yes, I really would
Welcome to the Jungle 
Here is the map: https://scotchgit.bitbucket.io/
the middle way - Highland Park 12
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I regretted posting it! It’s honestly so bad for your mental health. I felt bad about myself reading them and decided to post one myself because I wanted to see if other people perceived me differently than what was stuck in my head all along.
I am finally heading back to school today after having COVID……I’m very excited. we antigen tested today at home to make sure I’m negative and I am fully good to go!
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Popped in here to share a boarding school student’s interview w/filmmaker Debbie Lum re: college admissions stress among high achieving students and the recent documentary “Try Harder!” Stress Among High School High-Achievers: Filmmaker Debbie Lum on "Try Harder!"
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Made it through the second year in a row of BS applications! Kiddo number 2 decided to apply to kiddo number 1’s BS. Kiddo 1 is new this year, and a repeat Jr. She was gung ho once she decided to do it. Kiddo number 2 was less enthusiastic at first, sister started talking it up to him from day one. He LOVED family weekend and decided to apply. But only to her school. He doesn’t want to go to any BS. He wants to go to hers. It does seem the school loves siblings. However, we have significant FA. It will be interesting to see if they want little brother enough to meet another FA for this family. If not, he is totally fine staying put. Such a different experience this time around. He’s got a sport he is decent at, and an artistic EC he’s good at, and good academics and tests. No hook- except the sibling thing. So, now we wait. Not sure I want to be an empty nester 3 years ahead of schedule 
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A post was merged into an existing topic: Boarding school COVID discussion 2022
So, on another thread, I was using the search function for a previous post of mine so I could reduce typing, and it occurred to me as I scanned the results that CC has become a memoir of sorts. Besides e-mail and the service academy forum, CC is my only social media outlet, and I have been wandering through hundreds of conversations about boarding school, college, retirement, aging, books, movies, home improvement, food, cocktails, kitchen appliances, my kid, my mother-in-law, the Army, and life in general here for eleven years. On an almost daily basis, in words and pictures, I have rambled, bragged, ranted, cried, chided, poked fun, encouraged, laughed (mostly), exaggerated, minimized, and documented a decade of my thoughts, observations, and our family experiences.
Mostly, my posts have formed a permanent record of our son becoming an adult and what that has meant and looked like to him and to us as we’ve navigated these special years. The random list of hits on my search brought up a long ago post where I jokingly referred to him as ChoatieToddler, and that made me realize that he has morphed from ChoatieKid to ChoatieCadet to ChoatieLT on this forum, and I have gone from mom to observer, just a welcome guest in his life now. I’ve posted my feelings about that transition, too.
So, this morning, I’m thinking about what an immutable record I’ve unintentionally forged here. Thousands of posts comprise a picture of me left nowhere else. In some ways, I fear this electronic legacy where I’ve been more honest than prudent at times. And I wonder if there will ever come a time when my son will have a need to seek his mother’s online voice. For better or worse, he knows where ChoatieMom lives.
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T’was the week of midterms
And all through the hall
So many kids missing
Let’s give them a call!
The numbers are high
It ain’t COVID you know
They go home with a med leave
So their grades won’t be low
For four years we’ve watched this
At term midpoint and ending
A convenient excuse
Dad’s note they’ll be sending!
Come Skippy, Come Chippy
Mummy will take you away
We will arrange it, don’t worry
Take your tests another day!
Maybe after next week
When you’re not so hungover-
lets blow off those tests
Hop into my Rover!
Play it smart and sneaky
Even though you are not -
You’re a jock & from Greenwich
It’s ok, if your hot.
No problem says admin
They were once just like you
Entitled and needy
They will help get you through!
At our school, you’re special
It’s ok to miss classes
You’re too good to grind -
Working hard is for asses 
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So funny. Is it midterm time? Mine hasn’t mentioned it.
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Best poem to date!!
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Any other school announcing head of school day more than a week early besides PA? Announced via email to student body, day will be 2/1, the Tuesday of an already three day weekend. Not too long ago, it used to be announced the day before with hints, speculation and a lot of hype.
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A teacher passed out a schedule for the next month and the HOS day was on it….no surprise now for his students 
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When is it?
Is it too much to expect to have papers submitted to teachers before Christmas break returned by Ground Hog’s Day? We have one more week to go until Phil pops his head out….let’s see if he beats the kiddo’s teachers at DA.
Still have not received grades for papers submitted in early December, yet midterm grades were posted yesterday. Do these teachers enjoy withholding feedback? How are students supposed to learn from mistakes they made?
Is it just being lazy?
As some of you know, this has been an issue for 4 years - it’s really bad in English, but my student also had this problem (no pun intended) in math class during prior years. 
If the groundhog sees his shadow, you will have your paper returned in 6 weeks. 
I forgot to even look at midterm grades
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I would love some CC help on a very devastating situation. Kiddo1’s roommate’s mother passed away unexpectedly two weekends ago. The roommate has been home with extended family, as her mother was a single parent, but returns to school soon. I am trying think of ways Kiddo1 can welcome her back and would love to hear any suggestions. We will also be visiting soon, so I’m hoping to we can take roomie out for the day, if not for the whole weekend.
To those who can now figure out who kiddo1 is, please be respectful of her privacy and more importantly, this information.
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Oh my goodness, I am so sorry to read this @cityran. I feel so sad for your daughter’s roommate, what a tragedy! I don’t have any good suggestions other than getting some support from the school’s counseling office for your daughter. Things will be so different once her roommate returns, and she should have some support to manage that transition.
Boarding school is a tough place to grieve, especially when it’s the loss of a parent. Crazy schedules, demanding work and little privacy make the grieving process a real challenge. I can see re-entry going either way - giving the support and structure she needs during this time, or being too overwhelming to deal with right now. Sending hugs to everyone.
You bring up a very valid point about how life will be different in their room. I will double check with the dorm parent to make sure both girls will be speaking with someone on a regular basis. I think roommate would benefit from a shared signal/sign for when she needs some time alone in her room, so I’ll suggest that to kiddo1. My heart absolutely breaks for her, but I am hoping the support she feels at school will help her get through this.