To me, the auditions and the trips to get there was the fun part and reward for the months of preparation. As others said, it is what it is, but son was so pumped to finally audition that the stress diminished with each audition completed. Fortunately he had a school musical to rehearse for during the months of February and March, so he was distracted during the wait for decisions from schools. I on the other hand, was a bundle of stress 
One added note…I did tell my D that if at any time she feels it’s too much, she can cancel auditions. An early acceptance and a safety acceptance make for a great safety net. She’s looking at these adventures ahead as all upside, with nothing to lose!
@soozievt That is one incredible story! Really puts things into perspective. So glad your daughter made a full recovery and everything worked out in the end!
We are 5 trips also. One down and 4 to go but she has 2 maybe 3 top choices, so if she hears a yes from her other 2 top choices, already heard from one, before the last 2 auditions, she will probably cancel the remaining two. And the 2 in January are the same weekend 3 hours apart so very doable, especially with this gorgeous winter we are having on the east coast! Removes a lot of the weather stress. The only downside, for me at least, is that as of right now I cannot go to the January auditions,it will be her dad. Perhaps thats great for her, no nutty mama to add stress! lol!!! :))
Son’s dad took him to Chicago Unifieds, and it probably was a good thing 
It was a great bonding experience and they ate their way across Chicago!
Yeah,my hubby still wants me to go, I think he is nervous of handling any last minute issues, but our D is so calm and on top of it all, he/she will be fine without me. We have already visited together both of those schools so I will not missing out on tours at least. We know we love both those schools and both would be wonderful fits.
@monkey13 Can you give more details on which Thieves spray you used? I went to Amazon and got confused - didn’t immediately see any which were to be used orally. On to cheribundi! Thanks.
@rampions, here you go: http://www.amazon.com/Young-Living-3265-Thieves-Spray/dp/B000OV40LA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1450633925&sr=8-2&keywords=Thieves+spray
So, it doesn’t say on the bottle to use it orally, but we all do. It’s just essential oils…just one spritz in the mouth 2X a day. I cleared it with her doctor, and we still both use it, 3 years later. 
We don’t use it orally unless someone is coming down with something. We put drops on the soles of our feet and sometimes behind the ears. It can also be diffused and lightly used in a humidifier/vaporizer.
Also, you can make your own. Just google Secret of Thieves recipe. That way, you have all of those oils if you ever need them, and/or you can use oils you already have if, indeed, you already have them. This is what I do, and I think it’s worked well.
@rampions Just an FYI tread lightly using the Thieves spray orally. If you buy the one on Amazon listed as Thieves spray it actually contains grain alcohol , not just essential oils. I know someone who became quite nauseous from using it orally. I might stick to using it as a spray on items etc. Cherubini is used more for athletes and muscle inflammation, insomnia etc. not really a germ preventive although I guess it promotes sleep so that is good for stress snd perhaps overexertion from dance.
I’ve also heard of people’s mouths and vocal chords being burned after using oils orally, so, yes, caution is necessary! I recommend no oral use or very light (one drop) use.
Appreciate all the advice, everyone. Obviously time to do a little more research, and focus on hands hands hands, wash wash wash.
I’d like to add that while my family swears by Emergen-C, I’ve tried it several times and the last 2 times it made my tongue swell and the inside of my mouth burn and then I had an asthma like reaction. Not pleasant, but if this happened to someone right before an audition it would have been disastrous. I wouldn’t recommend randomly trying it right before audition time. From website:"Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); burning, numbness, or tingling.
Not all side effects for Emergen-C may be reported. You should always consult a doctor or healthcare professional for medical advic"
@theaterwork, the amount of alcohol you get form the Thieves spray is miniscule. I would hazard a guess that the person who got nauseated from it was perhaps allergic or sensitive to one of the herbal ingredients. Never, ever, try something for the first time right before an audition. Never. That is asking for trouble. But I know dozens of people who use Thieves 2X daily (including all 4 of my family members) and no on has ever had a bad reaction.
When my D feels like she is coming down with something, she does the neti pot, Thieves spray, and cold-eez. I prefer the Zicam nasal swabs (I cannot tolerate the taste of cold-eez), and they work like a charm. Everyone has their favorite. Do what works for you, but try it NOW before auditions start to ensure you don’t have a bad reaction to anything.
@monkey13 yes I know the alcohol is a small amount, just pointing it out, as you had stated “it’s just essential oils” when in fact that spray contains other ingredients. I know some people use it orally with no problem as they do with other essential oils. Just pointing out that you need to use caution with them as everyone seems to think because they’re “natural” that’s it’s safe to use them indiscriminately which is not the case.
I wish we could have spread my D’s auditions out across more weekends. She’s scheduled for 11 schools over 3 trips. Including 8 Auditions during Chicago Unifieds! Scheduling has been a nightmare since she’s definitely overscheduled herself. In addition to her auditions she’s the lead in her winter musical and has a principle role in an Opera, all in February. We’ve been pumping her full of vitamin c, and she constantly is sipping on throat coat tea. She’s also become obsessive about wearing a hat! Keeping our fingers crossed!
My daughter thought she was getting sick this weekend but then we realized she was just having allergies to the super dusty elaborate costume she was wearing for a show. We joked she should wear a surgical mask for all dress rehearsals.
@Lawfang - my S will be at NY Unifieds (common one is Penn State) and Wright State the 21st with your D. Like you, we have many trips (4 to cover multiple schools) and 2 road trips here in CA. I guess we’re all crazy and hoping for the best for our Kids His times in NY with Penn State are Sunday 1:45-4:215 which will cover Dance and Monologue. Good Luck to your D!
This weekend coming up is his first road trip (CCU and Millikin)…butterflies!
Do most of your kids participate in their Senior musical? We are at a loss on how to get all this done, stay healthy, and be in major March show
@MTmom725… my D is playing Millie in the March show lol… we have 5 trips to NY between now and then …4 audition trips and one to see her boyfriend perform in a show at NYU… prom is in there too. I KNOW we are crazy…
Wow- that’s a lot. Thoughts on staying healthy through all of it? My D also has the lead in her play, and she’s worried. Do most kids auditioning home school or attend performing arts’ schools ? My D’s school is not forgiving on