Girlie AGDee's College Search Thread

[Sciencewoman]

I hope everything goes smoothly, and that you are able to relax and enjoy the party! Emotions will probably calm down after all the stressful events are over...somewhat.

The emotional effects of graduation have revealed themselves in a different fashion at our house...I believe my daughter has said, "I love you" to us more times in the past month than she has in the previous 18 years! Which is good, because with the hormonal level of her 14-year-old brother right now, I can use all the love I can get!

[AGDee]

That's been happening a lot too, usually during the apologies though

[AGDee]

As Hypo was sending me texts last night asking questions about bank accounts, it dawned on me that we leave three weeks from tomorrow. I don't know if I'm ready for this, but I don't have a choice at this point, do I?

[AGDee]

I have a week to teach her everything I forgot to teach her in the last 18 years... crap.

[alum]

Be strong! Kid2 started freshmen orientation last week and won't be home until Christmas most likely. He's 16 hours away. He says everyone thinks Washington, DC is practically a foreign country which is really funny as they actually have a high percentage of international students.

[Sciencewoman]

Originally Posted by AGDee

I have a week to teach her everything I forgot to teach her in the last 18 years... crap.

I hear you.

[AGDee]

The packing has begun, beyond piling all the new stuff in the family room. For the last 11 years, my daughter has "moved" between my house and her dad's house every Friday. She left his house last night and brought everything with her that she wants to take to school. We've been going through clothes and packing them up. It's actually going to be strange for her to have one place to live every week for months on end.

We also made one last "to buy" list.

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by AGDee

It's actually going to be strange for her to have one place to live every week for months on end.

I have been in my apartment for almost 2 years and still haven't completely unpacked. While I was in school, I traveled between coasts every couple months and never got into the habit of completely unpacking. I just couldn't wrap my head around being in one place this long--so I got down to my last 3 boxes and stopped.

She's off to a great adventure and Christmas will be here before you know it.

[AGDee]

With all of these emotions flowing in every direction, I really have to say that I cannot imagine what this would be like for her if she was also moving in early and going through sorority recruitment at one of these highly competitive schools. I have even more empathy for these women who face a lot of harsh cuts while also dealing with this major life change, saying goodbye to family and friends, and getting adjusted to a new environment. Adding to all that, the only women who have moved in at those schools are the women interested in recruitment, so they aren't meeting anybody except sorority women/potential sorority women. I can imagine that makes the cuts all the more difficult for them. The other 80% of campus isn't there yet! It seems it would lead to a skewed perception that "everybody is Greek but me" when someone is dropped from recruitment altogether.

I'm glad that's not the case at Hypo's school.

[AGDee]

Hypo got an email today asking her permission to read one of her application essays at an event during Orientation. Of course, she said yes! She has also applied for a special leadership program and the person who emailed her about the essay is also the person who selects the students for that program, so she is excited and hopeful She also got her course schedule and is very happy with it. There is a pile of stuff, mostly packed, in the family room. We're down to the wire here.

[Sciencewoman]

I agree that having to go through recruitment when you're new to school would be really difficult. The good thing would be that you'd have supportive sisters at the end of it, if all goes well.

All my daughter wants to do is shop...not actually pack. We might be carrying in A LOT of stuff in bags, with only one actual suitcase and linens box. Thank goodness the fraternity men will be there to help!

[AGDee]

She keeps wanting boxes and I keep telling her it is harder to fit boxes in my car. Bags are easier to squish into spaces between the fridge and the luggage! We bought a car top carrier because it was not all going to fit in the car otherwise. The fridge is too big.

[AGDee]

TJ Sullivan is awesome.

http://tjsullivan.com/be-nice-to-the-parents/1905/

[Sciencewoman]

Originally Posted by AGDee

TJ Sullivan is awesome.

http://tjsullivan.com/be-nice-to-the-parents/1905/

Thanks for sharing this...it actually made my eyes a bit misty. It's so heartfelt. I'm glad our son is going with us...it will help to have him with us on the way home. I actually think it's going to be hardest on him. They've always been so close...we got a dog a couple years ago to plan ahead for this transition. He sleeps with my son, and I'm sure they're going to be even bigger buddies now.

And I'm not going to worry about excessive bags anymore.

[momof4girls]

Some helpful advice about move in. Expect to spend another $100 on odds and ins once there (storage items, printer paper, etc.). Little things will come up as you move your daughter(s) into the dorm. If there is a community bathroom, a shower caddy will be necessary. If the dorm isn't wifi, I highly suggest a wifi router and make sure the printer is wifi compatable. Keep all receipts and return what's not used. If the bed can be adjusted in height, a step stool may be necessary. Take tools: screw drivers, hammer, mallot, glue gun. As you set up the room, you'll need these items one way or another. They can go back home after set up. Double check with housing about items on the walls. Some dorms only allow command strips and not nails. Get the command strips before leaving...they will be sold out around the campus.

I hope the move in goes well for both of y'alls daughters.