of campus and a long line, but at least she would be able to get back into the building after band camp.
I felt that the small window of opportunity for move-in on Monday morning was not great, but in retrospect, it was probably a good thing, since we avoided the crowds. We couldn't stay for Freshman Orientation, so if anyone goes (especially to the Music School thing on Saturday), I would appreciate a report. The dog lost weight in the kennel, if we had left him till Monday, he would have been a bag of bones with a tail. Good luck to everyone. This is my second (and last) to go, and I mistakenly thought it would be easier this time.</p>
<p>Fafnir - glad things went OK with you and move-in.<br>
My D reports that their section this year is awesome! (I think I remember that your D also plays alto sax?). I hope you get to go to a game...its pretty impressive seeing them out on the field in front of 70,000 or so!</p>
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1tcm-Can you believe the finish line is in sight? What an exciting December you are going to have!
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<p>1tcm doing the happy happy joy joy dance!! Of course, that is until he decides to move back home with us till grad school starts the following fall of 07. (All of his grad school programs he's applying don't take spring admissions)......What if he doesn't get in??? Oh my... LOL......) </p>
<p>And I'll miss all of you here.....I'm not sure which forum I'm going to have to move to. I guess I'll just get to learn all about the new cities he's applying? Anyone with info on Atlanta, Baltimore, Houston, or New Haven??? :)</p>
<p>S safely arrived back in Coral Gables at dinnertime yesterday. The fraternity has hired a chef to cook 2 meals a day for the kids in the house, so he walked in just as she was preparing to serve roast beef and mashed potatoes. He was in heaven, tired but very happy to be back at The U.</p>
<p>Hello all, I just arrived back in Japan. we left son on Sunday. We were all ready to say goodbye, and I have spoken to him a lot since we left him -he seems fine and adjusting nicely. Parent orientation a nd move in was a well oiled machine. everything went so well. Husband and I were quite impressed. I did not get to meet many of you in person. Did have a lovely dinner with lilymoon and family. Yankeegirl, sorry we did not get to meet; maybe next time. HOpe all of your kids are happy and healthy and embracing what seems to be a great school.
thanks for all your input, I should say invaluable input. LOoking forward to hearing how all the kids are doing.</p>
<p>Hey- ndd, Glad to hear you are back safe and sound. It was great getting together for dinner! :)
Wish we could have met more of you on the board but it was such a hectic time I didn't even make it to the Rat for the happy hour. :(
However, we did make it to BBB 3x.... yeesh. Getting into the dorm with the long lines for the elevators and going back and forth was tiring in the heat! Things all got done and son is in and happy. I am the one suffering with missing him. I wish I had thought to take the camera and get pics of the move-in. Would have been funny to look back on those. LOL....carpet rolling off the cart, microwave falling out and stopped from hitting the ground by roommate's foot, etc.
I must say the campus looked beautiful and I was impressed with the school's staff and amount of activities that were planned for both the parents and students.
Hope all of you had smooth move-ins and all is well.</p>
<p>I'm so glad to hear things went so well for you guys and the kids seem to be settling in well. Your move-ins seem to echo our experience last year, right down to being too drained (and in our case sweaty) to make it to the Rat happy hour. I think UM plans a great welcome weekend that prepares everyone to be ready to say goodbye Sunday feeling that the kids are in good hands..</p>
<p>Just heard from S who said the 1st day of classes were great. He had wanted to pick up one more class this semester, but after hearing going to his 2 toughest classes today, Organic Chem and Bio, he's decided he has plenty on his plate! He's already spent $533 on books and he's not done yet! :eek:</p>
<p>Hi, I'm a senior in high school this year, and I visited UM today and I loved it, but I have a couple of questions. I wasn't sure where to post this, but you all seem very knowledgable about the school. First of all, are there shuttles or buses that go from M.I.A. to UM? I'm here on vacation so I didn't go from the airport to the campus so I'm not sure how that works. Secondly, today the tour guide mentioned something about an undergrad research opportunity where students are matched to a prof. is this accurate? If it is, is this guaranteed to all students interested or is there an application process. Is this also during the school year or a summer research project? Thanks.</p>