<p>It starts Tuesday, August 25. How long do parents stay for? I plan to arrive the night before, and figure my daughter will be fully engaged by the first afternoon when I'll depart. Accomodations already are very booked, and one B & B told me he has parents staying for 4 days! Really?</p>
<p>Last year we arrived on the 16th for my son to participate in a fall sport. We stayed in a hotel the night before and moved him in early the next morning. Anticipating huge water works from me, my husband had me back in the car and on the highway in 2 hours. I was shell shocked and did not start crying till we reached the Pittsburgh area. What helped was that we knew we would be back in Oberlin in a month to see him - a big sports weekend. By then he knew what he was missing from home and what kind of cookies he was craving mom to bring.</p>
<p>Four days is a long time. Most parents leave the first or second day. Mine checked in the night before, helped out on move-in day, and then left mid-afternoon the day after… but we live far away, so I think they wanted to get their gas money’s worth. I wouldn’t have wanted them to stay any longer; it just meant that I was with them instead of making friends at Oberlin.</p>
<p>Although there are some panels and info sessions for parents on the second day; it’d be a good idea to check the orientation schedule to see if those are things you want to stuck around for.</p>
<p>Thanks. Well before the Book of Forms arrives with all that orientation info, I’m trying to make plans to take my twin freshman to their respective colleges. Anyone know if “move-in day” would be the same day that Orientation officially starts?</p>
<p>We reserved a hotel room for the night before and the next two nights. I expect we won’t want to stay that long, but, this way I have the room and don’t have to worry about availability.</p>
<p>Move in day is the 25th. Check the 2009-2010 calendar. Orientation is a couple of days later. I’m arriving with my daughter on Sunday evening, the 23rd. Staying at the Courtyard by Marriott in North Olmsted. We’re tempted not to bring sheets, pillows, etc., because the Marriott is across from the Great Northern Mall and we can buy 'em on Monday. </p>
<p>If you went to the “All Roads Lead to Oberlin” and visited the Resource Fair, Oberlin has a technology center in the basement of Mudd Library. If you buy your kid’s Laptop and printer from the OTC, they will always service it should something go wrong with it. The prices were excellent. So we’ll probably buy her Laptop (she has a desktop at home) and printer from the OTC on Monday. Check out the Oberlin CVS for any prescriptions she might need (we use CVS where we live), the Oberlin bookstore, etc. Should be fun and busy on Monday.</p>
<p>So, we’re arriving on Sunday night and I’m not planning to leave till Thursday. However, if she wants me to go on Wednesday, to quaere’s point about making friends, I will.</p>
<p>Move in day is the first day of orientation, which lasts until that weekend, when returning students move in. Most parents seem to leave either the first or second afternoon.</p>
<p>Thanks, Plainsman. The 2009-2010 Academic Calendar I saw did not list move-in day. Need to book flights so will check w/Oberlin tomorrow. But the Conservatory states this:</p>
<p>Early arrival will be provided for students living on campus no earlier/later than Sunday, August 23.)
*Assist all incoming students during new-student orientation, Tuesday, August 25 Saturday, August 29th:</p>
<p>FAQ about housing and how to prepare: [Oberlin</a> College Housing and Dining](<a href=“http://www.oberlin.edu/resed/housing/faq/movein.html]Oberlin”>http://www.oberlin.edu/resed/housing/faq/movein.html)</p>
<p>Fanatic, </p>
<p>I misspoke (mistyped?). I meant to say that “registration” is a couple of days later. Thanks for correcting me.</p>
<p>Triad,</p>
<p>Here’s the link to the site where you can find the Academic Calendar on the left hand margin. Click on the “next” arrow in the red strip to go to 2009-2010. It says Aug. 25 is new student residence hall check-in day. I called the residence hall people last week and they told me that “check-in” means “move-in.” That’s what they said on the phone, anyway. Interestingly, I also asked about early move-in. They told me “no.” Not possible. Apparently, early arrival is not the same thing as early move-in. We can arrive in July if we want, but our kid can’t move in until the 25th of August. At least that’s what this one staff member told me. But I didn’t get the impression that she was very high up on the food chain. Why do I feel that way? I asked her at least 10 questions. For seven of them, she had to put me on hold and go ask someone else the answer.</p>
<p>Then again, perhaps only Conservatory students can move in early. If that’s true, it’s unfair.</p>
<p><a href=“http://oncampus.oberlin.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp[/url]”>http://oncampus.oberlin.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp</a></p>
<p>Cool. Thanks for clarifying.</p>
<p>I don’t think Conservatory kids can move in any earlier than anyone else…at least that wasn’t true in our case.
We stayed through late in the second day of the 2-day orientation; some of the events were fun and some quite reassuring (a good presentation by a panel about how to make the most of the education at Oberlin); it was nice to help move stuff in, see what the eating arrangements were like, help negotiate a problem of a key that didn’t work with a rather recalcitrant fellow on the dorm staff…at the end, our kid just went off to a practice room, happy as a clam and so tearless that it was helpful for holding my own tears back! and we were on our own; we took off for a trip to Niagara Falls, which is only a few hours away, and Toronto. I recommend that trip!</p>
<p>^</p>
<p>Toronto is an awesome city! Probably my favorite city. Either Toronto or San Diego, but I think Toronto has a slight edge.</p>
<p>No new student (College or Conservatory) is allowed to move into the dorm until Tuesday, August 25th, except for (1) international students, who have a special early orientation, and (2) students specifically authorized to arrive early because of, for example, fall sports practice which starts a week or so earlier.</p>
<p>Parent orientation concludes at 3:45 on Wednesday the 26th. That’s the polite way of suggesting that that’s the appropriate time to leave. Parents who stick around after that point, however well-meaning, are likely to get in the way of their child’s bonding with the other new students.</p>
<p>“Parent orientation concludes at 3:45 on Wednesday the 26th. That’s the polite way of suggesting that that’s the appropriate time to leave. Parents who stick around after that point, however well-meaning, are likely to get in the way of their child’s bonding with the other new students.” - Dave72</p>
<p>Ouch! That hurt! Guess we better slink out of the way, eh? Cut the cord? I might as well find a bar and let my tears drip into a mojito. Any other parents want to join me? We can commiserate over the new phase of our children’s lives. They don’t need us anymore except to write checks (eyes welling with tears as I type).</p>
<p>What is parent orientation? My son is the one going to college not me. Other than the address to send the checks to, what will they be talking to us about?</p>
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<p>There are a number of events for both the new students and their parents–welcomes by the president and the deans, a concert, a picnic, etc.–but then also some events just for the parents, including information about how the college works, tips on effective ways to keep in touch with your kid long-distance, and so on. That said, none of this is obligatory–plenty of kids arrive by plane with no parents in tow, and everybody seems to manage fine. My advice: avail yourself of whatever seems useful to you, and don’t worry about the rest.</p>
<p>You’ll be receiving official information about all of this in plenty of time.</p>
<p>Plainsman, several years ago there was no end to parents’ orientation specified, and as a result some parents had no idea when they should leave. There was even a story about one mother sticking around until the first day of classes…</p>
<p>Have any of the parents on this particular thread heard of “separation issues?” Parents calling the college is really inappropriate at this point. Let your kids grow up, for god’s sake!! The harder you hold on, the tougher time your student is going to have achieving his or her independence. And isn’t that the goal? I mean, I already went to college and I have no desire to do it again.</p>
<p>There is plenty of reason for parents to go. There are always last-minute things to buy for dorm rooms; it’s also nice to see what the buildings and facilities look like, try the food, and meet other students, parents, and even some staff and faculty; the meet and greet for A & S majors was fun and informative. The picnic is also a nice event, the concerts are impressive, the deans are friendly, informative, and reassuring regarding any concerns. After all, college is costing a lot of money: good to see where that money is going. The kids can wait a day to “bond” fully…there is almost a full week of first-year activities, night and day, including things like magic shows, community service days, etc. that will provide for plenty of bonding, as will simply hanging around their new floormates, where most first college friendships are forged. I wouldn’t be dismissive of the sentiments of parents who want to take their kids to school, get oriented, and even linger on the second day to find their bearings for the big change that they have been working toward and anticipating for a long time…especially the kind of parents who have been hanging around CC.</p>
<p>Sounds good, Dave. Thanks for the info. I’ll leave Thursday morning as planned after one more breakfast ‘goodbye’ at Black River Cafe. No sense leaving for home after 3:45 pm on Wednesday. It’s a long drive home and I don’t like driving in the middle of the night on desolate highways. I will leave the campus like the other parents, but retreat to North Olmsted for dinner and a brewskie and sleep it off at the Marriott.</p>