<p>A question for you with experience w/ U M...would it be terrible to make flight reservations for the Tues PM before Thanksgiving (and have her miss Wed. classes)?<br>
My S's school has no classes on Wed, and some kids leave after Tues. class, some ditch them and leave Mon night.
Since she's decided to join marching band, she has to be there for Sat. game...was hoping to get her home for Tues - Fri. Any thoughts?<br>
Flights are filling up!!</p>
<p>Well....I think it depends on a couple of factors. How willing you are to take a possible loss vs. how much your saving? The reason I said this is because without knowing your D's class schedule, it is impossible to guess just how much trouble ditching a class will be? CaneGuy has had professors who cancelled Wed. classes, but then again, last year he had one who did not and was pretty adament about attendance that day, and who threw a test down that day just to prove the point. </p>
<p>CaneGuy got tickets freshman year and itenary changed and found that for 150.00 change fee he could change dates and destinations so if you are going to save 150.00 or more I'd go ahead and take the chance. At least you'd have the dates you want. But....I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't have some conflict somewhere, so don't be alarmed if changes need to be made. Don't want to be a downer here, but ...if she doesn't have to change it, think of how pleasant a surprise that will be and I'll need to come on here and eat crow. ;)</p>
<p>Does anyone have experience with their S or D not going home for Thanksgiving? Living on the west coast, we made the decision that S won't come home til the semester ends. </p>
<p>I am hoping S will make friends with someone who lives close by who may invite him, but can they stay in the dorms? What do the international students do? </p>
<p>My older D stayed at Grinnell for one Thanksgiving, and still remembers it as one of her best - a bunch of kids cooked a turkey in the dorm kitchen; she slept in and relaxed; she got caught up a bit on school stuff. She thought it was much better than flying amidst bad weather and delays, losing nearly 2 of the 4 days to travelling, especially as she flew home for nearly 5 weeks just 2.5 weeks later.</p>
<p>Does that happen at UM?</p>
<p>wish...yes it happens. Last year as you know we were in FL for Thanksgiving. Two of son's suitemates didn't go home for Thanksgiving (one from PA other from NY). We ask son to invite these guys to our place for Thanksgiving, I didn't want these two kids to have to spend the holiday alone. Son laughed and said they weren't going to be alone, there was a large group who were doing just that...cooking up a turkey, and spending the day together eating and watching football. As a matter of fact, as soon as our Thanksgiving dinner was over CaneGuy headed back to Miami (2 hours) to join them. And as much as we parents hate to admit it.....I'm sure he had a more enjoyable day then spending it with Mom and Pop. He's already told us that he will be unable to come here with us at all this year, and we're okay with that. It's part of their growing up. Heck, I'm just hoping to see him at Christmas. :) </p>
<p>The only time they have to get out of the dorms is during the break between Fall and Spring semesters (unless they have one of the apartements.) And unless they have plans to do some traveling on Spring Break, don't expect them home then either....after all...they are where 90% of the kids like to go anyway. As I was told...."Fort Lauderdale...Spring Break...why would I wanna come home?" LOL</p>
<p>Thanks guys...I think I'll go ahead and book her and hope for the best! We fly Song (Delta's cheaper sister) and their change fee is minimal ($25 I think), so at least we'll have something.<br>
My S will be doing his junior year in Scotland - I hate the thought of neither of them home for Thanksgiving!!! I'm so not ready for this growing up!</p>
<p>Thanks, 1tcm. Good to have a post like yours amidst the "getting my kid home for Thanksgiving posts" so parents like me don't start feeling sorry for ourselves ;) ! I am relieved that S will have some options, whether to go home with a roommate or friend, or to stay.</p>
<p>S is so ready to go! Looked at the online orientation schedule and copy of the Hurricane that arrived by snail mail. He was impressed that Maya Angelou is coming, and that one of the activities for orientation is to watch Jaws in the pool!</p>
<p>ctmom-we also decided to roll the dice and book a Tues. night flight using ff miles. We'll keep our fingers crossed.</p>
<p>I remember when we were down in April they said that during spring break their population actually increases because so many people go to visit and the kids don't go home. My older S has the same spring break week and the 2 of them are already cooking up plans.:eek:</p>
<p>We haven't received any snail mail orientation stuff yet. Just a couple of parent dining hall passes. </p>
<p>I think we are all getting excited. My emotions are definitely mixed with nervousness. I hate this waiting till we get there to buy stuff. So far all I've been able to get are boxers and socks. I want S to make one trip to LNT or BB&B with me so I can at least get the linens and towels and wash them before we go, but that doesn't seem to be happening. He says anything will be fine-yeah right, until I bring home something he doesn't like!:rolleyes:</p>
<p>Oh my-3-sons...our kids could be related!<br>
D has no interest in visiting BBB before we head down - I've been leaving flyers lying around, etc - says whatever we find when we get there will be fine... (I'm going to hold her to that!!).
She's having so much fun this summer that its hard for her to think about this next big step. She is "in the moment".</p>
<p>No orientation stuff here either (CT). I'm going to head on over to the web site now :)</p>
<p>For those of you who haven't got anything snail mail....You can read the newspaper at thehurricaneonline.com.</p>
<p>The orientation stuff came email to S. You can also find it on the Miami website. A copy of the Miami Hurricane came snail mail to S, and email to me. Just go to the website 1tcm noted above and sign up to get it.</p>
<p>We went to BB&B today for a quick browse and will go tomorrow to identify exactly what S wants waiting for us in Miami. They said we should do it ASAP in case the store on the other end is out of stock and needs to order something for our order.</p>
<p>Also bought some huge duffels at REI which come with lifetime guarantees. S still seems determined to take as little as possible so we'll see if we end up shipping any cartons too. Maybe not.</p>
<p>S is so different from D - for D, everything had to match and was bought new. S couldn't care less and is happy to raid my linen closet for whatever towels and pillowcases might be there, to use with the $3.99 x-long sheets I got at a Penney's online close-out after someone posted that deal on the Parent Cafe. On the other hand, I keep telling S he needs boxers and socks and he'd better go buy some, since the ones I brought home didn't pass muster.</p>
<p>One way or the other, they'll all get there, and they'll all bring stuff with them!</p>
<p>We booked my son's flight for the Wednesday afternoon - we had debated whether to book it for Tuesday....it's hard not knowing the class schedule, but I didn't want him to miss TOO much school, in case he had classes.<br>
Anyone have any info on bus/shuttle service from FLL to school? I've looked, but it seems they send you by train?</p>
<p>Hi Mish, 1tcm answered this question a while back. Look at the Cars, cars, cars thread here for info on airport shuttles. I know, that seems counter-intuitive, but the info is there!</p>
<p>Don't forget also that there are two major airports that serve the greater Miami area. (There may be more, I haven't a clue, but I do know that some of the kids used FLL)</p>
<p>MIA is Miami International Airport. This is the closest to UM. This is where the Super Shuttle for 11.00 goes. This is the one the CaneGuy flys out of and where he has done most of his chaffuer duties. :)</p>
<p>FLL is Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Airport. I don't have a clue about shuttle rates up that way, but one can take the Metro-rail (board at UM Station) and ride up to the Tri-rail transfer station. Transfer to Tri-rail (<a href="http://www.tri-rail.com/index.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.tri-rail.com/index.htm</a>) and go up to the FLL stop. I honestly have no idea how far it is from the stop to the terminal. If you look at FLL's web site they do go some shuttle info and it looks like it is 50 to 75 dollars for shuttle service down towards South Miami, etc.</p>
<p>thanks - we'll be using FLL since the flight schedule is much better out of FLL thank MIA (just one NS flight a day )<br>
Finally ordered the laptop bundle today too....</p>
<p>see you all (too) soon!</p>