<p>mnmomof2: You’re not alone. I know mine is dealing with the thought of leaving, the departure of girlfriend yesterday, and wisdom teeth removal last Friday. But, yesterday, after a sarcastic comment I told him “Just go to college, will you?” Not exactly a hallmark moment.</p>
<p>Go ahead and vent - we’re all having days like that. I wouldn’t say I’m tiptoeing around D, but I will admit that much of the time I’m seeing her pilot light on and don’t want to ignite it further. That might change this week as the ***** hits the fan. She did work on her first paper this weekend, so I’m seeing hope we won’t have a show-down about things.</p>
<p>Thanks for the tip about moving things downstairs! I think that will move us into better gear. She’s fine about most of the packing; it’s the residual room clearing that needs to happen, so getting the college stuff out might be a great incentive to finish the rest of the stuff. We had company this weekend and now we can mess up the house all we want. I think my H, too, will see it as major progress if there’s a visible sign of moving prep.</p>
<p>Lots, lots, lots, lots of changes. Sometimes it’s nice here to put it into perspective and reflect on the wonderful people these kids have become. But I’ll say that much of the “real” time we have plenty of mad, sad, ambivalent feelings, and plenty of worries. </p>
<p>D is taking our family’s official “dorm TV” - in her suite, she seems to be the only person with a good TV, so it seems reasonable. She’ll be taking a video game, but doesn’t play it a lot, more would use it as a social thing (and, as a girl, to express her identity). She’s become very TV dependent this summer, but I think that’s more just to get through a kind of quiet, lonely time. I have complete faith she’ll be on the run almost all the time in college. If it were me, I’d do without the TV - D1 only took it because for some reason H thought she should have one, but she never used it, and D2 might do the same. We’ll see. They only have one lounge for 4 floors of kids in her dorm, so I’m guessing it will come in handy at times.</p>
<p>kinderny, I laughed about the sugar bowl. Your D is so funny. Another argument for Tupperware would be ants and other hygienic reasons not to have open sugar around, don’t you think? But the image of the lovely tea set and her little “home” is making me smile!</p>
<p>**The next new student move-in is Millikin University on August 16th.
Move-in day is in ONE day! Where did the summer go? :eek:
[ul][<em>]University of Southern California, University of Missouri, Emory, Baylor and Pitt (band camp) move-ins are just 2 days to go.
[</em>]University of Colorado, Lawrence University (tennis), Harvard (outdoor program), and Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) move-ins are just 3 days to go.
[<em>]University of Virginia, University of Illinois, Cornell, WPI (field hockey), and University of Texas - Austin move-ins are just 4 days to go.
[</em>]Juniata College, University of Alabama, Pomona College, University of Puget Sound, and University of Virginia move-ins are just 5 days to go.
[<em>]Case Western Reserve University and MIT (pre-orientation) move-ins are just 6 days to go.
[</em>]Wellesley College move-in is just 7 days to go.[/ul]
The last new student move-in is the University of Southern Oregon on September 22nd<br>
Move-in day in 38 days.</p>
<p>The link to the Move-in Date Thread is <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1141579-hs-class-2011-college-class-2015-move-dates-5.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1141579-hs-class-2011-college-class-2015-move-dates-5.html</a></p>
<p>If you son’s or daughter’s move-in dates and schools are not listed please add them to the list.**</p>
<p>I’m beginning to feel like the bad mom with the TV. TV or no TV was never a question for either of our boys. Both are major movie buffs and enjoy a bigger screen “experience.” It is a huge part of their social lives. Friends, movies, popcorn, Oreos, sour cherry patches candy. Kids show up at our house and know where to find the snacks in the pantry and the drinks in the extra fridge.</p>
<p>DS2 saved for a long time to buy the TV currently in our basement that is going with him. He and his friends play Rock Band all the time and I can’t imagine doing that on a computer monitor. Sometimes, they have two guitars, one drum set and two soloists. I am going to miss the sing alongs with Rock Band coming from the basement.</p>
<p>His large movie collection is also going. DS2 and roommate have a four-man suite with a living room at the end of the hall on a floor that is a math and science learning community. They envision their room as a party site. There is no common area on the floor–only two study rooms.</p>
<p>Kinderny - Ah, the sugar bowl made me smile too. I don’t exactly have one (not in regular or fine china varieties), don’t need it except for baking so everytime my dad is over my house, he has to pull out the big bag. It is kind of a running joke between us. I think that it’s sweet that she is setting up home away from home with sugar bowls and everything. </p>
<p>For my ds, his sugar bowl is the xbox360. Reading these posts, I had a twinge of “bad mom” guilt coming on because my procrastinator-extraordinaire is indeed taking his xbox360. It is better than boy taking his blankie and teddy bear to college (which I talked him out of) and I believe that is what this has become, it is his identity, the way he can keep in touch with his hs friends (they can play together though across the country with xbox live), and if it wasn’t his gaming system, it would be someone else in the suite. I am hoping that between schoolwork, band commitment and all the pretty girls - the xbox will get dusty.</p>
<p>Here’s a tip - I should put it on the other thread, too - not sure if I mentioned it.</p>
<p>D2 got a binder that holds about 200 CDs or DVDs (there are bigger ones available, too). She took all of her movies out of their boxes and put them in about 1/100th of the space. Also she can keep track of ones that are missing, take her collection to someone else’s room easily, etc. D1 likes this idea so much (after 4 years of dragging around the dozens of DVDs) that she’s going to do the same thing for her next move.</p>
<p>No tv for D. Didn’t even come up in conversation ! I assume she will just watch all the shows she wants on her laptop.</p>
<p>We had a long fun weekend with graduation/farewell parties. D had one on Sat evening with several friends and some parents. Most parents were wistful - rather sad on Saturday - beginning to hit us all that these kids are indeed going away, starting this week. Most of the girls wrote in D’s book - some of the words made me cry. They are a very special group of girls. Sunday was neighbor’s grad/farewell party. We were out there most of the afternoon. D was party hopping. But we did get an hour of shopping in that morning, picked up most of the toiletries, cosmetics, cleaning supplies that she needed.</p>
<p>I was hoping that she’d stay home today (it’s pouring outside) and pack - but I guess two days of hanging together are not enough. She and her friends are in downtown boston today. She’s “hanging out” with another friend on Wed and a couple of family friends on Thursday. When, oh when, is she going to pack?? We are supposed to head out Fri afternoon. “Don’t worry mom - I’ll get it done” 
I know she will, even if I will be stressing out…so I’ve got to learn to take it easy!</p>
<p>Question for the day from the obsessed mom - she ordered a 3.6cubic feet fridge. Checked the dimensions before ordering and it should fit under her lofted bed. But several people I talked to this weekend have mentioned that this might be too big, their freshmen never really used the fridge etc etc. What size fridge did you pick up? Wondering if she should have gotten something smaller - something cheaper so she could just donate it at the end of the year and be done…</p>
<p>for those whose kids are taking a TV, no need to feel guilty! If my S had wanted (and paid for) one, we’d have no problem letting him take it. He is (almost) an adult, and managing his distractions is up to him!</p>
<p>Arisamp - ds’ is a 3.2, maybe that is too big but I liked this one that had a separate door for the freezer - not just a little shelf for freezer within the fridge, so a pint of icecream could fit. I figure between the 4 kids, this will likely be useful for each of them at some point in time.</p>
<p>On the fridge–I believe the one our student ordered is something like this</p>
<p>[Igloo</a> Black Compact Refrigerator - Walmart.com](<a href=“http://www.walmart.com/ip/Igloo-4.6-Cubic-Foot-Refrigerator-Freezer-Black/15162430]Igloo”>http://www.walmart.com/ip/Igloo-4.6-Cubic-Foot-Refrigerator-Freezer-Black/15162430)</p>
<p>large enough for beverages, water pitcher any fruit/cookies…and things that ants might like and won’t get into because they are inside the fridge. Will be housed in common room</p>
<p>EmmyBet…I am tiptoeing a bit–mostly because I realize the anxiety of getting it done is mine–and we have a week…YMMV based on your days til move-in time clock. Come this time next week…all bets are off…haha</p>
<p>mnmomof2, don’t feel alone! My DD is soiling the nest too. I’m hoping we are a “silent majority” here, not wanting to share negative moments. DD has positive moments too, but she is just itching to go to college and the anxiety is leaking out in irritation. I’ve been joking that I’m going to write a sequel to “Go the F*** to Sleep” called “Go the F*** to College”.</p>
<p>I’m sure we will all miss her very much, but not right away!!</p>
<p>Oh, yeah, I hear you. The gloves come off eventually … but maybe she’ll surprise me. Today again I couldn’t believe she was nice about planning things out. I use all of my mom tricks, phrasing things like “I’m sure you’ve thought about X” and “What do you think about doing things ABC way?” I think she appreciates the mild approach, which she’ll get AS LONG AS she stays on target.</p>
<p>Her photo collages came out great, but I must admit they made me crazy - I could think of such better ways to use her time. I’m so glad they’re done! I will not be so nice if she thinks of yet another distraction this week.</p>
<p>We, too, got the fridge with the separate freezer. D is vegetarian and always has frozen veggie products. Those inner freezers didn’t seem up to the task, or big enough.</p>
<p>seattlemom - that is so funny!</p>
<p>“Go the F*** to College”.</p>
<p>seattle mom - thanks for the laugh; it was much needed!</p>
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<p>Hahahahahaa!!! Love this!!!</p>
<p>We can change it for all ages. For K-12, it’s Go the bleep to school. For post-marriage, it’s Go the bleep to work. Etcetera. :)</p>
<p>Two weeks from today we drop boychild off. Can’t come soon enough. We are all getting on each others nerves. Took boychild to the outlets in MA yesterday. It was torture trying to get him to try things on but surprisingly he came home with a nice selection. </p>
<p>No TV for DS. Dorm rooms at his school don’t have cable. Most kids download on their computers from netflex anything they want to watch.</p>
<p>Here’s a dumb question - if we have netflix at home, can D use it at school 1000 mi away? She has the password and all that.</p>
<p>EmmyBet yes, she can. There’s a limit to the number of devices where you can have Netflix installed–I think it’s 5.</p>
<p>OK, we’ll check … thanks! That actually would be just the right number, for both Ds. Cool.</p>
<p>Re Sunshinesmoms question re mattress pad/topper: there are quite a few discussions on this if you search. But Im glad you brought it up again because Ive got a question: here in the UK the mattress pad sits on top of the mattress and is fastened down the sides by elastic. All the ones Ive seen online (BBB, amazon) are encasements that you zip the whole mattress into. Is this right??!! Seems to me, one needs to know the depth of the mattress to go down the encasement route. Im aware Im obsessing over bedding but I cant buy it here because of different sizing.</p>
<p>Mnmomof2 in our family we still talk about the summer D turned mean. It was just a few intense weeks before she headed for uni and it was a true Jekyll-Hyde act. The first time we met up that first term, our sweet D was back! It will happen with your sweet D too, I promise.</p>
<p>For those worried about furnishing a common room this is entirely the students responsibility. And they will rise to the challenge. In my day, there was one brilliant resourceful young man who contrived a whole furniture system using pickle buckets. Reader, I married him.</p>
<p>Finally, I recommend selling a house, buying a house and moving to Shanghai as a good displacement activity to keep from worrying about launching DS/DD to college. Despite all those distractions, Im getting frantic (see the mattress pad obsession above) while DS remains calmly oblivious. He has asked for only one thing to be purchased for the big college move: a bottle of Heinz salad cream because I couldnt swear that it was available Stateside and how is he going to make tuna salad without it?! (Weetabixmum, did you pack a jar of vegemite?)</p>
<p>Emmybet, my kids, at the time, in Virginia and New York and my youngest at home in PA, all used our Netflix streaming at the same time.</p>