Petting zoo next?

Colleges & Universities A-Z California Institute of Technology
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<p>I live in the Midwest where folks have never heard of Caltech. When my son answers inquiries about where he plans to attend college, he has become accustomed to people responding, "What part of Ohio is that in?" We had (erroneously) assumed that folks in California would be more knowledgeable. </p>

<p>We arrived in Pasadena early so we would have time to shop for bulky items before freshman orientation begins. While shopping today, I asked for directions to a store. Here’s the ensuing conversation:</p>

<p>“Turn left at Staples.”
”I don’t know where that is.”
“Do you know where Trader Joe’s is?”
”No, I’m from out of town.”
“Where are you from?”
”Ohio.”
“Are you a tourist here?”
”No, I’m dropping my son off at college.”
“Which one?”
“Caltech.”
The person looked puzzled for a minute, then the light bulb went on. “My son works there. They have a farm and teach students how to handle animals.”</p>

<p>So I ask you all – is a petting zoo next?</p>

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<p>Glad to see you made it to Pasadena! That is a very funny story! People seem to confuse Caltech with CalPoly all the time up hear (unless we're in Berkeley..)<br>
Hope we have a chance to meet on Sunday!</p>

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<p>The llamas even have Nobel prizes.</p>

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<p>The Lama certainly does.</p>

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<p><em>laughs</em></p>

<p>.</p>

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<p>Ben,
any advice for parents before we drop our children off at the petting zoo on Sunday? you've given our kids lots of advice..any advice for us?</p>

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<p>Well, I just typed about two pages' worth and CC ate it. :-) So the answer is yes, but I guess I'll have to reconstruct and post it a little bit later.</p>

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<p>Oh my, I don't know what's worse, the fact that CC ate your post or that its two pages! I was hoping for something simple like don't pet the llamas (or The Lama).</p>

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<p>Oh! The simple version is easy to reproduce!</p>

<p>Don't try to go to college again vicariously through offspring, but be there for them and let them know you miss them and appreciate them keeping in touch. Take good care of them when they come home. Don't send them fireworks in the mail, no matter how much you love them. :-)</p>

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<p>Let's hope the animals don't all call out, "Maaaa, maaaa, maaaa!"</p>

<p>Talk about the Lama, we ate at the Tibetan restaurant in Pasadena last night. Yum!!!!</p>

<p>(Shuffles off to dispose of fireworks that slipped past TSA.)</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Well, I just typed about two pages' worth and CC ate it. :-)

[/quote]

Yes, that's very irritating - seems the forum doesn't preserve post data, so you lose everything if you hit back or go to another page. :(</p>

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<p>The solution is to type longer posts in Word, or other word processing program of your choice, then paste them into CC.</p>

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<p>Another piece of advice for the parents:</p>

<p>Make sure that your student knows it's ok to not be perfect. I know it sounds obvious, but many of us have come to expect perfection from ourselves, and even if they've never said so, we assume our parents expect the same. I've seen students get into trouble academically (and I've done so myself) because they were so worried their parents would think badly of them that they didn't face up to the fact that they were in over their heads. Having been BoC chair, I saw a good number of students for whom telling their parents what they'd done was more terrifying than the possibility of being put on leave.</p>

<p>Make sure your child knows how much you love him/her and how proud you are of him/her, and that taking fewere than 45 units, failing a test, making a mistake which leads to cheating, or even failing a class will not change that.</p>

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<p>I'm so glad my son didn't know it was possible to sneak those illegal fireworks past TSA..but Ben, I can't mail them? I guess I'll have to light up myself the sky here in Oakland after my brief visit to Pasadena.</p>