<p>I know my D would change, just to freshen up, not dress up</p>
<p>" Didn't you have to crawl around and plug in electronics? Didn't you have to move the bed and the dresser so the lamp could go on the dresser? Didn't you have to hang the posters? Didn't you have to climb up to the top bunk in order to make the bed? Didn't you have to run out to the local Wal-Mart (or whatever) and buy a floor lamp and assemble it? "</p>
<p>Don't the kids do this themselves? I've never done this stuff when my kids went to camp. When my mom and brother dropped me at college, I happily welcomed my brother's help in getting my belongings up to my room. I then took lots of pleasure in setting up my room my way after my mother and brother left. I did not want my mother to make my bed, hang posters, etc.</p>
<p>I was so excited to be what I considered "on my own" that I couldn't wait for my mom and brother to leave so that I could dive into college life. I loved my mom, but it was finally my time to do things my way.</p>
<p>Last year the parking situation was so chaotic that all we wanted to do was get everything in the room, and then get out of Dodge! </p>
<p>This year younger son is moving into older son's last year dorm, so we know the drill pretty well. It should all be done in less than an hour, depending on how far away we have to park and how many trips.</p>
<p>Older son, however is a different story. We'll be moving an entire bedroom set into a house, some extra furniture and kitchen supplies. Yuck. I dread this. And it will be about 100 degrees. :( No parent receptions for us. Hopefully we'll be back home and enjoying a cool one by the pool before sunset (I'm not counting on it though).</p>
<p>A tank top, lightweight capris, flip flops, sunglasses.</p>
<p>Another factor, at least in our family: D has to approve parent's clothes as non-embarrassing. :)</p>
<p>VeryHappy, the answer to all of your questions is "no."</p>
<p>S was in a newer dorm, the furniture was all in place, so all we had to do was put clothes in the closet, and I made the bed. His dad plugged in the power strip and helped set up the printer, but everything was pretty much turnkey. He had a two-room double, so there was no problem with moving beds etc. It was more like checking into a hotel than moving into an apartment. </p>
<p>I will admit that subsequent move-outs have been more challenging -- but for DS not me. He is never organized enough and it takes many trips to the car to load his stuff. For health reasons, I can't carry anything heavy, so I just hang out. </p>
<p>Like NSM, I think it's the kids' responsibility if there is any crawling around to be done.</p>
<p>Although I don't remember anyone dressed in workout clothes, I think you'd feel a little out of place with the suit and pearls. :)</p>
<p>There's a parent reception for his major program, but it's informal picnic style.</p>
<p>For H, I always have to convince him NOT to wear a sportscoat, because frankly that's what makes him feel most relaxed. He has a deformity about his shoulders so t-shirts and polos look awful on him, poor guy. With people who know him well, they see right past it, but to meet newcomers he likes to cover up. Or maybe we'll find a Mr. Rogers type sweatshirt to cut the difference. I won't boss him on this. He has his own sense of things.</p>
<p>I was actually toying with wearing a t-shirt that has our own state name on it in small letters, as an ice-breaker, but maybe that's cheesy; thoughts welcome.</p>
<p>I assume faculty will be in shorts, since it's a picnic and they'd want to put parents at ease. Of course I don't want to embarrass S, but he's used to us embarrassing him and forgives us daily.</p>
<p>My spellcheck just taught me that "Embarrass" has two r's. Now I'm really embarrassed!</p>
<p>"I was actually toying with wearing a t-shirt that has our own state name on it in small letters, as an ice-breaker, but maybe that's cheesy; thoughts welcome."</p>
<p>Sounds like a nice ice breaker to me. I may do something similar. I'll be bringing S to school without my husband, who's out of the country. Having an ice breaker T-shirt will make it easier for me to meet people. Depending on what the shirt says, it may also keep people from thinking that S has an uneducated single mom. </p>
<p>We are black, and believe it or not, I have encountered white people who clearly have made that assumption when I went to school and similar events without my H due to his work and travel schedule. Unfortunately, there are lots of people who lack a diverse group of associates, so have very stereotypical views of black people.</p>
<p>"I find myself eager to make a positive impression for my S's sake with all the new faculty. Of course I don't want to embarass him, but he's used to us embarassing him and forgives us daily."</p>
<p>I was a college prof for 6 years. H has been one for 15 years. What the faculty and others will care about most will be your student, not you. The exception is if you happen to be a celebrity or a potential donor of millions of dollars. Otherwise, just be comfortable, and be yourself.</p>
<p>About the T-shirt idea: It could be a good idea for your student to wear a T-shirt that could be a conversation starter, too. My S has some T-shirts that are hilarious, and he often wears them when he's going into informal situations where he will meet lots of new people.</p>
<p>Oh, Northstarmom, the single most embarrassing moment I ever experienced at a parents' gathering was following a presentation by a pre-med student and his doctor Dad. They were black and some ditz chose to run up to the Dad afterwards and say (twice, loudly) how "well-spoken" the Dad was. I did catch the son's eye and hit my hand to my forehead, so he'd know that someone else out there saw the idiocacy.</p>
<p>Originally, when I saw the title to this thread....I thought it was going to be about what a student chooses to wear on drop off day. Having two teenage girls, I can tell you that girls tend to think about this. First impressions, whatever. </p>
<p>About the set up....my husband does a lot of the heavy duty items and also all the electronic stuff. Freshman year, D1 had bought a metal cart type thinig with canvas drawers that needed to be assembled. Dad had that job too. I have to say, it was too involved for him and he said never to buy something that needed so much assembling again! </p>
<p>By the way, my husband wears a tee shirt and shorts and sneakers on move in day. Often the shirt does have writing on it. I don't know if he consciously picks which one to wear or not when moving the kids. A week ago, moving one out, he had on a tee shirt of her yearly summer program. I think he may have worn one D's college name tee shirts at one of the many move-in's we have done the last few years.</p>
<p>Between May and August in our family, we are doing six move-ins or move-outs. We need a "moving company" name on our SUV which we keep precisely for these moves, rather than trade to a smaller vehicle.</p>
<p>"They were black and some ditz chose to run up to the Dad afterwards and say (twice, loudly) how "well-spoken" the Dad was. I did catch the son's eye and hit my hand to my forehead, so he'd know that someone else out there saw the idiocacy."</p>
<p>Nice of you to do that, and I bet that the son did appreciate it.</p>
<p>Move-in clothes will be determined by the weather report for the day! Four years ago in Chicago and 2 years ago in St. Louis it was so hot that I wished we'd brought a change of clothes solely because the ones we were wearing had become soaking wet! Who knows what Chicago will bring this September? Could be hot, could be wet, could even be cold! We'll play it by ear. Chicago has a very full, single day move-in culminating with a convocation in Rockefeller Chapel, followed by a bagpipe led processional up University Avenue (I think that's the street) to a point where the parents say goodbye to their kids and the kids continue on together for their Class of 2011 photo and the parents proceed to a reception. Four years ago I saw clothing that ran the gamut from our sweat soaked t-shirts and shorts to fathers in sport coats and ties. No one cared what anyone else was wearing; what we had in common were the feelings that one had when your child takes that first step past you and really becomes a college student. Its hard to describe feeling sad, happy, proud, apprehensive, and yes, happy again all at once!</p>
<p>Paying 3:</p>
<p>What was that recent quote? "Clean and articulate?"</p>
<p>Sheeeeeesh.</p>
<p>I don't think it's cheesy at all to wear a T w/ your state name on it. In fact I bet there are plenty of parents who will be feeling a little lost w/ all those strangers and who will be relieved to see a "conversation piece" worn by another parent. I think its a great idea.</p>
<p>^^^ When my D and I were shopping for clothes for her summer job we met a young college aged woman who was helping us - she was wearing a silver necklace with our three digit area code! She said it was a real ice breaker when she was at college and a lot of other kids from the area approached her because of it!</p>
<p>I have moved my Ds to a few summer camps. They do not move in until I have scrubbed down their rooms. My D is asking us to bring up a carpet cleaner to wash down her carpet, and my H is considering it. Our kids are pretty independent, but it's a ritual for mom to go over their rooms first. Yes, we will be on our hands and knees in getting our D's room in order. </p>
<p>I normally work very long hours. I decided to take 2 weeks off to spend some time with my D before she goes to school. The other day, I washed all of her new beddings when she was out with friends. She looked at it and said, "Oh...you didn't have to. I am going to miss you, mom. Thanks."</p>
<p>Luckily the school's reception is after the move in day (I think), so I will be able to put on a sun dress, or at least something clean.</p>
<p>I think it is considered tacky to show up in a shirt bearing the name of a college other than the one where your child is moving in.</p>
<p>I will need to watch out for this because I have clothing bearing the name of my older child's college.</p>
<p>I don't know about you, but I'm wearing a denim skirt and a sleeveless shirt, and sneakers. I'm not wearing sandals because I'm afraid my feet will get crushed. I want to look respectable enough to go to McDonalds but not too dressed up. Afterwards, we're just driving home and besides, who cares what I look like?</p>
<p>I wore shorts and t-shirt (a Maui snorkle shirt) for move in. I had clean skort, top and shoes for the reception, convocation and dinner in the quad. I wanted to look nice. I met some Hawaii students because of my t-shirt. I really only needed and used the top, to replace the sweaty, dirty t-shirt I had. At that point, I just didn't want people to be disgusted with my sweaty top and wild hair. Most parents were casual and wore the same stuff all day. We don't get much fashion in the town where I work, I love to see and remember what people wear. I can still remember what guests wore to my wedding, but I cannot remember anything about what other parents wore on move-in day. I do remember meeting tons of nice parents.</p>
<p>"I was actually toying with wearing a t-shirt that has our own state name on it in small letters, as an ice-breaker, but maybe that's cheesy; thoughts welcome."</p>
<p>I'm a senior now, and I'd say that 50% of the time when my parents come to visit, my mom STILL wears a Maryland t-shirt!! She went to three different colleges, all small, and absolutely loves the school spirit at Maryland.</p>
<p><strong>completely off-topic</strong>
Northstarmom and paying3tuituions-- I have a serious question for both of you. Please don't interpret it as intolerant; I'm really just curious.</p>
<p>"They were black and some ditz chose to run up to the Dad afterwards and say (twice, loudly) how "well-spoken" the Dad was."</p>
<p>What makes you assume that it was a remark directed at his race? (I see your interpretation of the story as her seeming to say "well-spoken--for a black man".) </p>
<p>I'm the kind of person who always compliments people making presentations or speaking. When I say "you're so well-spoken, it was a pleasure listening to you", I honestly do not mean "you're so much more well-spoken than most people of your race, who I would never listen to". It seems to me that this is how both of you interpreted this girl's comment.</p>
<p>I would be very embarassed if someone interpreted one of my comments this way!! I guess I'm just looking for some insight from the mind of someone on the other side of the situation. Thanks :)</p>