<p>Now that our kids are set on Cal Poly (most of us anyway), we can focus more on the end of the senior year. My son and I are getting ready for the Senior Ball, senior breakfast and of course graduation and grad night. In the middle of that he is taking his AP finals. He will be done next Monday! </p>
<p>I am helping him to prepare for all of these events. </p>
<p>-he needs to order the corsage (got the tux on Monday)
-take photos for announcements and order them
-get something nice to wear for graduation (he has nothng but shorts an jeans)
-get a haircut this week so it isn’t too short for the Ball next week
-I am working on the decor comm for grad night
-Get a graduation gift
-prepare for the camping trip with family and friends (week before graduation)</p>
<p>All of this and still be friendly and nice to my colleagues and husband and daughter. I also want to enjoy this special time with my son!</p>
<p>I am so thankful that he will be going to Cal Poly! the next thing we do is chose a date for SOAR, whenever we get the e-mail for it. Then in June we pay for the first installment of the dining plan.</p>
<p>Hang in there everyone! I am sure the students and we parents are all dealing with a similar list of things to do. Have fun and enjoy this special time!</p>
<p>Hi momofmv! We hadn’t heard from you in awhile. You’re right—it’s all about the end of senior year now. It’s a relief to have the college decision over. My daughter is currently obsessed about her Senior Prom. You would think she was planning a wedding! 
Yikes! I think it helps that she has a boyfriend, whereas in the past, none of these formal dances were as meaningful. So now it’s all about finding the perfect dress, the prettiest hairdo and best makeover. All at a decent price!</p>
<p>Next up: Take some photos so I can tuck one inside her graduation announcements. We didn’t buy any from the traditional senior portait shoot. So, now we have to make a point to get that done. And like you said, they’re busy with AP exams and school, in general. At least my daughter only has one more choir/jazz event. The last three weekends have been all about the music. Its just the Spring Concert to look forward to and she’ll be done with her high school singing ‘career’. Kind of bittersweet.</p>
<p>Their grad night will be different this year. Instead of the parents putting something together locally, they’re going to be on a charter boat on the San Francisco bay. They graduate on June 11. That will be here before we know it!</p>
<p>Best wishes to everyone else during this special/sad time. My nest will be empty for the first time since 1976! :(</p>
<p>Just trying to get S to go to school. Ha! He finishes the last of his 4 AP exams on the 13th and I keep telling him to just get through that date. He has always loved school, but he has checked out. His only difficult class is AP Euro and they just finished the course. Not sure what they do for the next 4 weeks. The Registrar told me that the kids have worked so hard to get into a good college, that she doesn’t blame them.</p>
<p>We have Senior awards on the 18th and he graduates on June 18. The last day of class is June 11 and then Senior Week activities.</p>
<p>Picking up grad invitations and everything else tomorrow. I’m working on grad night also. He is going to the prom on the 15th and has not even rented his tux. Boys are so different than girls!</p>
<p>Tomorrow, he turns 18 so no more worries about curfew. The curfew in San Diego is 10PM. Not that he stays out much past 11PM, but it will be nice to not worry if he isn’t home at 10PM.</p>
<p>My older S turns 21 on June 16, so no more worrying about underage drinking. (beer at school)</p>
<p>Life is good!</p>
<p>Our lives are parallel right now. Yes, we have a lot to be thankful for. We should say a prayer for those who will never be able to experience those special milestones with thier child for one reason or another.</p>
<p>You’re so right, CalMom5. There are different circumstances in ever family and not everyone will be celebrating some of these special milestones. Even in my own situation I have 34 year old bright twin daughters as well as my current h. s. senior. One chose to veer off path and not get her high degree alongside her sister. And, ironically, this the same daughter who wanted to be an architect, thus our reason for visiting Cal Poly back in '88. Unfortunately, she chose a less productive and unwise path. Her sister went on to get her BS in Biology, but I was busy with a toddler and didn’t have as much time to take part in the whole college process. Plus I wasn’t on the internet yet. ;)</p>
<p>So I’m so glad I’m having this chance to live vicariously through our younger daughter. :)</p>
<p>Glad to see I am not the only mom struggling to get a child to attend school! My son stayed home with a “fever” yesterday, measured himself, of course, as was the “fever” that caused him to have to come home early from a school trip last Saturday. Kind of bold, given that mom is a doctor, specializing in infectious diseases, no less! I was all ready this morning with my speech about the dread diseases that cause intermittent, relapsing fevers - diseases S cannot possibly have - when it occurred to me to stick the thermometer in his mouth before he could. His temp did not even break 98.0 F - busted! </p>
<p>Seriously, though, as Mother’s Day approaches, I agree, we should all be thankful to be reaching this day with our kids, and keep those moms who cannot or will not reach this day in our hearts. My son has several serious medical problems, and time was, when he was little, that I celebrated his having made it to the next birthday. If I have learned anything in my job, or as the parent of a child with chronic illness, it is that no matter how bad things may seem, there is always someone out there whose misfortune is greater than one’s own. In spite of the “fevers”, and the extra effort and worry that will come from having my son attend college out of town, I am simply thankful that my son found a school he thinks he will love. Happy Mother’s Day to everyone!</p>
<p>Oh my, where did the past 4 years go? D definitely has a (thankfully) minor case of senioritis. Somewhere between the proms, planning for grad parties, planning for the summer and maintaining the texting, facebook, email and skype relationships she is still holding on to her grades (yeah!). </p>
<p>I realized the other day that mixed in with all the activity and excitement is also a a thread of anxiety and sadness. Sadness at the closing of her high school life, anxiety at the yet still vague upcoming college years. In some ways I see her as she was when she was very small - struggling and pulling to get away and do things on her own, and yet still looking back to make sure her parents are watching from the proverbial window.</p>
<p>The next few weeks are simply crazy busy. Our S is active in his h.s. theatre which is currently in ‘hell week’ before opening night. He’s getting home after 8 p.m. which is a long day since he starts at 6:00 a.m. H is doing all the shlepping for that activity. D is planning a grad party at our house and I am adding a parents/family open house style party on top of hers. All the grandparents are older, no longer driving and live 90 minutes away. We will be bringing them to all the above activities. </p>
<p>It is a time of change for us all and in the hustle and bustle I have to remind myself to be thankful, grateful and to stop long enough to enjoy the journey.</p>
<p>CalMom5, thanks for your post about being grateful our kids CAN be busy. My D2 who’ll be a CPSLO freshman in the fall has a dear friend who was in a serious accident over the weekend. He won’t be taking finals and we’re hoping he’ll be out of the hospital by graduation. Sorry to be a downer, but I’ve alternated between feeling sad about him, and grateful for getting to be stressed about the grad party, out-of-town visitors, etc.</p>
<p>It was a long-boarding accident, and I understand Cal Poly doesn’t allow them on campus because of the inherent risk. Now I think I get it.</p>
<p>You’re welcome riverrunner. I am so sorry about your D’s friend. I hope he’ll be able to participate for graduation. I am in charge of the chaperones for grad night, so I will get to be a part of my son’s last official HS function. </p>
<p>ParentalUnit85, I agree. I think most of our kids will experience many types of emotions, including excitment, anxiety and sadness. My S is very close with his core group of friends and they will be all over the place. Plus there is the anxiety of the rigor of college, compared to HS, no matter how rigorous the HS one attended. </p>
<p>I will never forget when my parents dropped me off at my dorm. I arrived before my roommate, my parents and I set up my side of the room, they left and I just sat on my bed and waved good bye. I remember feeling pretty strange. I think Cal Poly does a great job in making kids feel welcome. WOW week should really help with the transition.</p>
<p>Wow Moms! Great discussion here. I’m so glad I posted the original. </p>
<p>Yes, I agree that we are blessed to have children who are going to Cal Poly, finishing high school and doing some exciting graduation activities. I hope no one thought I was complaining!!! I am so thrilled to be a part of this time with my son and I am thankful that he is able to do these things. I love talking with him about college, senior activities and such. Thank goodness he usually likes it too!</p>
<p>I am sure that we are all going to go through some feelings of loss as well as moments of sheer pride and joy about our children. We are clearly involved parents here. Our students will feel the same excitement and some worry too. I will miss my son so much and I think he will miss his family, friends and hometown too. I am so grateful for all of you and the wonderful activities that Cal Poly has for students and parents to make things easier.</p>
<p>riverrunner^ I will keep the young man who had the accident in my prayers and thoughts and I hope he is able to go to his graduation. How hard for him and his family to go through this.</p>
<p>Parentalunit58^ I hope your son stays "well’’ for the next several weeks. It is tougher for the kids to stay motivated with so much going on and college acceptances out of the way. I know that your son has a real medical condition as well and I can imagine how nervous you are sending him away from home. I hope that you were able to find a good place for him to live in town. I remember that you were looking.</p>
<p>I am so thankful for my son and the many things that I am doing right now with him. I am trying to savor all of these milestones and hope that you will be doing the same. We are all so happy and proud of our kids!</p>
<p>The first inkling that I had of anxiety from S was last week when he came in to my office, gave me a hug and said that he is going to miss me. (hmmmm, I thought to myself) He is the youngest of the 2 and sometimes even though he is smart as a whip, he can be very spacey. I keep thinking it is adolescent hormones. He also has asthma and I am glad that he is closer to home that his brother. (CU Boulder)</p>
<p>He is a huge surfer, so the long-boarding accident makes me nervous, but he short boards and knows his limits. In January when the storms came through and there were 7ft waves, he went surfing. He caught one wave and that was it. Way to scary and his friend’s board was broken in half. So, I hope and pray he continues to make good decisions. He is already lobbying for a REALLY warm wetsuit for CP.</p>
<p>I am very gratedul to have this time also. A dear friend of his was killed in a drunk driving accident in early October and then in February, a friend was raped and killed. (it was national news) It was horrible when her college acceptances started coming in.</p>
<p>So, I feel very blessed. We are all healthy.</p>
<p>I was first generation to go to college and my mother passed when I was 15. I remember driving to school and being thankful that I was rooming with a friend. I remember going through sorority rush and not knowing anything, just going by the seat of my pants. </p>
<p>When I flew out to Colorado with my older son when he was a Freshman, I did not cry when I left him, but when we went back for Parent’s weekend, I cried when I left. I had had time to miss him. AND he was so grown up in those 7 weeks since he had left for college. He will be coming home next week and I am glad that the 2 boy will have a month together before gonig their separate ways.</p>
<p>ParentUnit58: We are also a medical household and the biggest thing my older son learned was that he actually had to go to the health center if he was sick. He had food posioning once and called to tell me how sick he was. I felt so bad for him, but I told him that part of growing up was being sick on your own and learning how to take care of yourself.</p>
<p>Oh, I’m so sorry! When you say “long boarding” do you mean skateboards? I always think of surfboards when I hear long board. How sad for your daughter’s friend. Best wishes for a full recovery. My daughter knows a classmate who had some type of stroke over the winter break. I’m not sure what the exact diagnosis is, but she was in the hospital and then rehabilitation for quite some time. And now she’s had to learn how to talk and walk all over again. She had been admitted to Cal Poly SLO, but now it’s doubtful she’ll even graduate because she still needs a couple required classes. Her boyfriend, who will be going to Berkeley has been talking to CPSLO and basically taking care of details. Her parents are from Viet Nam or Cambodia and Lily will be the first child going to college. Anyway, these things are upsetting and we feel torn about celebrating our own children’s joy.</p>
<p>**riverrunner wrote:</p>
<p>CalMom5, thanks for your post about being grateful our kids CAN be busy. My D2 who’ll be a CPSLO freshman in the fall has a dear friend who was in a serious accident over the weekend. He won’t be taking finals and we’re hoping he’ll be out of the hospital by graduation. Sorry to be a downer, but I’ve alternated between feeling sad about him, and grateful for getting to be stressed about the grad party, out-of-town visitors, etc.</p>
<p>It was a long-boarding accident, and I understand Cal Poly doesn’t allow them on campus because of the inherent risk. Now I think I get it.**</p>
<p>I thought of longboards meaning surfboards also. S used to street skate and refused to wear a helmet. After he broke his leg, he pretty much outgrew the skatebord phase.</p>
<p>ParentalUnit58, I enjoyed the story about your son’s “fever”. LOL As for his chronic illness and attending school out of town, I can understand having some anxiety. And being a doctor doesn’t make it any easier, I’m sure! What do they say about “too much knowledge?” Well, I have a feeling that everything will work out well for your son. Thank goodness CPSLO is a close-knit community.</p>
<p>So far, I haven’t noticed any signs of “senioritis” here. YET! Right now it’s more about “PROM-itis”.</p>
<p>The long board was a skate board. Kids around here use them to come down steep hills fast. I’m guessing the hills at Cal Poly have presented temptation over the years, and I’ll also bet there have been some pile-ups resulting in the ban. I posted that partly as a heads up- if your kid is thinking about bring one of these to campus, don’t bother. Hard to tell teenagers (guys especially) to “be carefull”. CP probably found it easier to go with the black and white solution.</p>
<p>When my younger son (the former skateboarder) saw the hill down to campus from the apartments, the first thing he said was, “I would kill myself if I skated down this hill.” </p>
<p>It is interesting. At CU Boulder, that is how the kids get to class…longboarding. BUT the campus is pretty flat. When I went for parent’s weekend when my older son was a freshman, he had road rash on his elbows. </p>
<p>There are hazards at all campuses, I guess. AT CU Boulder there are metal grates in the sidewalks and in the winter, if you catch them just right when they are icy, down you go.</p>
<p>A bit off topic but. . . is anyone familiar with medical facilities outside of campus? We are from CA and our daughters current insurance coverage will be valid. It would be reassuring to establish a relationship with a physician/urgent care clinic in the area.</p>
<p>Medical care is covered by student fees. It looks like students have access to a number of specialists in addition to GPs.</p>
<p>[Medical</a> Services - Health & Counseling Services - Cal Poly](<a href=“http://hcs.calpoly.edu/health/health.html]Medical”>http://hcs.calpoly.edu/health/health.html)</p>
<p>A couple of weeks ago a UCSC student was skateboarding down a hill a couple miles from here at 3:00 AM without a helmet. Hit his head hard and they said he was brain dead. So sad. 
His buddy who was with him had been drinking, so I’m not sure if he was, as well. His parents said he always liked to live on the edge, but his mom was constantly bugging him to wear a helmet.</p>
<p>**SDMom56 wrote:</p>
<p>I thought of longboards meaning surfboards also. S used to street skate and refused to wear a helmet. After he broke his leg, he pretty much outgrew the skatebord phase.**</p>
<p>That is so sad. </p>
<p>I have not looked into the medical insurance yet at CP, but for my oldest son, we pay $150/semester through the college. This allows him to see docs/nurse practioners, etc. on campus and utilize the health clinic. He is covered under our personal policy for major medical. Between the 2 policies, the only thing he is not coverd for is physical therapy. Thank goodness he does not snowboard.</p>
<p>Also, look into CSI Insuance at [CSI</a> Insurance Agency Home](<a href=“http://www.csiprotection.com%5DCSI”>http://www.csiprotection.com). It is for college students.</p>
<p>I have this for my older son. I found out about t too late last year. His backpack was stolen on springbreak. It had his watch and other valuables worth about $700. Our homeowner’s deductible is $1000. I have it for him now. It covers anything broken or stolen. (e.g. laptops) My friend told me about it. Her son is a big photographer and a $2500 camera lens was broken and they replaced it. I will definitely get it for my S going to CP. They also send a kit to write your name that shows up under UV light and a sticker that you place on the object. If someone tries to take the sticker off, it splatters.</p>