<p>CD - I love “The Ex” and so want one when I have more counter space! I have the “Dead Fred” pen holder on my desk at work and it cracks me up every day!</p>
<p>D liked the dorms but was a little freaked out by the intensity of some of them - many of them would put my claustraphobia in overdrive! Those rooms did look big!</p>
<p>Good Morning!</p>
<p>Those dorm rooms are pretty amazing. I think I’m pretty safe saying my son won’t win a “Dorm of the Year” award. Do they have a “Messy Dorm of the Year” award?</p>
<p>Okay, how can anyone not want to work with kindergarten students? This is my age group. I teach a JrK class at a private school. My students are older fours and younger fives at the start of the school year. I love this age group. Everyday is a blast! </p>
<p>JrK is my second teaching career. By degree I am a vision teacher, meaning I worked with blind and visually impaired students, as well as their teachers and parents. I loved doing that also and did it for 13 years. The first 10 of those years I didn’t have children of my own. Once I had my own kids I found it difficult to put the same amount of time and emotion into working with my students. It was a very time consuming job and often a very emotionally draining job. We happened to move to NC at the time that I was realizing I needed to slow down if I wanted to spend more time with my kids, so I decided to take a break. I started subbing at my current school when my boys enrolled as students. The JrK job opened up and I got it. So I have spent the last 11 years working at the school my boys attend/attended and have gotten an amazing tuition break. I would have never predicted this 5 year old age group for myself, but I love it and it has allowed me to work and have time for my boys. I feel really fortunate. So, let’s all talk nice about those 5 year olds.</p>
<p>I’m going to jump in and (re)introduce myself even though I haven’t caught up on the old or new thread! I’m trying! I love dropping in on your conversations even when I don’t have time to contribute very much. What a great group.</p>
<p>I have two daughters. D2010 is going to Brown and plans to major in Astrophysics. D2013 is interested in dance (esp ballet) and culinary arts, but is also a good student, so who knows? We live in the D.C. area. I consult for my former employer (international organization), working mostly from home, but occasionally travel abroad. I’ll probably have a chance to catch up on the thread during my 3-week trip starting tomorrow–good reading if the jet lag keeps me up at night.</p>
<p>No dorm shopping here yet. My MIL wants to take D shopping for some things as her graduation gift, so they’ll do that while I’m gone. This is a big step for me because I’m kind of a control freak :). What if they get the wrong mattress topper?! I told D to check the CC threads because I haven’t absorbed all of the advice yet.</p>
<p>D did not get a summer job, but she’d doing a lot of reading, room cleaning, and will help drive her sister to dance while I’m gone. She picked up one tutoring job. While it’s only once a week, I think it is a good experience for her. My job this summer is to back off and let her take care of things. (The photo for the college ID is being sent in 1 1/2 weeks late.) I do like to look at course schedules with her when she wants my advice–all the possibilities!</p>
<p>Stay cool! 
</p>
<p>I honestly believe my son would have a heart attack if his roommate wanted to decorate! This is when boys are easier and as always less exspensive. I am a decorator and I wouldn’t have the energy to do up those dorm rooms, mdemvizi I don’t blame you for feeling a bit overwhelmed. I mean you can spend an awful lot of time and money on the room with a randomly assigned roommate and then have to do it all over again sophmore year with the roommate you choose.</p>
<p>Good morning. 
</p>
<p>Love the dorm photos. Alas, that ain’t happenin’ for my kid. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Welcome back astromom. I remember you from the old thread but didn’t realize you’re in the DC area. MD or VA?</p>
<p>We are T-48 hours for our vacation departure. 4 generations, 19 people, and 5 dogs in 1 house at the beach. It’ll be great once we get there. But, I’m feeling pretty overwhelmed in these final hours of prep. Oh why oh why didn’t I take the day off tomorrow?</p>
<p>Good Morning Everyone!
</p>
<p>mdemvizi, My D doesn’t agree with the “coordinating with your roommate” concept when it comes to decorating your space (appliances and such are another story). Thus, her roommate will have to deal with girly-girl pink with Hello Kitty (and other Japanese features) thrown into the mix. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Rocket, Just wanted to remark on your thoughtfulness towards the elderly/disabled…a true act of kindness.</p>
<p>YDS, LOL re: the blue sheets announcement!</p>
<p>BT: You are thoroughly enjoying both your children this summer!</p>
<p>Hope LIMOM had a more restful night and extra {{{{HUGS}}}} for sewemma in coping with her sister’s care.</p>
<p>I missed both World Cup semis and just want to relax and watch the games this weekend!</p>
<p>WB Astromom!</p>
<p>BUandBC82,
The age group you describe is the one my DS#3 has. (These are kids who will be entering kindergarten in the fall.) You must live in a more “refined” area of the country where parents teach their children some manners and that it is inappropriate to throw rocks at others, push other kids down, as well and punch and kick others. Then again, I’m sure that my 18 year old does not possess your classroom management skills. 
We are hoping that as he stops catering to their every whim and whine, that things will get better. He has been told by his supervisor and others that he needs to be more firm with them. He’s trying to keep a smile on his face all day and is probably just being too nice about everything. Yesterday he said that he started insisting that they say “please” and “thank you.” What a meanie! ;)</p>
<p>As for dorm room decorating, I asked DS#3 last night whether he cared about sheets for his dorm room and I was surprised that he said “yes.” Then I realized that he probably thought that if he answered “no” that I wouldn’t get him any! (He’s my “literal” child. ;))
I reminded him that we bought sheets last summer for his 5 week program at Northwestern and that he could use those (he’s going to Northwestern) and he was fine with that. Phew! Now, DS#2, that could be a different story, but he won’t be home for another four weeks.</p>
<p>We have a set of long twin sheets from a previous child in a dorm. Son will be happy to inherit them!</p>
<p>The dorms at UC (except for one, I think) all have combo fridge/microwaves. Apparently the compressor on the fridge turns off when you use the microwave so it saves electricity & doesn’t trip a circuit breaker. I had this vision of a box that keeps your food cold until you tell it to cook it but I don’t think it’s <em>quite</em> that hands-off!</p>
<p>Morning all! </p>
<p>Thanks for the sunshine BT! We could use some here. It’s cloudy, but luckily MUCH cooler than in the past few days. :)</p>
<p>Those dorm rooms are quite something! My D is also not a fan of the coordinating, except like psychmom’s D, regarding the appliances. :)</p>
<p>BT: Yes, our D’s do sound similar re: the dorm websites and definitely with their Dad’s at the ready. And echoing psychmom, how wonderful that you are getting to spend more time with and enjoy your Blessed children this summer.</p>
<p>astromom: Welcome back! Wishing you safe travels and hope you can check in when you’re away.</p>
<p>mommusic: How nice that you and your S enjoyed the orientation. </p>
<p>DougBetsey: Your family trip sounds wonderful! Enjoy the time together which I’m sure will be filled with more treasured memories.</p>
<p>momof3: All the best to your DS#3 with “the little darlings.” Hope it gets better for him.</p>
<p>LIMOM: Also hoping you got some better rest last night. :)</p>
<p>sewemma: Also sending continued good thoughts for your sister.</p>
<p>Not much going on here. Just taking the dorm shopping in steps and all else is quiet and relaxing! D is enjoying her camp job (girls going into fifth grade), despite a couple of them that “just don’t listen.” She is enjoying being given and collecting “sillybands” from the campers. Her favorite so far is one in the shape of a Yankee logo :). They’re going to Six Flags New England today. Sounds great, except that they are taking a regular (not air conditioned) school bus for the three hour ride each way! D brought lots of water!</p>
<p>Wishing all a great day!</p>
<p>:cool: </p>
<p>Hi all, I am new here,
After I start reading this thread, I wondered how could I miss CC for all these yaers?
Thanks Jackief started this thread and thank you all making this a great one, hoping it will surpass the 2010 thread(OMG, 32,000 posts).
Anyway DD is going to U of Chi this Sept. She was not able to find a summer job, so we took her to an oral surgen to have all her 4 wisdom teeth pulled! They are crooked any way. After 1 week in pain, she is on her feet again.
XDXD</p>
<p>Welcome artloversplus!
There are other folks on this thread who have students starting at U. Chicago in the fall, including jackief. What is your DD thinking of studying at Chicago?</p>
<p>omg, missed a day and you guys are 23 pages ahead!! </p>
<p>hi artloversplus!! congrats to your daughter, hope her wisdom teeth extraction goes well. </p>
<p>I am going to have to scan today…but day off tomorrow so will try to catch up!</p>
<p>artloversplus: Also adding a BIG WELCOME! Congrats to your D and glad she is feeling better after the wisdom teeth extraction. Glad you could join us…</p>
<p>:cool: </p>
<p>Regarding the towel discussion a couple of pages back…I went with the $5.99 special from Penneys (qty = 2). When S1 was a freshman, he ended up throwing them away at the end of the year, and he actually had a lot of room in his dorm room to hang-and-dry. I’m going to direct S2 to think about tossing them after first semester if they don’t hold up (or smell good) and then we will just send new (cheap) ones after the holidays.</p>
<p>Speaking of dark blue sheets and drool…I order [these</a> in cobalt blue](<a href=“http://www2.jcpenney.com/jcp/x6.aspx?CatNum=FC723-5016D&JSEnabled=false&hdnOnGo=true&cmResetCat=true&CmCatId=searchresults&SO=0&PSO=0&CmCatId=EXTERNAL|xgn]these”>http://www2.jcpenney.com/jcp/x6.aspx?CatNum=FC723-5016D&JSEnabled=false&hdnOnGo=true&cmResetCat=true&CmCatId=searchresults&SO=0&PSO=0&CmCatId=EXTERNAL|xgn) because the funky pattern would hide a lot of scuzz. They cost more than I intended, but should hold up a little better.</p>
<p>we’ll either be dorm shopping this weekend or in the few days before school starts as son leaves for canada trip on Monday. He has no idea what room mate is bringing and couldnt care less about coordinating so should be fun LOL</p>
<p>momof3sons, Your S definitely wants to be firm with this age group. Firm and loving. They will want to please him. Tell him to be sure to praise them when they are behaving the way he wants. He could use a warning system for unacceptable behavior. Once a child has 3 warnings (or how many you S decides is appropriate) they lose something at the end of the day - like a sticker or an award that says “I had a great day at camp!” It doesn’t have to be something big, just something to help them feel proud of themselves and show to their parents. Good luck to him. </p>
<p>Welcome artloversplus!</p>
<p>FYI</p>
<p>A good way to get that musty smell out of towels is to add a cup of vinegar to the wash…it does help.</p>
<p>Funny story I thought you guys might enjoy…</p>
<p>We were moving my son into his freshman dorm…2 guys, no drama, no matching…</p>
<p>So I go down the hall to the women’s bathroom and find a girl and her mother very agitated in the lounge area…what to do? what to do?</p>
<p>The girl in the lounge had brought all of her own stuff…she wanted a sleek, simple, uncluttered, sophisticated look, and had brought everything in black and white.</p>
<p>When she entered her room, she found it already decorated to the hilt in all shades of pink–both beds, chairs, bulletin boards, rugs on the floor…</p>
<p>Roomie was quite determined that the college dorm room had to be the college dorm room of HER dreams and that didn’t leave room for any choices by anyone else, or any room for compromise or consultation, apparently. She brought doubles of everything. And her mama was there to make sure that her daughter was happy.</p>
<p>The girl in the bathroom and her mom were debating how to handle the situation…go along with the pink for the sake of keeping the peace and beginning the roomie situation on a good note? Just change her side of the room without any comment? Be more confrontational and stand up for herself from the beginning?</p>
<p>At that moment I was so glad to have had boys.</p>
<p>the ending…the two girls never got along; when another girl on the floor withdrew a few weeks into the semester(her mother was diagnosed with a rapidly progrressing terminal cancer, and sadly, died before the end of the semester), the girl in the bathroom moved down the hall and left Miss Pink to herself. Both girls seemed to make friends but son said that Miss Pink’s group always seemed to have a lot of drama going on.</p>
<p>Thanks for those pictures of the decorated dorm rooms at UGA. I sent along to my S, H, Mom and sister, with a comments “Now here’s where it’s easier to be sending a boy to college.” With S in the Integrated Science Program, where we’ll have to show him a few tricks to save $$ is in buying texbooks. Ever see some of the prices for science and math textbooks? I asked H, the math prof, about this one time. He said the publishers claim it costs more to do the layout for these books that books with just text and some pictures. Hmm …</p>
<p>:cool: </p>
<p>Since D2 is working at a day camp, I do hear more updates from how she is doing with her campers than D1 who is away at resident camp. D2 has 1-3 graders. Biggest challenge is herding. She says this week’s group is quicker than last week’s where they were very slow to get to each activity. Once they only got 5 mins to swim by the time they got there. And they need privacy to put on their suits… She didn’t have to work extended day yesterday and thought that was wonderful. Maybe because they are girls they don’t have as many behavior problems as momof3’s S is having. They also split this group into two smaller ones so there are only 18 this week for her as a unit assistant, a unit leader, and one or two? camp helpers (girls a year or two younger, she did this program the last two summers)</p>
<p>artlover- welcome and yes my D is going to UC also. momof3 didn’t mention her oldest is a grad student there and CountingDown has a rising junior? There are a couple other posters also hope we hear more from them as we get closer, we will be the last ones starting!</p>
<p>with all this heat I heard we might have water shortages. I should count my blessings as since we have moved to “the city” and have city water we haven’t had this issue yet, before that we had a well. I’ve been needed to heavily water the garden and lawn to keep it not totally brown. </p>
<p>:cool: </p>