<p>So how has J-term been so far for current Smithies? Any one care to share? Perhaps, former Smithies or parents can reminisce on past accomplishments and thoughts. This might help us plan for next year. My D. (the studious one) preordered text books (Organic Chem and Neuroscience) and got started on them. Went to lab and did experiments. Ate lots of home cooked food and attempted to exercise some of the goodness off. She's back at Smith this weekend...reporting that it is pretty quiet with only a couple of dining halls open.</p>
<p>I have to admit, I only made it through one full J-term at home. I love my parents, we’re very, very close, and it was hard for me to be away from them when I was at Smith (they live on opposite side of the country), so when I came to my first J-term it sounded like heaven: six weeks at home! Little did I realize how much 1 semester at Smith had changed me, but how completely unchanged I remained in my parents eyes. Around week 2 this started to cause friction, and by week 5 I couldn’t wait to get back to the freedom and independence of my Smith life. Thank God I had a job while I was home over J-term that year, or hte 24/7 exposure to my parents would have really done me in. </p>
<p>So after that I tried to strike a balance. I found that 2 weeks at home (the actual winter break period more or less) was plenty for one go, and then I would head back to campus for three blissful weeks of J-term, where I would work at my on or off campus job, laze around with my friends, get into general mischief, and enjoy ourselves immensely while the campus was quiet and snowy. We watched a lot of movies, played a lot of games, (and when we were older) visited a lot of bars. I never took a class during J-term but I always got the maximum enoyment out of the whole period.</p>
<p>My D is taking an EMT training class on another campus- very intense - every day for 7 hours and many weekends but loves it. Also took a great cooking class on campus for 4 mornings. She had to go back very early and campus was a bit empty at first. Not exactly relaxing but at least she doesn’t have to get up early. She was home for two weeks and we live close enough to visit so have gone out for a day.</p>
<p>S&P, a side comment on your post #2: both we and D were at least somewhat conscious of the need to recalibrate expectations every time D came home. Still ongoing, having just having had her home for the holidays. </p>
<p>Odd things cause twinges. I know that she drinks and don’t have a problem with it. But it’s still a minor kick in the head when I <em>buy</em> her a drink when we’re out to dinner on the way home from the airport.</p>
<p>Otherwise, we don’t have friction over “house” rules but there’s still occasional “developmental” differences in expectations, if in a low key manner. But it’s a constant evolution.</p>
<p>Yes, it’s definitely a learning process for everyone involved. If the parents have been empty nesters they have to re-adjust to having a kid around all the time again, or at least a person that they remember being a kid, but who suddenly doesn’t react in the way the parents are used to, even though the parents are doing the same things they did when they had just a kid. </p>
<p>And for the student, who is just starting to feel out the boundaries of what it means to be an “adult,” they have to get used to having people check up on them, sometimes re-adjust to curfews or household rules that haven’t applied in a awhile, and sometimes demand new respect and space for their newly adult lives, even if it’s just an extra inch or two. </p>
<p>So yes, It’s a learning process, and it’s ongoing even after graduation.</p>
<p>It actually feels like we are living a cliche at times 
I think for my daughter she looks forward to being home and then realizes with shock that at home she actually has parents who are still inclined toward parenting:) I’m hoping after the first year it does get a little easier.</p>
<p>It will, that’s totally normal.</p>
<p>OWM, as long as you don’t write on your D’s Facebook wall, everything else can be negotiated.</p>
<p>The fact that Facebook has evolved to be an inter-generational medium has some, ah, twists.</p>
<p>J-term is not on the cards with D. I miss her so much that each day with her is a dream. The first Xmas was tense, as she was very disorientated being back in Europe. Her friends had moved on to other things she was no longer part of, and she felt that being back at home was a bit of a regression even though we don’t have many rules in this household and drinking is legal in France as of 16. Now she seems perfectly at ease with her double life, and shares her break pretty equitably between family and friends. After that first complicated winter break, she did mention J-term for the future; Fortunately for me, the subject has never been raised again. We miss her so much.
(Feeling very blue as she flew back yesterday and may not be back until August if she gets the internship she wants :(</p>
<p>For J-term, my daughter has been taking the intro to the archives course and she’s absolutely loved it. She’s really enjoyed being on campus when it’s quieter and without the stress of a full load of courses. The amount of time at home before the course began, three weeks, was just about right.</p>
<p>My J-term was that Kyoto seminar trip to Japan! That was… fun and very interesting. 5 years later today, I can’t believe that I was just coming home from Japan. Except, well, we got caught in a major snowstorm in Chicago and had to spend 2 nights… all on Smith’s expense! Unfortunately, we were all pretty exhausted from the trip and spent a lot of time sleeping on very comfy hotel beds. I’m just so sorry that there won’t be any more Kyoto trips for a while due to lack of funding as my professor told me when I saw him last fall.</p>
<p>Re: parents and being home. Now that my brother and I are gone, my mom’s taken a very big shock at the grocery bills. “I just spent $170 to feed a family of four!!!” Then I said, “Mom, how much do you spend on you and dad?” She said, “Probably around $50.” I said, “If you divide $170 by four, it’s cheaper.” Then she said, “Maybe it’s just cheaper to keep both of you at school.”</p>
<p>Good times over break But I’m usually ready to go back to school after 2-3 weeks.</p>
<p>Aw, LiT, your post broke my heart. I was thinking the other day that I actually miss my daughter MORE as time passes. Still, we were all ready to get back to our routines after about two weeks of winter break. I think we were all relieved that she decided to go back early, without taking J-term classes. We’re in one of those weird places where we love spending time together (her education and maturity have made her even more interesting to talk to) but we can’t do it for too long. If my D gets into grad school and finds herself in limbo at home this summer, it’s going to be a very strange three months. </p>
<p>TMP, my D wanted to do that Kyoto seminar/J-term sequence her first year, but we told her no. She had already been to Japan five or so times, including spending a summer living with a family in Osaka, not far from Kyoto, and a week-long trip that previous summer. We were not going to pay for another. By the time J-term rolled around, she missed home enough to be glad she could stay for a month. After that, though, she always returned to Smith early, either to take one or two of the non-credit classes or just to hang out with friends.</p>
<p>For the uninformed, what’s the Kyoto seminar? Or is it a moot point if funding is gone? Is it only for students studying Japanese language. If any one knows of a J-term experience for a Russian crazed Smithie, please let me know!</p>
<p>Our D spent 2 weeks of J-term in the Lewis Leadership program and absolutely loved it. She also loved being able to enjoy Smith at a more relaxed pace than is possible during class sessions, and has also spent part of that time applying for summer internships. J-term really gives the students time to “savor” Smith, if you will.</p>
<p>She told us that the latter part of this week has been a giant house reunion, with random screams being heard all over the house as the residents return and greet one another. : )</p>
<p>@upbeat, the Kyoto program is part of a first year seminar called Kyoto between two cultures (or something like that? Not sure if that’s the exact name) You spend fall semester in a class and then in j term the class travels together to Kyoto for hands on exploration</p>
<p>J-term 2010 experiences [Interterm</a> 2010](<a href=“http://www.smith.edu/future/NewsEvents10/J-Term10/]Interterm”>http://www.smith.edu/future/NewsEvents10/J-Term10/)</p>
<p>My daughter also took an archives class during interterm. She loved it! I learned quite a bit from reading the presentation she prepared. </p>
<p>The rest of the term she spent learning a semester of Korean. Her adviser neglected to tell her there was a prerequisite to the 2nd semester class for which she had registered. Fortunately a professor was available and willing to tutor her. They feel she is perfectly ready. I’m not so sure. How exactly do you learn an entire semester’s work in a few weeks?!</p>
<p>Between that, statistics, and two lab science courses (plus several time-consuming ECs), it sounds like a tough semester lies in store for my Smithie. </p>
<p>Last year my daughter was home for interterm. This year, we sure did miss her when she went back “early”. The break felt far too short. Even so, we couldn’t be more pleased by how much she loves Smith. It truly has become her new home.</p>
<p>Kyoto Through the Ages, I think. But yes, it was a fall first-year seminar and then an interterm course.</p>
<p>Je<em>ne</em>sais_quoi, glad to hear your daughter enjoyed her archives class. This last weekend my daughter also took a wilderness first aid certification course at Smith so if she gets the internship she wants this summer, she’ll be prepared.</p>
<p>I am amazed by all of the cool J-term opportunites and accomplishments mentioned. EMT classes, wilderness first aid certification training, archives class, intensive Korean – not to mention the fun of being on campus with time to savor Smith!</p>