The semester ends here on Friday, 12/16. D’s 2 online classes end tonight at midnight. She finished one and is taking the final for the other right now. Fingers crossed! School resumes 1/3 for high school classes and 1/17 for her CC class.
QOTD: We saw Hamilton the day after Thanksgiving and my kids immediately downloaded the soundtrack. Today, at breakfast, my D19 sang THE ENTIRE SOUNDTRACK minus whatever “Here comes the general”'s song is called. Seriously, every line! Meanwhile she doesn’t remember to match her socks before heading out the door in the morning. 8-|
We listen to a wide range of music, although my D17 rolls eyes at my husband and my affection for Rolling Stones/Beatles/Kinks/stuff from our own youth and high school days. Some day, her kids will roll their eyes at her for the same reason!
Semester: DD has exams 12/19 and 12/20 with early release on 12/20; that is the end of the semester. We’re excited about a true break for the holiday. Last year the semester ended the day after the holiday and she spent the entire break working on a group physics project. There were many unhappy parents.
Music: We are a huge music family–raised our DD on Rock Band and concerts as early as was legal. I remember her crying at a Gwen Stefani concert because she said she could feel the music in her stomach. When she hit her teens, we added annual treks to music festivals and her graduation gift/party is a trip to Hangout Music Festival with parents and family friends. The genre is usually pop alternative.
Semester dates: Students’ last day of school here is 22 December (teachers are in until the 23rd). At least they don’t go back to school 2 January like they have in the past—on the whole, I’ll take the tradeoff of a later start to the (always shorter than most districts’) winter break in exchange for a later end.
UGH kids have school until 12/23 here and the semester doesn’t end until end of January.
Early dismissal on Friday, December 23rd @ 12:30 or so. School is resuming a day or two later this year on Jan 4th. This break does not leave much time to complete the nine (ten?) apps outstanding! Some may fall by the wayside, so prioritization will be needed.
@nw2this Sorry! Just saw this. We got our financial aid offer the same day. It took a little digging to find it though. She had to create a SUNet ID and password first. Have you found yours?
Our kids have a full day on 12/23 and go back the 3rd. Very jealous of all of you who get a longer break. We do get a week in Feb and a week in April, though, so maybe it balances out?
Ha ha, I totally got it. That’s our soundtrack as well…
I forgot to say in more detail. School through this Friday (12/16 minimum day) and resumes Jan 3rd. Full 2 weeks+. Finals Jan 17th,18th & 19th. So not too much school after they get back.
Kids’ last day is the 20th, they’re back at school on the 5th.
My last final is this friday, and I’ve totally forgotten when I need to go back
whoa a TON of my reply disappeared into the ether! Ok, that pretty much sums up what today has been like for us, so I’ll leave it at that…
My DS is listening to Hamilton right now. He has been obsessed with it for over a year. I have been looking for tickets since April. I consider it a Christmas miracle that I was able to get tickets at face value for a Saturday night in February.
Winter break starts the 23rd and kids go back on the 4th. Semester ends Jan 27th. D also has 2-4 applications to complete. I think she’s burnt and will focus only on two which is fine by me. The other 2 are lotteries and not needed imo.
@Fishnlines29 – are you in CT also? I don’t know if all schools or just some schools adopted a uniform calendar this year. I did not pay close attention as this is my last year in the school system, but returning the 4th is later than usual for us.
School until 12/22 and return on 1/3. S17’s school runs on a trimester schedule so the current trimester ends at the end of February. No school stress right now. It’s all just EA decisions and finishing up college apps.
@picklesarenice I wonder if FA offers can be negotiated? This is his first acceptance, so perhaps when he has others he can be in a position to inquire.
@CT1417 No, I’m in NJ. Our school actually converted from quarters to semesters this year - but it feels like the semester is ending much later than the 2nd quarter typically would…
@rerunagain You’ve seen Hamilton several times??? SO jealous. No chance here in the wilds of Montana. What was her reference? Not throwing away my shot? Blow us all away? Satisfied? 
@JenJenJenJen But Right Hand Man is the best song!! Cheers to your D, though. My S22 (!) is so proud that he can keep up with Lafayette’s raps
@Fishnlines29 – interesting. We have always had two semesters divided into two quarters each. Quarter grades are reported on report cards, but they are placeholders only, replaced by semester grade upon completion of midterm or final exam. The second quarter of the first semester is so chopped up with Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks that students and teachers both seem caught off guard at times, especially if snow days are layered in.
Holiday dates S has a full day on 12/22 and school resumes 1/3, so really only a week off. His semester ends 1/12. I hate having the semester tests after the winter break, but that is really out of the school’s hands. The state legislature decided a year or so ago that most schools were starting too early, so they mandated a start date after the state fair and that pushed back the end of the semester.
Music Should I admit I’m not sure what S listens to? He has been a big fan of Linkin Park for a few years and seems familiar with music from the 80s and 90s, but I’m sure he has a much more varied playlist. He likes to find music for videogames and TV shows written for the trumpet so he can play it. I’m basically tone deaf and only listen to music if someone else is controlling the car audio, and I never know songs or artists. I listen to audiobooks if I’m alone in the car. Music makes me too sleepy to drive, even on my short commute.