<p>I wish I had a laundry chute. I am really going to miss doing DDs laundry. Seriously.</p>
<p>@beth’s mom–LOL! And NJBama–thanks for the tip re the winter stuff! I’m thinking a couple of hefty hoodies should do the trick till after Christmas break. </p>
<p>Champion Super Hood hoodies are 14-oz. fleece – if you layer them over a sweatshirt, they’re as warm as a winter coat:</p>
<p>[Super</a> Hood Full-Zip Men’s Hoodie with Chenille C Graphic | Champion](<a href=“http://www.championusa.com/Champion/Products/Men-Champion/Men_ShopByCategory-Champion/Men_Sweats-Champion/Men_Hoodies-Champion/CG2208.aspx]Super”>http://www.championusa.com/Champion/Products/Men-Champion/Men_ShopByCategory-Champion/Men_Sweats-Champion/Men_Hoodies-Champion/CG2208.aspx)</p>
<p>(Yeah, I know – expensive. That’s why I buy 'em at the employee store. :))</p>
<p>I don’t know if d heard the message about 5 summer outfits/ five winter outfits but she went and bought more t-shirts last weekend (tax-free) and also a few more shorts. She thought she should have about 14 t shirts since she had no idea how easy it would be to get a laundry machine or how much time she would have to do laundry. I am just hoping she doesn’t end up bringing laundry back here. I will warn her that Saturdays are my laundry day because my h is usually home and can carry the basket up and down and Sundays are always his laundry day since he travels often during the week. (I need help with the basket since I have arthritis and currently it is attacking my foot and making it hard to walk).</p>
<p>Now that is a worry I wouldn’t have. An 11 hour drive to have your laundry done is excessive, even for my lazy D.</p>
<p>Bump…</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>Mom2 - not sure if my other note went thru, so asking u (and others) what to expect. My son rec’d Presidnetial Scholarship + some $ from engineering. He’s very excited, but Tuscaloosa is far from Houston. Couple questions:</p>
<p>What is the engineering program like? Is it “crazy hard” like Colo School of Mines, or just “normal hard” engineering?</p>
<p>What can he expect in non-Greek social life? (Esp since he’s not very social)</p>
<p>Last: What about Honors college? What’s that like?</p>
<p>Thanx to you all. I feel the tide beginning to roll!!</p>
<p>im1sharp: has your son joined the Class of 2016 fb group? If not, you can search it or pm me for the link (they won’t let me post it here).</p>
<p>Tommy…you can PM the link to various people.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t classify engineeing as 'crazy hard/competitive" like some techie schools might be (not sure how Mines is). </p>
<p>Eng’g is hard at Bama. My son is a Chem Eng’g major and he is very busy with that.</p>
<p>That said, I wouldn’t classify the students at Bama as being cut-throat or gunners…if that’s your concern.</p>
<p>As for your other question…I don’t think very many male eng’g students go Greek. </p>
<p>The honors college is great. Lots of fascinating classes.</p>
<p>im1sharp…So y’all are from Houston? I think we have quite a few Texas kiddos don’t we?? M2k…help??? Mike …y’all are from Texas right? </p>
<p>Do you have the numbers of Texas kids? I wrote several recs for Texas girls last year. </p>
<p>You will have fun at Bama Bound when they do state roll call and you get to see and meet kids from all over…even your home state.</p>
<p>Welcome!!! Roll Tide Roll!!!</p>
<p>My OOS daughter and her OOS honors roomies all joined sororities. Each had their version of a “what not to wear at Bama” fashion show as a pledge entertainment activity. Each one showcased a head-to-houndstooth outfit and told the girls since they go to Bama there is no need to advertise “I LOVE BAMA” in such a large print look. The wearing of the houndstooth should only be in small accent pieces at football games. Flash forward to the first rainy day. My daughter and a roomie appear in the suite hallway and nearly fall on the floor laughing at each other. Both were sporting the same Target houndstooth rainboots their enthusiastic mothers had purchased, thinking they would be the cutest, most fabulous school spirit wear item ever. Bonding over “tacky” – an experience that only Northern girls in the South can have. My daughter and her roomie proudly marched off to class that day and their feet stayed dry.</p>
<p>Oh GCBMIB!!! am laughing here! I met with a local girl (who is heading to Bama in the fall)for whom I am writing a rec. She showed up in a houndstooth shirt…very cute but it was pretty houndstooth. We had a little chat about the “I LOVE BAMA” look as well.</p>
<p>The fashion show was a great idea. This is why I tell parents to GO TO PREVIEW weekend!!! Not only will Panhellenic put on a fashion show of “what to wear” for recruitment but just sitting and looking at everyone around you will give you an idea of what you are going to want to bring/purchase clothing wise. Game day dresses are not all houndstooth and crimson but rather really cute comfortable dresses that might be black or just crimson or flowered. The boutiques on the Strip and around town get game day dresses in starting right about recruitment time. If you are there for Bama bound check out Ellie Crimson, The Shirt Shop , Private Gallery and even Belk. Not having a Belk in Missouri we miss it!</p>
<p>Good point about the rain boots…those are a must! Had to laugh at DD this morning when she called. She had on the typical uniform, Patagonia , some sort of greek t-shirt, nike shorts, leggings and boots. She informed me she was taking her sweat pants (actually they were “borrowed” from her boyfriend) because she had lab and wasn’t sure how strict they were on pants covering her legs. I had to laugh thinking what visitors on campus might think if they passed her on her way to class.</p>
<p>im1sharp - where in houston are you. there are quite a few kids at UA from the houston area. you should have an opportunity to meet people at a couple of events put on by the local area rep.</p>
<p>IMO engineering at alabama is hard, but it is not crazy hard and the goal isn’t to weed out. dean carr asks 40 hours per week of study/class time, about the same amount of time that a high school student is spending in class per week. that is not unreasonable. a kid i know went to a&m and they told the kids that they would need to study 60 or more hours per week! idk if that included class time or not. at a&m they have a few weed out classes to separate the serious students from the wannabees.</p>
<p>my daughter is a good student but not NMF level and she is making it (with an excellent GPA) in chemical engineering. it does take a lot of work though. you just need to keep up with things and get help when you need it. she also is not very social but has made lots of friends in her classes and they really do help each other out. study together, help each other if someone missed something etc. they have a core group and they try to sign up for certain classes together each semester.</p>
<p>my daughter was not in a sorority last year, but she had plenty of friends and activities through some of the faith based groups. she usually had more activities to choose from than she could actually take part in, and she is not a real social kid (like your son). this year she is in a sorority, so she has that, her friends from last year, plus her engineering buddies.</p>
<p>honors college has a lot of activities, too. you just have to get out there and get involved!!!</p>
<p>what other schools is your son interested in?</p>
<p>So, I guess DD should NOT wear her houndstooth coat next week when we visit? DD picked out the coat even before she knew what houndstooth was! LOL</p>
<p>No she SHOULD wear the coat…if she likes it she should wear it. Many girls have houndstooth items that they are fond of. We were actually making fun of ourselves…the over zealous moms who were so excited their girls were going to Bama we just kept buying everything houndstooth.</p>
<p>ahpimommy, guilty as charged! I knew it was houndstooth but she didnt know what that was at the time. I knew she was sold on UA so I thought it a wise purchase. Ah well, maybe we will stick with the pea coat and the Target houndstooth scarf you all told me about instead! HAHAHAHA</p>
<p>I picked out the cutest houndstooth dress to wear to game day for the Arkansas game this year…My DD laughed and lovingly said “oh mom!!! I think you love Bama more than I!”" Whats a mother to do? There are days I wish I could go back…sigh :)</p>
<p>Wear the houndstooth coat!!!</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>Well, she didnt need the houndstooth coat as it was too warm! Not a bad problem and we Chicagoans were not complaining at all.</p>
<p>We did see plenty of Tempo shorts, leggings as pants(???), oversized t-shirts and rain boots. There were also plenty of jeans, flip flops, shorts, and handfuls of kids who marched to their own beat with what they had on. D is not thinking tempo shorts or leggings as pants are for her but she will look fine wearing her regular clothes. From what I saw, anything goes.</p>
<p>Bumping since some may be clothes shopping in the next few months.</p>
<p>Some posts in this thread are helpful, yes, but I’m rolling my eyes right now at being reminded of the implications of not fitting in.</p>