<ul>
<li><p>making a dozen friends in the first week (after fretting all Summer about not being able to meet people like him)</p></li>
<li><p>going fishing (hasn’t done that since he was ten)</p></li>
<li><p>going to a dance…off campus…without a date or a friend…just went, met people, and had fun</p></li>
<li><p>insisting on figuring out his own schedule…and doing it well (first time ever)</p></li>
<li><p>being an excellent money-manager (seems to be having a grand time on the $30 a week we give him)</p></li>
</ul>
<p>D’s brand new debit card was compromised this week (after only using it 4 times!) Luckily, her bank caught it and is issuing her a new card. In the meantime, she realized that she has a trip to NYC planned for this weekend and needs cash. She called in a panic and asked, “How do I get cash without a debit card?” I had to explain a couple little things called a bank teller and a withdrawal slip.</p>
<p>Older s joined (and later was head of ) the breakdance club. This is a guy who was NOT a dancer of any kind before this, and now who you would think of for such a sport.</p>
<p>I heard my S speaking Chinese to a girl he met during the summer. I knew that he had taken a Chinese course, but I had the oddest feeling hearing him speak it. I don’t know Chinese at all, so I don’t really know what he was saying or if he was saying it well, but he sounded fluent. I felt as if I was looking at a different person, and my jaw actually did drop.</p>
<p>This thread is great! My S1 is now a h.s. senior and we are up to our eyeballs in apps and essays…remember this? Please tell me there’s a light at the end of the tunnel!</p>
<p>Maybe you guys can keep this thread going until he leaves for college next year…I’m sure I’ll have lots of these ah-ha moments next year. I am now showing him basic food prep stuff, making omlettes, etc., doing laundry…my jaw would drop if he ever tells me he’s the “neat” one of the roommates! :)</p>
<p>Chinese…now THAT is a great language to be learning! That’s quite an accomplishment!</p>
<p>Megpmom: that’s funny about the atm card. We have the opposite situation. Just introduced my son to his 1st atm card after having him write out withdrawal slips to bring over to the teller. He’s like a kid in a candy store with the atm card. I made sure to tell him he has to have the money in the bank before he withdraws it! Also, I make him write on the receipt what he is using the money for so he can keep track of where the money goes…</p>
<p>First time he does his own laundry I’ll have someone take a picture of him and send to me…That I’ve got to see to believe…:)</p>
<p>S2 called last night to say he was having dinner in an Indian restaurant with friends. He had ordered a VERY spicy dish. He was impressed because the kitchen staff came out to watch him actually eat it! </p>
<p>I posted this on the “pet” thread, but I guess it fits this one just as well…</p>
<p>My daughter really missed having a dog in college, so she googled “rent a dog in [city]”, and found that she could pick up a dog from a shelter and keep it over the weekend (or as long as she could/wanted). She started doing this last year. This gave her an opportunity to be with a dog as much as she wanted without having to pay any expenses (food, and all the equipment is provided by the shelter), and gave the dog an opportunity to get out and have some fun in a home-like environment.</p>
<p>She is now on her fourth dog - the previous three got adapted (according to the shelter workers, in large part because they had spent some time at “home”, so the new owners could be told how the dog behaves in that environment).</p>
<p>Of course, every time “her” dog gets adapted it is a little heartbreaking, since she becomes very attached to them over time. But she knows, of course, that that is the ultimate goal, and so she goes on to the next one…</p>
<p>^
Thanks so much for posting that. I’m going to tell my D and maybe she can do that. She would love it as our last dog died and I’m too old to get another.</p>
<p>OK, So my son has been complaining of lack of sleep and having to drop 4 credits out of the 18 credits he registered for. There is no doubt college is demanding and more challenging than H.S. He noted his amazement at how focused, dedicated, and specialized everyone is and college is like having a career or job, whereas high school is just a matter of attending because that is what you are expected to do. He really likes his classes, though he has been lacking sleep.</p>
<p>Today I find out, “Mom, I covered floors 26 to 12 in my dorm talking to the residents, now I have to finish floors 12 to the ground level.” He is running for Residential Hall Council office. No wonder he has no time to sleep. He is treating this “campaigning for hall council” as a full time job!</p>
<p>I cannot believe he is hitting all suites on 26 floors. I had to remind him school work has priority over everything else. I hope he gets the point or he might be leaving school early to run a campaign for a political office or something to that effect!</p>