Parents of the High School Class of 2017/College 2021

Anyone else in a completely different frame of mind this year compared to last year? Last year I had lists of lists and things completely organized. We leave on Friday to take DD back to school and haven't done much of anything.

I felt more calm. I told DD to let me know what she needs. Luckily this years roommates made a list and they all chipped in for kitchen stuff. Whoever had items at home or who wanted to volunteer to buy something.
The girls have a lot and it was nice that they all were cool about contributing stuff from their stash, from home or buy it.
Here's what they have so far
-rice cooker
-toaster/bagel
-blender
-microwave
-bullet
-dishes
-pans
-cooking utensils
-cookie sheet
-hand can opener
-vacuum cleaner
-Brita water filter

not sure if there's any updates . only 3 girls showed up and one more to go this week. The girls seems to get along over text. DD and one of the new girls have a lot in common and seems to be hitting it off. DD know one roommate fro her classes. All three seem ok. Hopefully the 4th girl doesn't throw off the vibe and they all click.

DD seemed more nervous this time. Not sure if she was excited or nervous about meeting the new room mates. She just said its all hitting her and thinking about the workload she will have but she had a nervous smile-lol!

This year we also did early move in and check in was a breeze compare to last time. Got there about 8:30 am(plan was to be there by 8am).I think we were 15th in line(last years line was huge) Doors opened at 9:00am. and they let us in 10mins early. I think once we went in we were inline about 15 mins. 1st line was check in, get key and new ID sticker, 2nd was , t-shirt, 3rd line bag of goodies. DD will be on campus all week for move in activities. We paid $40 and it's for a week of moving in early, special activities, social events so the students just have fun and settle in. They feed the kids too. Saturday they will have huge block party for those that are in housing. School starts on Monday
 
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We have a sort of a pile getting ready in the living room- still have until Sept 2nd so not feeling that big rush yet. I just placed a Walmart order to get shipped to her in Boston with shampoo, cleaning supplies, paper towels, plates etc so that will be there when we get there. At the end of last year she packed up 3 big boxes to store up there so those will be in the room when we get there. A friend of mine is going with me that has an SUV this year and we will hang out in Boston for 2 days and take my daughter and her boyfriend out to dinner before we leave. He is meeting us there on Sunday to help us unpack the car and move her. We have a lot more to bring this year since she has a kitchen and her own bedroom in the apartment.
 
Yes! I just mentioned to DD that she should probably start getting her stuff together, rewash bedding that's been stored in the basement, see what she needs to buy (laundry detergent, shampoo, etc). Last year at this time everything was done and ready to go. I'm also not nearly as emotional as I was last year.
I washed all the bedding when it came home last May and bagged it all up. It got stored in labeled bins in our game room over the summer. Then I gave my two kids my debit card. They did all their own shopping for toiletries, apartment supplies, and school supplies. I helped DD find furniture at the Goodwill for her unfurnished apartment, and I painted it all white, so it would match. I collected kitchen supplies for her (pots, pans, silverware, dishes, bakeware) two years ago when I made all my Goodwill trips to stock her older brother's kitchen. She did all the rest on her own. DS moved himself to school entirely on his own this year. DH and I went up on Saturday to help DD unpack and organize her room. Now she's scrambling around trying to figure out how to get internet service at her apartment. Life skills!!!
 


I washed all the bedding when it came home last May and bagged it all up. It got stored in labeled bins in our game room over the summer. Then I gave my two kids my debit card. They did all their own shopping for toiletries, apartment supplies, and school supplies. I helped DD find furniture at the Goodwill for her unfurnished apartment, and I painted it all white, so it would match. I collected kitchen supplies for her (pots, pans, silverware, dishes, bakeware) two years ago when I made all my Goodwill trips to stock her older brother's kitchen. She did all the rest on her own. DS moved himself to school entirely on his own this year. DH and I went up on Saturday to help DD unpack and organize her room. Now she's scrambling around trying to figure out how to get internet service at her apartment. Life skills!!!
Goodwill (Thrift stores) are the best way to gather all the things they need for their first digs!
 
so one more week until my daughter goes back-of course I have been sick for over a week now so can't even enjoy the time! She did pick up a couple more days as an extra on a few shows and was cast in another commercial so she has been busy with all that. We leave next Saturday afternoon and she moves in on Sunday morning. Her last friend here leaves tomorrow for her college so she will have a week with none of her friends here anyway.
 


Took DD back today. We filled the car with stuff, we filled the truck and car last weekend. Her school has rolling carts to help you move in and it only took one cart and one trip up. Only one other family was moving in. It is 94 degrees today.
She was calm to go back, she watched BF grad from boot camp Friday and DH also drove her to O'hare to allow her to sit with him until his plane left at 11am Sat.
We went to jimmy johns for lunch until her roommate was available to go to quad day. Then I roamed over to cold stone for ice cream for DS here at home.
And she comes home next weekend.
My friend's kid is rooming as a freshman in the same dorm this year. And another friend for DD is starting there this year.
 
Ikea, its not just a destination, its an adventure!
I love going to IKEA!!!!

DD got to go back a week early for a $50 fee and participate in activities and early move in and etc. During the week it was only her and another roommate that stayed for the week which they got to bond. They went to activities, school breakfast, lunch and dinners. One day the school didn't provide dinner so they went off campus to eat. There was a big block party on Saturday and all 4 girls were back on campus but one will mostly be with her BF. The 3rd girl went with dd and her roommate but ended up splitting from them. Today dd and her roommate went to the mall not sure where the 3rd girl was, 4th girl was with her bF. Classes start tomorrow so see how it goes. Sounds like they all get along. DD will come home for the 3 day weekend so we will hear all the tea lol!

I'm trying out a $50 a week food budget to see how it works out for her. We got some simple stuff and microwave stuff but not sure if the 4th girl brought the microwave. She moved in a day later but left until this weekend. Luckily there's a stove and the school was feeding the kids that paid for the special week long program. DD got some frozen burritos, corn dogs, PJ & B, carrots, ranch dip, strawberries, can corn, seasonings, pasta, pasta sauce and a few other stuff but now that I think about it the girl that was suppose to bring microwave also was suppose to take the pans lol! Luckily dd has a cookie sheet so there's the oven for corn dogs and burritos. Her other roommate didn't even take groceries. the other roommate that went just the first day and left for the week only took frozen waffles-lol! It will be interesting-lol!

When dd goes back after the 3 day weekend, we will take her to get her chicken breast, shrimp, fresh veggies $50 budget any cash left over she can use for fast food.

Christmas and her bday I will giver her gift cards to local places out there so when she hangs out with her friends.

I think it will be a good year :)

oh btw- DD's groceries were free! I do receipt scans, surveys and Wal-Mart savings catcher. I had $8.50 in Wal-Mart savings and $50 in Wal-Mart gift card from a scanning receipt app. DD had $12.38 left on one of the e-gift cards . Plus I have $33 , $40, $10 in apps. On Credit card cash rewards I have $154.00 so groceries for 1-1/2 months are covered-yipeee! I charge everything on my credit cards that earn cash and I pay my cards off each month.
 
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OMG. We got soooo lost. We kept on trying to take the "short cuts" but ended up going in a circle!

Haha - dd and I did the same thing. She didn't find anything at ikea that she really liked but did find a lot at the container store. Luckily I had a 20% of coupon and most of the stuff was already on sale.

I do better shopping ikea online. In person it's too overwhelming for me.
 
So this was our big move in weekend- we were leaving at noon on Saturday- 8am my daughter wakes up with a fever and earache so it was off to urgent care before leaving! Her dorm is really nice, it is an economy apartment so it has 2 single bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom and a small kitchen table and chairs but no living room. They have big closets in each of their rooms- my daughter has the smaller room ( they picked on her room mates housing number which was lower) but it is still big and her closet is 8 feet long! They also have a nice pantry area when you come into the apartment that they can store all their food and cookware in. It is hot as hell in there but after this week the weather should cool down. I just shipped her a couple dorm chairs to put in her room because it looked so empty in there! She is going back to her work study job she had last year in the law school but since she was awarded more money in work study this year she is also working 4 hours a week in the Jewish Center. Hoping she has a good year and this will be the end of her being sick there! A friend of mine went to Boston with me and we stayed for 2 days doing the touristy thing-we stopped at Foxwood casino on the way home and I won 550.00 so that was a big plus LOL. We took my daughter and her boyfriend out to dinner before we left and they are both coming to me for Columbus day weekend.
 
We moved DD in yesterday. In May, she and her roommate learned that they got booted out of their original dorm choice due to the school taking too many freshmen (and the school wanting to keep freshmen together). The housing dept had a few options for them and promised that their choices would be equal or better than their original choice. I was skeptical, but it turned out great. They are in the building next door to where most of their friends are living and they were placed in a 2 room double. So they can either each have their own bedroom, or they can share one bedroom and make the other room a living room. I think they're going with option 2 - they're very excited about buying some furniture and having a fun "hang out" space.
 
So this was our big move in weekend- we were leaving at noon on Saturday- 8am my daughter wakes up with a fever and earache so it was off to urgent care before leaving! Her dorm is really nice, it is an economy apartment so it has 2 single bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom and a small kitchen table and chairs but no living room. They have big closets in each of their rooms- my daughter has the smaller room ( they picked on her room mates housing number which was lower) but it is still big and her closet is 8 feet long! They also have a nice pantry area when you come into the apartment that they can store all their food and cookware in. It is hot as hell in there but after this week the weather should cool down. I just shipped her a couple dorm chairs to put in her room because it looked so empty in there! She is going back to her work study job she had last year in the law school but since she was awarded more money in work study this year she is also working 4 hours a week in the Jewish Center. Hoping she has a good year and this will be the end of her being sick there! A friend of mine went to Boston with me and we stayed for 2 days doing the touristy thing-we stopped at Foxwood casino on the way home and I won 550.00 so that was a big plus LOL. We took my daughter and her boyfriend out to dinner before we left and they are both coming to me for Columbus day weekend.


I hope your daughter feels better soon. Congrats on your winnings!

We moved DD in yesterday. In May, she and her roommate learned that they got booted out of their original dorm choice due to the school taking too many freshmen (and the school wanting to keep freshmen together). The housing dept had a few options for them and promised that their choices would be equal or better than their original choice. I was skeptical, but it turned out great. They are in the building next door to where most of their friends are living and they were placed in a 2 room double. So they can either each have their own bedroom, or they can share one bedroom and make the other room a living room. I think they're going with option 2 - they're very excited about buying some furniture and having a fun "hang out" space.

My daughter university also has the largest freshman class in quite a few years. Housing was moving upperclassmen all over the place. My daughter got offered a few options but she liked what she had so she stayed put.
 
I hope your daughter feels better soon. Congrats on your winnings!


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Urgent care just called to tell me that the culture they did of her throat just came back positive for some kind of bacteria and they need to take her off one antibiotic and put her on another. Sure wish I was closer so I could go get them for her and she could stay in bed- she is still running a fever and classes and her work study all start tomorrow!
 
Urgent care just called to tell me that the culture they did of her throat just came back positive for some kind of bacteria and they need to take her off one antibiotic and put her on another. Sure wish I was closer so I could go get them for her and she could stay in bed- she is still running a fever and classes and her work study all start tomorrow!
Sorry to hear this. Hope she starts feeling better soon.
 
My DD has been at school for 2-1/2 weeks. I just looked over the grocery bill and I've paid $85. I was going to give her $50 a week but I don't think she will need that much. She only eats twice a day. This was all bought in two different shopping trips. One was move in day and the 2nd was this weekend. The little things added up like seasonings, butter, cheese slices(for grilled cheese), bread, eggs. She also bought frozen stuff corndogs, bag of frozen chicken breast, frozen pizza, burritos, frozen veggie bags like broccoli, broccoli and cauliflower, stir fry veggies, waffle fries, seasoned potato wedges. Plus we bought pasta sauce, pasta, bj&butter, ranch dressing, baby carrots, yogurt, bananas, blue berries, black berries and some other stuff .

We didn't realize Costco was closed on Monday so we didn't get her frozen crusted taplia and raw shrimp. So we headed to walmart for some of the above items. She put some stuff in the main freezer and some in her room freezer. I think she will be fine the rest of the month. She will only need to buy fresh fruit or lil things here and there. We see her in two weeks and will take her to get talipia and shrimp. By then hopefully some of the frozen stuff will be gone.

How is everyone doing with their grocery budget?

As far as roommates. DD is fine with the girl in her room which is a friend. The other two girls are loud, don't clean up, use dd's and her her roommates side of the bathroom counter and sink, were using their soap. One of the girls is fine with the other isn't there but the 4th girl always has her boyfriend over during the week until 12am and sometimes he's there in the morning. DD isn't sure if he stays the night or get there early. Rule is no over night guest. I guess the one girl also has the boyfriend and his friend over and the other girl has a couple of friends over and cooks for her friends. Stove burners was gross . I told my Dd and she said its the two girls because she hasn't used the stove yet.

DD and her actual roommate are going to call another meeting and discuss some of the issues especially the late night guest during the week. The guys live in the same building so hopefully they go over to their own place. I think once they sit down hopefully things will be better

How are your kids doing with their roommates?
 
How is everyone doing with their grocery budget?

As far as roommates. DD is fine with the girl in her room which is a friend. The other two girls are loud, don't clean up, use dd's and her her roommates side of the bathroom counter and sink, were using their soap. One of the girls is fine with the other isn't there but the 4th girl always has her boyfriend over during the week until 12am and sometimes he's there in the morning. DD isn't sure if he stays the night or get there early. Rule is no over night guest. I guess the one girl also has the boyfriend and his friend over and the other girl has a couple of friends over and cooks for her friends. Stove burners was gross . I told my Dd and she said its the two girls because she hasn't used the stove yet.

DD and her actual roommate are going to call another meeting and discuss some of the issues especially the late night guest during the week. The guys live in the same building so hopefully they go over to their own place. I think once they sit down hopefully things will be better

How are your kids doing with their roommates?

My daughter went food shopping the first day there and I get a text "omg you know how much it cost to food shop- 125.00!" I texted her back "welcome to the real world buttercup" LOL. She bought a lot of things like spices and other things that will be a one time purchase so next week should be cheaper.
Her room mate is the same as last year- my daughters boyfriend stayed over the first 2 nights they were there, they each have their own room so they don't care if the other has overnight guests. Last year the room mates boyfriend would stay over every weekend because my daughter was at her boyfriends college every weekend.
 
My daughter went food shopping the first day there and I get a text "omg you know how much it cost to food shop- 125.00!" I texted her back "welcome to the real world buttercup" LOL. She bought a lot of things like spices and other things that will be a one time purchase so next week should be cheaper.
Her room mate is the same as last year- my daughters boyfriend stayed over the first 2 nights they were there, they each have their own room so they don't care if the other has overnight guests. Last year the room mates boyfriend would stay over every weekend because my daughter was at her boyfriends college every weekend.
I agree about the spices and other one time items are $$ but the next trips will be a lot cheaper.
The survey the students get before selecting their roommates they all selected no overnight guest, some items not sharable ask first, etc. The one girl with a boyfriends is in her room and her roommate is kicked out of the room. She keeps venting to my DD and dd told her to bring it up at the meeting. Sometimes the girl with boyfriend will hang in the living room if her BF friend is with him. There's two rooms and two girls per room. My dd just makes sure her room is closed and when leaves she makes sure to lock up everything
 
I think DD spends about $80 on groceries a month. She has been eating out more now, since she has a boyfriend. But sometimes he cooks for her.

Same roommates as last year, 4 girls in 4 bedrooms. One girl has become her BFF, the other two are pretty nice but more distant and one a touch passive aggressive in needing it super quiet. No real issues, thankfully.
 

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