Parents of the High School Class of 2017/College 2021

I usually use Photobucket. It's free.

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Well today is graduation- hoping the weather holds out. We have to be there around 3:30 today and its almost 1:00 and my daughter is still sleeping! They went in and saw kinky boots last night on broadway then waited by the stage door to try to get autographs of some guy that they liked that is starring in it right now- at 12:45 I get a text from my daughter saying their train stopped at a station about 7 stops from us and they are making everyone exit the train- I worked for that railroad so I know that is never a good thing. I asked her if she saw any flashing lights or sirens and she said she heard a bunch of sirens coming towards them- I then got up and dressed because when all that is going on it is never good, typically means they had another suicide and hit someone. So I had to go out and get them and then bring them to the station by us where her car was at- by the time all was said and done we walked back in around 2am. And this is the day after prom night where they got home at 4am from the after party in the city and slept 4 hours and were back up on the go again! Ahhh to be young again LOL.
 


As the saying goes, be careful what you wish for...

I have been bugging DS to get a job and he just texted me that he was hired and starts on Wed. He will work Tues thru Sat from 5-9pm. I will hardly see him at all Tuesday thru Friday. Although I am happy he got a job, I am also so sad I won't have that time with him in the evenings...
He leaves for college in a little over 7 weeks.
 
We have been shopping and packing all week. DS is out right now with his two best friends (he's been friends with them since elementary school) to say good-bye. We are leaving tomorrow and moving him into his dorm on Sunday. It's surreal to me that he's starting college and everything that we've been discussing this year is really happening!! He is taking 2 classes over the summer - they begin on Wednesday. Penn State has activities for all of the Freshman summer students beginning on Sunday afternoon. I'm sure he's going to have a blast - I'm just not sure I'm ready.
 
We have been shopping and packing all week. DS is out right now with his two best friends (he's been friends with them since elementary school) to say good-bye. We are leaving tomorrow and moving him into his dorm on Sunday. It's surreal to me that he's starting college and everything that we've been discussing this year is really happening!! He is taking 2 classes over the summer - they begin on Wednesday. Penn State has activities for all of the Freshman summer students beginning on Sunday afternoon. I'm sure he's going to have a blast - I'm just not sure I'm ready.

Aww...hugs to you. Ready or not, huh?
 
We visited FSU in late April to make her final decision by May 1st. She chose FSU! They require the student to return for orientation/scheduling of classes over a three day period. We live in NJ and we are going June 27-29 which means flights/hotel/rental car AGAIN. So late April, late June and then once again mid Aug to move her in. Can you say BROKE

I think the Broke part comes when the tuition bill arrives.

My DD is in placement testing right now for English, Math and French. She *hates* standardized tests and she spent less than 1 hour preparing for all three tests, barely looking at the three 90-minute practice tests last night. After I told her about them weeks ago. Oh well. She'll either do OK on the tests and test out of Freshman Composition and Pre-Calculus math or she'll waste her time and energy doing remedial (for her) classes because she couldn't be bothered to put in a few lousy hours into studying last week. She missed out of testing out of college Calculus AB a couple weeks ago for the same reason. It frustrates me so freaking much that she doesn't seem to understand the importance of doing well on these tests so she doesn't have to take additional classes in college when she could be concentrating on something more important. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for a Calc AB Advanced Placement test miracle for next month.

I really thought that she was showing signs of maturity. This really bums me out. I warned her of the consequences of her (in)actions and she's going to have to live with it. She seemed nervous this morning ... it's a little too late for that missy!

Mine were the same way, until DS2 beat DS1 by 4 points on the math placement exam. LOL They are going to take a pre-calc refresher course before school starts.

We had a nice surprise in the mailbox today- a letter from a national scholarship awarding DD $1500! I don't know how many were awarded but the letter said there were over 600 applicants. We thought it was weird though, that they require her to send them a transcript after every semester and keep in touch with her donor- even though the money will be sent this August. It is a printing industry Foundation (her major is graphic design), so maybe there will be further opportunities if she obliges? We will certainly try to get the transcripts sent. She already has a thank you card and her acceptance form ready to mail back.

Tonight we reviewed keeping track of her new checking account and signed her up for online banking so that was productive. I should have paid some bills, but we went on a walk and she talked, then we sat on the patio all evening and talked. That was nice too.

That is wonderful on the scholarship. I would have much rather sat on the patio and talked, but I have boys. LOL

Oh does anyone have advice on a good laptop for college? She's always used our desktop so we're clueless. TIA!

My boys went with a MacBook, but followed the requirements of the school.
 
We have started cleaning out closets and packing for vacation and college at the same time. I forced the boys to go shopping for college stuff, they wanted several things until I told them they would be using their graduation money. The shopping slowed down once they found that out. I just can't decide if they need a printer when there are computer labs in their dorms and they do not have to pay for copies. It is items like that I are trying to get them purchase with college money, that way they are learning the difference between want and need. Is that being stingy?
 
My DD is in placement testing right now for English, Math and French. She *hates* standardized tests and she spent less than 1 hour preparing for all three tests, barely looking at the three 90-minute practice tests last night. After I told her about them weeks ago. Oh well. She'll either do OK on the tests and test out of Freshman Composition and Pre-Calculus math or she'll waste her time and energy doing remedial (for her) classes because she couldn't be bothered to put in a few lousy hours into studying last week. She missed out of testing out of college Calculus AB a couple weeks ago for the same reason. It frustrates me so freaking much that she doesn't seem to understand the importance of doing well on these tests so she doesn't have to take additional classes in college when she could be concentrating on something more important. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for a Calc AB Advanced Placement test miracle for next month.

I really thought that she was showing signs of maturity. This really bums me out. I warned her of the consequences of her (in)actions and she's going to have to live with it. She seemed nervous this morning ... it's a little too late for that missy!
Don't stress. These things have a way of working themselves out. My son didn't open a single book before his Calc placement exam and did poorly on his test. He then got a "special invitation" to Trig review the week before school started (meaning he had to report a week earlier than he was expecting). :rotfl: He was NOT happy. :laughing: Turns out the trig review was really helpful and he did much better in in his Calc II class that fall because of it.

This too shall pass. :)
 
I'm loving all the photos. Congrats to all of your graduates and your families! :flower3:
 
We have started cleaning out closets and packing for vacation and college at the same time. I forced the boys to go shopping for college stuff, they wanted several things until I told them they would be using their graduation money. The shopping slowed down once they found that out. I just can't decide if they need a printer when there are computer labs in their dorms and they do not have to pay for copies. It is items like that I are trying to get them purchase with college money, that way they are learning the difference between want and need. Is that being stingy?

No, they are learning to weigh their options. I wouldn't get a printer when they can use one elsewhere. It would take up space and ink is expensive too.

We looked at laptops briefly yesterday after orientation. For Graphic Design, she will want a Mac and it's expensive. I have thought about having her pitch in, but she's going to be paying all her living expenses and books and I want her to keep her money for that. DH doesn't want to pay for college but he seems to be okay with buying the laptop.

Orientation was good. We had a session together, then the advisors took the students for scheduling. DD has classes 8 am to noon Monday through Thursday, plus a 2:00 on Tuesdays. All graphic design classes (except for "College Experience") since she got her communications credit in high school. She thought some of the other graphic design girls seemed nice.

We visited the model apartment again. The bedroom seemed smaller than we remembered, so she might not be able to take her drawing desk. But, we did have them put down on DD's app the other roommate that wants to be with her but hasn't found a match yet.

We took DD15 along so she could see the college. She hasn't wanted to start at a community college, but she was impressed with the campus and the town. IF she ends up valedictorian, she would get free tuition there, so I'm happy she seems willing to consider it now.
 
Just back from dd Orientation tour, registration, and bookstore sticker shock! She is just about ready to pack and go. I'm not ready!!!

The book prices in the bookstore are crazy- last year my daughter found one online in PDF form that she needed for her summer course free so that saved me a few hundred. We had went and bought the one she needed and that night she found it online so she returned the book and they refunded all the money! I am waiting until the first day of class to see what she really needs and the school said most of the time you can rent them from anyplace you want.
 
No, they are learning to weigh their options. I wouldn't get a printer when they can use one elsewhere. It would take up space and ink is expensive too.

.

I wouldn't take a printer either until you know for sure that they would need it. My daughters college has printing kiosks in every dorm building, the library, dining halls and other places so there are plenty of places they can print things. You send it directly from your computer to the kiosk and when you go to the kiosk you swipe your id card and it prints out what you sent it. They give them a large printing budget to so it should cover most of the year.
 
The book prices in the bookstore are crazy- last year my daughter found one online in PDF form that she needed for her summer course free so that saved me a few hundred. We had went and bought the one she needed and that night she found it online so she returned the book and they refunded all the money! I am waiting until the first day of class to see what she really needs and the school said most of the time you can rent them from anyplace you want.

My sons drove me crazy in school with the books. Wouldn't buy a darn thing until after the first day of class. It had them scrambling on a number of occasions, but mostly it worked in their favor. They frequently had professors tell them they didn't need this or that after all. My friend bought her daughter an online access code to a book only to find out the teacher put a free code on the board the first day. So if you can stomach the unknown, waiting can be a good plan.

I wouldn't take a printer either until you know for sure that they would need it. My daughters college has printing kiosks in every dorm building, the library, dining halls and other places so there are plenty of places they can print things. You send it directly from your computer to the kiosk and when you go to the kiosk you swipe your id card and it prints out what you sent it. They give them a large printing budget to so it should cover most of the year.

One of our sons went away to school and he never did buy a printer. Most things were submitted electronically and they had enough print stations around school that it was never an issue. He never came remotely close to exceeding his printing allowance.
 
I can't believe that just like that, it's all over. He graduated yesterday. Everyone had to leave early this morning, so we're back to an empty house. Orientation is in 11 days, and move-in is 60 days. It kind of feels like going back to work the day after vacation today. :( I saw my oldest and his wife for less than 12 hours, and 3 of those were sitting in graduation where we couldn't talk. We didn't get much more time than that with my daughter or my parents.

On the positive side, he nailed his speech at graduation, and you couldn't even tell how nervous he was.
 

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