Parents of the HS Class of 2011 - We're awesome!

<p>Buick-sized mosquitos? Wow, that sure counteracts the fresh kimchi offer. I am thinking of sending me and not them. I think we could have fun tubing in a crik. </p>

<p>Came back from a successful bedding purchase - hooorah! For anyone with NYC bound kids, Century 21 is wonderful - no not the real estate company but a dept. store. We have one our here in the netherworld of NJ.</p>

<p>DD1 gets DS’ room because DD2 snores alot, and sleep-talks. DD1 puts on her noise-eliminating earbuds just to go to sleep (whenever that is, probably around 5 am). To separate them, will bring some level of peace to the house. “Can’t we all just get along?” is my new catchphrase.</p>

<p>DS3 will be swapping rooms with DS1. DS3 has a tiny bedroom, and it only seems fair to make that DS1’s room now that he’ll rarely be using it. We may not do the swap until Thanksgiving or Xmas break though, as DS1 is away working at camp until the day before he heads to school, so no time to really pack up or deal with anything that is not going to school.</p>

<p>Registered DD for her classes this morning (she’s in Europe w/ her choir). Even though I clicked “Register” as soon as the computer clicked over to 7AM EDT, she got waitlisted for biol lab!! I knew the schedule was too perfect to work!</p>

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We stopped into Century 21 in Feb when I was in NYC with 11yo D. I loved it, she hated it, even though she walked out with a new pair of shoes and several articles of clothing. </p>

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boo. my biggest fear is that S gets a lousy teacher because the other classes are full. I am not too worried about not getting into the classes he needs because he has AP credits to pass out of a bunch of them, but there are some classes he wants to get into. I have asked him several times now to put together a schedule and line everything up so I can register him as soon as they open it up for him, but he has done nothing…nothing. I suppose if he gets stuck with crap teachers and a 7am classes he will have no one to blame but himself. </p>

<p>11yo D is moving into a new bedroom this month. S has a queen size bed to fit his 6’3" body and D is getting a full size bed when she moves in a few weeks. We will keep her current twin bed for when the kids have company over. We are in the process of scrapping wallpaper and old paint off the walls, very tedious work. I can’t wait til her room is done.</p>

<p>I noticed Marquette has just listed some of S’s AP scores listed with applicable credit, but left off two classes from last year. Not sure if college board messed up or what. And I don’t know if he needs that credit anyway, so I will worry about it after I talk to S.</p>

<p>Darn, mamom, I feel your pain! And I know you won’t spend a lot of time in Milwaukee, but I’m just trying assure you that your S is going to a cool city, too!!</p>

<p>Myself I’m also very very curious how things are going for my D and if she’s feeling good about Orientation. I’m trying to be a cool cucumber, but it’s not working. Like kathie’s S she pretty much will take what every first year doing her two programs takes, but I won’t be completely calm until she tells me she has her schedule settled.</p>

<p>I did find out this morning that it is possible to take public transportation from JFK, just not from LGA. It’s annoying (a bus to a train to a shuttle) but not all that different from getting from Logan to Tufts was (a bus to the T to a shuttle). Slightly shorter distances. So in the middle of the day, with just a rolling carryon, a JFK flight could be preferable than dealing with the LGA cabs, unless she finds either an awesome travel buddy to split it with OR an awesome friend with a car driving in that direction. Just another one of those details of a faraway school … we’re used to it, though (back to my college days, honestly).</p>

<p>@mamom-- maybe he maxed out on AP credit? Some schools limit the total amount possible, and it sounds like your S might have many classes. D1 maxed out at USC-- and most of the AP credit she has will only be useful in terms of registration priority in the future.</p>

<p>Kinder - we need to meet up for lunch one of these days! </p>

<p>Boychild is working on his schedule. My friend’s daughter, who will be a senior, is coming over to help him. I was useless - it’s nothing like when I was in college when we had classes like Psych 101, Bio 101, Soc 101, etc., etc., etc. </p>

<p>The good thing is, according to the daughter, you can completely change your schedule when you meet with your adviser during orientation.</p>

<p>EmmyBet- the AirTrain at JFK is awesome and connects to both LIRR and Metro subway system at Jamaica station I think.</p>

<p>Gulp: Just wrote our first check and transferred funds from savings for first of 8 college payments. This is gonna hurt. ;)</p>

<p>Validation: On the old thread I kept “pulling” for SUNY New Paltz for D- I just thought it was sooo much a better match. D kept on saying it was only on the list of applications because I “made” her and then on the list of visits to “placate” mom. She was going to go to SUNY Albany. (Honestly I never pushed but just didn’t let her cross it off without going.) D just admitted the other day that she was indeed appalled at SUNY Albany (she was cool on the day but noncommittal) and if Hampshire hadn’t worked out she would have gone to SUNY NP. So good old mom WAS right.</p>

<p>"On another note, D made it to her Orientation tonight, including surviving a somewhat hairy experience getting a cab from LaGuardia to Garden City (if any LI-ers have other advice, I’m all ears!).</p>

<p>Use a car service. </p>

<p>What happened with the cab? It shouldn’t be difficult.</p>

<p>D survived the airplane trips (though they had TSA agents come to the boarding area and recheck everyone’s id and boarding passes and everyone was okay)and the shuttle ride. She flew into Birmingham and since U of Alabama only has its own shuttle service at official longer breaks like Spring break or Fall start, I arranged a private shuttle. Luckily, she did have a shuttle mate so it was half price (still $55 but for over an hour ride, that is okay). He was Greek (as in frat) sophomore who was returning for a summer session. He did tell her all about tailgate parties with lots of alcohol (I told her she can stay away) but did admit that he has never heard of parties at her dorm (an honors dorm). That, along with her youth pastor telling her how he had the easiest RA job in college since he had an honors dorm and they studied instead of partying, is helping her a bit with the anxiety. She did like it that a Publix is within walking distance and she got her powerades (needs them not to faint) and also on chocolate and some toiletries she forgot. She did feel very bad about us not being there with her but she doesn’t blame us- she blames the AF who wouldn’t let us move when we were originally supposed to. It was a good thing I called her at 7:10 this morning because she had just awoken (late) and hadn’t taken her medicines yet. I called back at 7:20 and she was awake and walking to the place where orientation was starting at 7:30.</p>

<p>We’re not doing any room swaps, but I’d sure like to change the bedding situation. DS1 has a loft bed, which really isn’t guest friendly. DS2 has bunk beds, same issue. Tried to get DS2 to take loft so I could put a full or queen in DS1’s room for guests when he’s not home. DS2 doesn’t want it. So now the plan is to see if DS2 will take a bigger bed instead of bunks. Then if we have guests, we can move DS2 to the loft for the duration. </p>

<p>I am also enjoying the international parents and their perspective. I’m hoping DS has intl roommates or friends so he can bring them home for the visits when they won’t be going home (thanksgiving and such). Of course he’ll do the same for US friends who are too far from home. </p>

<p>I’m a bit jealous of those of you with friends or siblings already at the college so you can pick their brain with any questions. I don’t have that, and sometimes have a hard time finding answers to my questions. Luckily GSharp7 has been willing to put up with my questions, which I really appreciate! CC is a great place!</p>

<p>We did some bedding shopping yesterday. Initially, it was going to be a window shopping excursion - just to see what’s out there. We got to BB&B and started through, when D just stopped in her tracks. “This is it!” They have bedding kits in plastic crates - comes with comforter, pillow sham, sheet set (Twin XL), 3 washcloths, laundry bag, dry-erase calendar and of course the crate. All of this for $79 - then with our coupon it was only $63! The sheets and comforter feel like nice quality - even better once they are washed. D is easy going, but there are things she is quite picky about - sheets and colors among them. Hurray! They also have a nice basket for taking to the bathroom - it comes apart into 2 baskets so that you can take shower stuff if you need to, but you could also take contacts, tooth brushing stuff, face stuff only. It will work perfectly for her. I think it is starting to sink in for her. She just negotiated her last day of work at the greenhouse, so things are becoming real.</p>

<p>Oh, if you are interested, the comforter is blue stripes of varying widths. Sheets are blue and cream. This set could easily have been good for a boy. She is not a girly-girl. More of a nature-color kind of girl (blues, greens, browns).</p>

<p>Hi! I just got back from D’s orientation - she is there for another day but I skipped out early. The parent sessions were great if you have never heard of CC but it was merely a refresher course of everything I have learned over the past couple of years from everyone on this board. So I skipped out, went shopping and came home early given that is it 90 degrees out. I also met the fabulous Pepper03 in person! Both of our kids have ended up at the same school so I am sure we will be able to trade war stories when the fall begins…let the check writing begin!</p>

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<p>Haven’t seen a bill come through yet, am sure it will not be much longer though :-)</p>

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<p>I should take D to BB and B then. This sounds like something she would like and we could be done with one big chunk of the shopping ! </p>

<p>We still need to get the laptop, a new backpack/laptop bag, figure out what we are doing for her cell phone and the bedding/accessories for the room. Argh - work is really busy and it’s going to be hard to find time to go shopping. We also have to drive S down for his three week long camp and drive back down to pick him up (kills two weekends!). Gosh, it feels like we have come such a loooong way - last year, we drove by colleges and visited a few when we went to drop/pick up S from camp. I drove a van full of girls to check out Amherst College and UMass Amherst - none of them are going to those two schools!</p>

<p>Any suggestions on a laptop backpack? North Face Surge seems to be highly recommended, D wanted a North Face Sweeper - anyone have this?</p>

<p>Another question - when do AP scores get mailed out? I was suggesting to D that she call and get them so she can figure out her schedule next week at orientation and she wants to wait till next week to call.</p>

<p>We did the whole room swap thing when DD1 left for school 3 years ago. Her room was more than twice the size of DD2’s so it was only fair. DD1 is a “nester” so her “new” room was quickly decorated, pictures, hung, etc. DD2 has one picture on the wall after 3 years. </p>

<p>I’m appreciating all of the new voices here, international and otherwise. DD2’s school has a sizable international population including a decent-sized Carribean contingent. She’s really looking forward to getting to know them all. Interestingly, they are over-represented in the Honors program - it is over 35% international -so she will have a lot of opportunities to make friends.</p>

<p>Glad to hear kids are managing to find their way to their orientations and jobs without us. So jealous that Pepper and MOB got to meet up. DS will be in Needham so hopefully our paths will cross sometime in the next four years.</p>

<p>Swapping rooms - When I went to college, my sister was quick to take over my room which was bigger, had A/C unit and a TV. Privileges of the first born. My DS, an only child, has two rooms (bedroom and a lounge) and his own bathroom. Of course, all are blue. Come this winter, both rooms will be redecorated. His lounge will become a guest room so I don’t have to have guests sleep in my messy office. </p>

<p>Warning…bragging mom on the horizon. DS got his IB scores today. Total of 41 out of 45. 3 7s - Physics HL, Further Math, Math HL; 3 6s - Economics HL, English SL, Spanish SL and Bs on his EE & TOK.</p>

<p>mmmomof2, according to my IT guy, there is a new Mac operating system out called Lion. There will be a refresh of the Macbook and of the Macbook Air as that is released. Not clear what kind of refresh there will be, if any, of the Macbook Pro. The advice I was given was to wait until the machines are refreshed – but I have a Macbook pro and will be getting a Macbook Air for me (but ShawWife and ShawSon both need new Macs as well).</p>

<p>arisamp, ShawSon uses a Jansport Firewire. Large and has lasted two years of college. Good shoulder straps, I think.</p>