<p>Wow! What a busy group! Lots of great advice already and warm welcomes.</p>
<p>Can I ask someone to share the details about the 18 for 18 idea? When I was lurking the last couple of days it was mentioned and then again yesterday. D turns 18 on the first day of class! Thought it would be great to do something special since we won’t be there to celebrate such a special day? :(</p>
<p>Lots of great AP scores! D said it’s not worth it to pay for scores since none of her classes for the fall semester depend on them. She took 3 this year, Calc BC, Physics C and Lit. Guess we’ll find out in a couple of weeks :)</p>
<p>Re: laptops, we don’t get to choose. Part of D’s scholarship package is a laptop that will be awarded to her the day before classes start! We’ve been told it will most likely be Dell as in past years. So instead of computer shopping we will be printer shopping.</p>
<p>AmandaK~ I had downloaded the HKC soon after D received a copy of Naked Roommate. I have enjoyed reading it and have found that it has some good advice.</p>
<p>I’m also one for prejudging the roommates (well suite mates in this case). One suite mate is a HS classmate of D so I know of her and have met her a couple of times. I think she will be a good mix for D. The other two seem to very social and outgoing, the opposite of my shy, video gaming, nose in a book daughter. Hopefully it will all work out. At least she has her own bedroom she can retreat to if needed :)</p>
<p>@Mathmom~ our kids are about the same age! I find it so interesting to watch their interests grow. D2 (the HS sophomore) wants to major in either history or a language(s). She even took a summer class to get a basic requirement out of the way to free up a block for either another history or Spanish. S (6th grader) wants to be a meteorologist…he has turned a fear (tornadoes) into an interest.</p>
<p>@Emmybet~poor boy! I am so glad to hear he wasn’t severely injured and I hope it all works out with the “blame”.</p>
<p>@Ohiomom~I had heard that about the dark sheets. Also another good tip is to consider getting a duvet cover to put over the comforter since it is easy to remove for cleaning, especially considering the bed is often used as a couch!</p>
<p>@Mamom~my sixth grader already has mixed feelings about D1 going off to school, his video game buddy is leaving but she it going to his favorite school and he may get to go to a football game! LOL! Besides, he still has D2 to pester! Now that is the one who is going to miss her sister (even if she won’t admit it now). They have shared a room (and queen size bed!) their whole life! I can’t tell you how many times we have had to ask them to stop talking and go to bed! Some nights it’s like a slumber party up there!!! To help D2 not “feel” the loneliness we are actually moving her into another bedroom and letting her decorate it. She is excited, but it has been slow going since I am giving her my craft/computer room…lots to empty and find a new home for!</p>
<p>@Samuck ~ can’t wait to use you as a resource when the study abroad time arrives! D already has her eye on a summer abroad class her college offers “The arts in Oxford”. She may change her mind and decide to do a whole semester instead, but she is my homebody so I’m just glad she has a study abroad on her radar!</p>
<p>@momgirls~I’m already dreading the college search with D2! But I’m hoping we have learned some from the search with D1. The one big lesson we learned, don’t assume you can wait until you are accepted and invited for a scholarship weekend to visit a campus…D1 had to chose between two schools to visit because the scholarship weekends were at the same time! So she had to decide which school she would most likely go to sight unseen. In the end, she already had her heart set on UA but it was nice for her to visit a school out of state on their dime. But I will always wonder if she had chosen to go to WashU’s weekend, would she have still gone to UA? Will never know, and she is happy so that is all that matters!</p>
<p>@sunnyday~bummer about the roommate situation. At D’s school going potluck means getting whoever puts themselves in your room/suite. No matching by personality, habits, etc! They get to go online and put themselves in a room. They do have a roommate finder that you can put info into and then search for potential roommates. Then you contact them through email or facebook to see if they are interested and pull each other into the room. Early on, D had a couple girls contact her but they never followed through after she responded. </p>
<p>@momofzach~ I won’t have an empty nest, but I too will suddenly mourn D1 leaving. I really enjoy my kids and while I’m glad they are growing and setting off to start an exciting part of their life, I’ll miss and worry when she is gone.</p>
<p>@Shawdad~thank you for the pen info! Going to share it wit D1 (and D2!) to see if she thinks she would use it. Her only lecture type class this semester will be an Art History class (the rest are studio or computer science/lab classes). </p>
<p>@OWM~glad you got the speech done! </p>
<p>@MilitaryMom~good point about trying out a laptop! You could try out laptops at the big box stores and then find it online to buy. You might get better specs for the money and you will know you like the keyboard.</p>
<p>Ooops the morning is getting away!! D1 wants to go dorm shopping today. I can’t believe how into this she is, especially since it is her $$$ (graduation gifts) she is spending :)</p>
Our youngest two are a set of ID twin boys who will be in 6th grade in the fall.</p>
with me.</p>