<p>I have a junior daughter who does no EC's at all, but she does work 8 hours a week at the Provost's Office, which she loves! She meets all the profs, prez, etc.</p>
<p>She says the academics are too tough, and she doesn't have time, but I know it's the siren lure of NYC.</p>
<p>DS is a frosh (not 18) and he is in the orchestra, choir and environmental club. He auditioned for an a cappella group and was somewhat crushed when he wasn't accepted. Oh, he is also asst. manager for a more professional orchestra that he isn't quite ready for. But I expected no less; he won his school's scholarship for Renaissance student, meaning he was involved in the widest variety of EC's. The music dept. discouraged him in his desire to join the fencing team or he'd be doing that.</p>
<p>My senior is drowning in ECs. He just got a job as a finance intern on a major presidential campaign in a major city. Apparently he will travel to help do fundraising and finance checks. He volunteers at a major academic center at his university--and plays high level intramural touch football and basketball. One of his basketball teams is an IBank. The guys graduated a few years ago and drafted him as a ringer. Plus he's finally 21. Visiting dance clubs is a favorite EC. ;)</p>
<p>As a freshman, he was recruited to play those intramural sports. It wasn't until junior and senior year that he bit off the big political ECs.</p>
<p>My freshman is jump-starting his entreprenuerial efforts again. I hope his ECs don't preempt his college experience.</p>
<p>My Freshman D has always been a big EC gal. She's in the marching band (not a very serious one) and Orchestra. Now she's trying to narrow it down between a Business Frat, Key Club or Ballroom Dancing. She has always liked to juggle crazy schedules, so we'll see if this one works. The Business Frat seems like a lot of work for pledges, but hard to know at this point.</p>
<p>Just be watchful of your EC hounds. Mine may have bitten off more than she can chew this year. Of course I thought that last year. I really wish she'd just .....oh, never mind. :( T'ain't ever gonna happen. Might as well just shut-up and watch her spin till she stops.</p>
<p>As long as we're in the commiserating mode,
I have one son who "made my day" by telling me how miserable his was on Sunday because of his heavy schedule.
The younger is just the opposite- so paranoid he might make a B or C that he feels guilty doing anything other than studying. I'm beginning to thing the only reason he's joining a fraternity is because he's too lazy to make social plans on his own.
Encourage your sons and daughters to find their own happiness, wherever that may be.</p>
<p>cur, I had a college friend who called her mother "Joan-Why-Don't-Cha" because her mother couldn't stop making really really helpful suggestions.</p>
<p>Personally, the 9000 mile gulf between me and mine is probably just about the right distance to douse my 'Why-don't-Chas'.</p>
<p>My son, now graduated, was recruited for crew as a freshman. He was good at it, loved the practice and the way it fit his natural athletic inclinations. Many weekends he was traveling the East rowing on various rivers, which was a great intro to that part of the country, as we tend to be based in the West and Midwest only. He loved it, felt he'd find his passion, tho finally dropped out as a Senior after many of his crew buddies graduated. But as a Senior, he was able to be involved in academics with a new dedication, and now regrets the extensive time and energy spent on crew, as he wishes his grades and academic concentration had been a little higher level earlier on. I see his emerged commitment to fitness now though, and think that time learning to work so hard physically was a lifelong gift, in a family that tends to less than svelte.</p>
<p>Was just down at my Ds college, watching her play tennis. The gift of open athletics in Div III is a great one. She looks good, is benefitting from the coaching in a great lifelong sport, though is not necessarily a top player. And she talks of orchestra, possible quartet playing, French club when her time opens up after tennis, starting a women's ultimate Frisbee team. Her life is good! </p>
<p>And mine too, as with more time, I'm finding space in my life for ECs!</p>
<p>My freshman son is definitely burning the candle at both ends, and frankly, I worry that he is going to get sick. He is already complaining of sinus issues, and getting only a few hours of sleep at a time is going to compound that :(.</p>
<p>He is pledging a fraternity and playing a sport, so between being at practice or being at the house, he is going and going and going. I hope somewhere in there he is doing some school work. Luckily, he had been advised to take a light load this semester, so his classes are not that academically challenging. But, they still take some effort.....</p>
<p>Please, please be making the effort!!! And, Please don't get a full blown sinus infection!!!!</p>
<p>My d was very involved in drama all through high school and decided to try out for one of the mainstage productions at her college. She went to the audition and severall callbacks (was sure she'd not done well) and ended up getting a part in the play. There were only two freshmen who got parts.</p>
<p>My S is playing Ultimate Frisbee and racquetball. I'm glad he put himself out there to join those two groups because he's not a gym rat type and I think the physical exercise is really important to help manage the stress of being so far away from his beloved parents. </p>
<p>Or whatever other stress there is. <em>Grin</em></p>
<p>My DS#1 is a reserved introvert and did little in terms of EC his first two years in college. He loaded up on courses and took time out every day or every other to bang on the piano in a practice room. Although he loved his academic work and seemed content, I was a little concerned about his social life by his sophomore year. Now he is a junior, is signed up for just 4 courses, has landed a job as a TA in his major (one which he had wanted to do since sophomore year), and has joined the men's glee club and signed up for the fencing club. I think he is finally balanced and in stride.</p>
<p>My DS#2, on the other hand, was ambitious about his course load and ECs right from the get go only to be told that, as a first semester freshman, his course load could not exceed 19 credits. As it turned out there was a schedule conflict and he could only fit in 4 courses but he ended up adding an audit in an optional intro class in his major. So he signed up for more EC than he had planned for at the start orientation. He has never wanted to join a frat and is just shopping for ECs. He is drumming for an African dance class and an African dance club. He shows up two evenings a week for practice with the fencing club and has signed up for archery and kenda (Japanese sword). He now thinks kenda and archery may not be for him but he wants to start a club for taichi (his original martial arts choice) instead. He thinks that fencing may drop down to once a week as his course work gets busier. This is a kid who wants to test his limit and is having loads of fun. Perhaps, like his brother, he will find his balance point by his junior year. I can't wait; I am out of breath just trying to keep up with him.</p>
<p>Perhaps, it's just an illusion that there is a balance point.</p>
<p>Well this thread made me feel better. I was hoping my sort-of-quiet son would join more activities right away, as that's generally the way you meet people. However he says he has friends on his floor and from his orientation group, and from a few of his classes. Maybe he'll get more involved with things later. He isn't complaining at all about his work load (yet).</p>