H is not planning to see Techson17’s college until he graduates. I will see it for the first time at orientation. Techson17 and I will take Amtrak up and then a public bus to the school, a 45 minute ride…
My D didn’t visit her school till she was accepted and had paid the deposit, which was necessary for her to be in contention for a $2500 scholarship, which she won. She loved her school. Middle son, who came with me when D and I visited, by Amtrak of course, wound up attending the same school. The only other school we took him to was Stony Brook and he refused to get out of the car when we got there. He pronounced it the most hideous place he had ever seen and said he would rather not go to college at all if that was where he had to go.
As for graduation and prom - ours is sponsored by the parents, who work as wait staff, etc. at the party. I will probably rent Techson17 at tux for the occasion. Middle son wore the one that H wore at our wedding but it won’t fit Techson17. Since he dropped the idea of asking the 14 year old, he has not mentioned another date.
@93pilots, congratulations on your son’s choice of Reed. I admit that I’ve never heard of it (being from the Midwest) but I just looked it up and it looks very nice!
2.5 IB exams down, 2.5 to go, plus AP calc… S17 is done with Bio, English, and the speaking part of French. No exams tomorrow–they’re playing a “review game” in history, and really have nothing left to do in English or Bio (Bio teacher is giving them a section of a wall to paint a mural on…), then he has a study hall where he’s thinking of asking if he can have a pass to join a PE class and roller blade.
He did get fitted and get a tux for prom on Saturday. He’s grudgingly allowing me to get pictures when they meet at a friend’s house. And he’s positive that he doesn’t need a corsage, so I guess he’s got it figured out.
He got on the MSU housing portal and has until Monday to pick a room and/or roommate. After he saw that, he backed away from the computer and said he’d allow the housing office to choose for him. He’s said all along that getting a random roommate is part of the college process, so hes letting it play out. When he accepted his honors college invitation, he requested an honors floor, and he has to live in 1 specific dorm with his residential college, so he should be pretty locked in, assuming they honor his request…
AP’s are done for my son. CS & Physics 1 he didn’t find very hard and expects to get decent scores. Physics 2 was hard and while he did finish he knows he didn’t get some answers correct.
We did figure out my son has to take the UC AWPE writing test next weekend. That was a bit of a mess since it the letter wasn’t an email but a letter IN THE MAIL that we missed. But I called on Friday & go it strained out. But not early enough to get him extra time on the exam. This is basically a placement writing test. I think he should be able to pass it… And if he does well enough on it he could even be placed into C2 Writing which is the equivalent to having taken one of the English AP’s. He is a good writer so it’s possible, it’s also possible he could completely bomb it. But I’m fairly confident he knows how to take a 2 hour read & write a essay to a prompt.
I just had to share a laugh I had today. H and I were watching “Risky Business,” the Tom Cruise movie from 1983. At one point, Tom has an in home interview with a Princeton alum. Tom’s SAT scores are 597 and 560 (can’t remember which was verbal and which was math). He had a 3.14 GPA, which ranked him as 52nd in his class of unknown number. I almost fell over laughing, He must have been a legacy! Techson17 has superior stats and the thought of Princeton interviewing him is laughable. I changed the channel before it was revealed if Tom got into Princeton.
@techmom99 – spoiler alert – yes, he gets into Princeton & yes he was a legacy (father).
Looked up stats for class of 2016 – 2.3% of accepted students had a GPA below 3.50.
We received a very official looking envelope from CNU addressed to Parents of S17 with “must reply by” on the outside. Opened it only to find brochures to purchase dorm bedding ensembles–jeez. Has anyone started purchasing dorm accessories? I found a “boys” TwinXL comforter/sheet set combo & a blanket in the clearance section of Kohls – less than $20 each – S17 knows I’m a bargain shopper
Second laugh that there would be a spoiler alert on a 30 year plus old movie. I saw it when it first came out, the year I graduated law school and college admissions were not on my mind then. On a serious note, what school is CNU and what is your child going to study? As for the bedding, I still have twin xl’s from my D and middle son that Techson17 can use. He is frugal like me and doesn’t care if his bed sheets are hot pink. He will get his own comforter and pillows.
Son asked for a lot of those items for Christmas since he didn’t have much else he wanted. Already getting phone calls from family asking about grad gifts…got the desk supplies and med kit covered by family (the med kit can get expensive and my mom does a great job with it - at least she did with older son). At this rate I won’t have to buy anything besides paper and notebooks!
Nowadays some kid could set up a brothel at home, get 2 teachers to sign off on it, write 2,000 words about the experience and submit it as part of the IB Diploma requirements.
@MomStudent2017, we too got the official-looking packet about bed linens! They must have a monopoly on the VA schools. Too bad it’s not a linen service that includes laundering; THAT I’d consider.
I bought almost all of TacoSon’s dorm stuff last September when Target had dorm stuff marked down 75-90% – XL sheets, comforter, memory foam padding, platform that screws onto the bedpost for phone, shower stuff. I have a friend who’s a legendary Target shopper who gave our FB group an alert and we all pounced on it! I ordered a lightweight towel set a few months ago when LL Bean had a deal going on, and I’ve been trying to purchase items for the first aid kit throughout the year so it doesn’t feel like it’s adding up as much as it is. TacoSon got a temporal thermometer in his Christmas stocking since it’s what we use at home and therefore will be easier for him to gauge if he needs to go to the clinic.
What kind of things are in your med/first aid kit?
I’ve only purchased foam padding so far. Kohl’s had a good sale on their brand and I had coupons. I think I ended up paying about $10 for it and it was a twin XL.
ETA: No bedding offers yet. I think my D17 wants something from Ikea.
All of my kids have their own first aid kits - we are a scouting family.
Includes OTC pain meds like Ibupofren, aspirin, Aleve (all have different uses), liquid Benadryl (if someone is having a reaction, you pour it down their throat since they likely can’t swallow a pill), bandaids, gauze bandages and tapes, steri-strips, nail scissors (to cut the tape with), ace bandages, mucus relief pills, OTC cough medicine and drops, cheap thermometer, flashlight (if you are in the dark or to look down someone’s throat), a mouth block type thing to put in the mouth of someone having a seizure, antibiotic cream, antifungal cream, . I am gathering the stuff for Techson’s kit right now.
@tacocat333 … jealous of your Target bargains from last year!
@techmom99 … CNU is Christopher Newport University in Newport News, VA. S17 is torn between Computer Science, Information Science & Information Systems. Great list of 1st aid kit items!
Re: 1st aid kits … guess I need to put one together. S17 has a cold so I bought him a 2 pack of NyQuil/DayQuit & the cashier had to input my date of birth. Is this something new? Does an individual have to be 18 or 21 to purchase OTC cold medicine?
I agree with everything in the med kits–I would also add decongestants like Sudafed (need drivers license to buy…), and allergy meds like Claritan if your kid has hay fever. Possibly Tums or other antacids, or something for upset stomach. And I add in some essential oils that my guys will actually use–I’m not an alternative med person generally, and I do use OTC stuff when needed, but I’ve had good luck with some respiratory and immune support oils, muscle soreness oils (like a natural icy-hot), and I will also diffuse lavender oil or a couple of others when everyone around is stressed out…
Another thing that my older son appreciated was a small tool kit–something like a Leatherman multifunction tool/pocket knife, small hammer, small screw driver set, allen wrenches, small adjustable crescent wrench, etc… Oh, and a stapler and scissors…
It was a good weekend here–S17 had a good time at prom and allowed me to get pictures. And his MSU Class of 2021 SWAG arrived–a hoodie and a t-shirt. He’s already wearing the hoodie. Now back to another week of IB exams…
Impressed how on top of this many of you are! I do plan to do a med kit and small tool kit but have to get through his bday and graduation first lol! I did get new inter coat, duffle with backpack straps, hammock and a sleeping bag so far. Found some winter boots I will likely order.
I don’t know how much realistically I can buy ahead of time and fly with. He may have to get it all there and we hit a laundromat to wash the bedding. I can’t see flying with a comforter…
I second the stomach meds for the kit. Only phone call I got from oldest son was around midnight, “Mom, is there anything in my kit for nausea”. Good think I knew what my mom had put in the it and I knew there was Pepto. This was from the kid with the iron stomach - college food doesn’t always agree with them (and his campus had a lot of food poisoning from the cafe - part of the reason he left).
Stapler is a HUGE deal. Most kids don’t think to bring one - I know it made my son very popular at times. Scissors also come in handy. And you always need Duct Tape!
I’m dying to start accumulating dorm stuff but am holding off. Until D17 finds out her dorm assignment we don’t know if she’ll need twin R or XL. And we are having a lot of company from out of state the middle 2 weeks of June so I don’t need a messy pile of stuff to contend with. Also, since we’re flying, it would be more practical to wait and buy most stuff there.
Speaking of practical, D17 announced yesterday that she plans to bring her plants! She has been researching it and plans to unpot them, wrap them loosely in bubble wrap and put them in her carryon. She plans to put the ceramic pots in her checked bags. Then, when we arrive in OR, she will buy potting soil and repot them. I gently suggested that we could just buy her new plants when we get there. Not acceptable. Apparently she is emotionally attached to these particular plants and their pots! Or she’s projecting her bond with her cats onto her plants.
Actually, @smakl70, Imodium is another thing I am putting in for diarrhea
@Nolacar - What if her roommate is allergic to plants?
I have told Techson17 to start a new tube of toothpaste and mark the date on it in Sharpie and to do the same with shampoo, deodorant, mouthwash and the like. That way, I can estimate how long things last him and know how much to pack.
I’ve been away due to being buried at work, but catching up here. Need to start looking at the dorm situation, requirements, etc. Have acquired nothing. S17 asked to hold off on more college stuff until after APs, and that seemed reasonable to me. @morningside95 --thanks for the info on WashU. I had done quite a lot of research on the school, but hadn’t looked at Princeton Review for a while. It helps to see all these positives in one place! @NolaCAR --I love that your D is attached to her plants!
And he’s positive that he doesn’t need a corsage, so I guess he’s got it figured out.