Parents of the High School Class of 2017/College 2021

[disneyeveryyear]

DD said she wants to try and become an RA. She's been talking to her RA and asking questions. RA's get free housing right? Any other benefits? She said the room is bigger, she get her own room and room has a bathroom. I hope she gets it. it will save me money with housing like $6,000. She said their might be a meal plan discount too! Fingers crossed!

My DD has also indicated an interest in being an RA for next year. We always made our DS pay $5,000 per year (in-state public univ.), and DD is paying $6,000 (out of state private univ.) toward their tuition r/b. We have told her that if she gets the RA position, she won't have to pay her $6,000 next year.

She interviewed for a campus job in admissions yesterday. I think she would get the job, but they need to check with financial aid. She didn't qualify for any work study, so we are hoping this isn't a work study position, and just an open job. DD has worked since she was 14, and is kind of at a loss right now. She has all classes on M & W, only 1 class on F, and no classes on T & Th. She isn't used to all of this free time.

All of her friends are going home this weekend, but she just came home last weekend to work. She is afraid to stay there and be homesick, but doesn't want to look like the kid who is going home all the time. Poor thing can't figure out what to do. I told her I could come down there if she wanted. I guess I will just wait and see. I told her she is welcome to come home as often or seldom as she wants. I love having her home, but understand she needs to work on her independence too.

 

[mamacatnv]

Holy cow! that is freaking awesome. That's what a good gap year will get you .

After all the drama last year, this award was a blessing. UAH is a strong stem school, they have a great AstroPhysics program which is what DD was going to major in when she applied to Minnesota, now she has decided she wants to go into secondary education and is looking at the program UAH has, Huntsville is the home to NASA and is a co-operative school. Right now as it stands, she will graduate debt free! If she opts to study abroad, she will be able to since all we are paying is the dining plan, books and misc expenses.

If my daughter had wanted to go to school in Texas she could have had a free ride plus a monthly stipend because of an academic scholarship program. She wasn't interested and I can't blame her since 97% of the population is from Texas. She wanted a big city and diversity.

What school has this? I know Texas State would have given her Tuition and UTDallas (I think) has a pretty good merit offer but the gap year is not allowed for merit.
My DD refuses to apply anywhere here in Texas - she wants out - Now, Huntsville, Alabama is not exactly what she had in mind but when push came to shove, money talks and it was either something in-state (TX) or something with hefty merit elsewhere - so, Alabama is looking pretty strong right now.

 

[Kimberle]

DD is currently in NYC on her gap year adventure. She was to be in NYC for 1 month, staying with her Uncle in Mid-Town Manhattan.
She has been having a great time, lots of exploring, spreading her wings, being a solo traveler etc.

This past Friday, I get a text from my Brother in Law (Who is a major drama queen LOL) anyway, evidently his apartment is having plumbing issues and his entire wing top to bottom has sprung a leak. He is not coping well and sends me this message: "we need to arrange for DD to return home, this is just a disaster".
He lives in a beautiful PreWar 1929 Apt. bldg and the pipes might be original. So all the "G" Apts from street to roof have had their water shut off, several of the units flooded. BIL's did not flood as he and my DD were home at the time and were able to mop/soak up/catch in buckets and dump the water and shut as much off to the unit as possible until the "Super" cut the whole line. (the "Super", that makes me giggle, its such a New York thing)

My reaction to myself, Ummmm, No, DD is not coming home, she had almost 2 weeks left of her trip and I don't want to have to make her come home if I can come up with something else.
As it so happened, DD had planned to spend the weekend away from BIL's Apt, she was staying with her BFF and family in Brooklyn as BFF goes to school in Brooklyn and the parents flew in for BFF's 18th b-day, so DD was with them all weekend but I needed a plan of what to do with her come Monday when BFF returned to school and the parents returned home.

Returning to BIL"s was not an option, he was having all he could handle as he had no water in his unit and was staying with friends. Note, it is now Wednesday and he has a flushing toilet and water in sink but that is it, so this was not a minor issue, this really is a pretty substantial plumbing issue. BIL has lived in this same building since 1984.

Hotel is just too expensive. My DS suggested Airbnb for a room rental.
You want to talk about doing something out of ones comfort zone, try renting a room from a stranger for your 19 yr old DD in NYC!
My DD who has lived in suburbs of small cities her entire life and any big city adventures always included parents/grandparents/Older Brother to direct the path.

At first DD was leery of the idea but I convinced her to give it a try with the unconditional "if you are miserably uncomfortable I will not hesitate to fly you home" clause.
We found in her words a "lovely" Airbnb host with a room in a great neighborhood and DD retrieved her stuff from her Uncles and moved on to her Airbnb on Monday. She is having a great time, she is now actually glad this happened, is enjoying meeting strangers in Brooklyn and hanging out with a NYC native who I hear is a great cook and the ultimate hostess!

It would have cost me a couple of hundred to change her plane ticket and bring her home early, the airbnb cost me $400 for the time remaining of her trip and that $400 is money well spent. The experience is priceless.

Just an FYI. Airbnb is illegal in NYC. Lots of people still do it. However, if there are any problems, you won't get any help.

 

[mamacatnv]

Just an FYI. Airbnb is illegal in NYC. Lots of people still do it. However, if there are any problems, you won't get any help.

I don't believe this applies to room rentals but thanks for the heads up, I did do a bit of checking before we proceeded. We rented her a room, not her own flat/apt. I do know her BFF's parents use Airbnb and rent apartments knowing they are doing so at their own risk.

"It's been illegal since 2010 for New Yorkers to rent out a whole apartment on Airbnb for fewer than 30 days. The law signed in October by Gov. Andrew Cuomo doesn't affect short-term listings of private or shared rooms."
https://www.cnet.com/news/airbnb-drops-legal-fight-with-nyc-over-new-rental-law/

 

[CarolAnn856]

My DD rushed the last week or so and bid day was on Tuesday and she was selected by the Alpha Xi Delta sorority! It was something that she wanted to do for the last year. We were very sceptical about her going "Greek" but we visited Iowa State during their special Greek Weekend and learned a lot more about sororities. I am now very comfortable with her being in the sorority. They value academics (the Greeks on campus need to give the university their grades every year), "sisterhood" and there are many opportunities for leadership and personal growth. The best thing about AXiD is that their philanthropy is Autism Speaks. They have raised over $5 million for them. It is a very personal charity for my DD because my nephew has autism.

Just wanted to say "hello!" from an Alpha Xi. I hope she enjoys her experience as much as i did!

 

[laughinplace199]

DD's school has Family Weekend this weekend. I can't wait to see her!

 

[Poohforyou]

After all the drama last year, this award was a blessing. UAH is a strong stem school, they have a great AstroPhysics program which is what DD was going to major in when she applied to Minnesota, now she has decided she wants to go into secondary education and is looking at the program UAH has, Huntsville is the home to NASA and is a co-operative school. Right now as it stands, she will graduate debt free! If she opts to study abroad, she will be able to since all we are paying is the dining plan, books and misc expenses.

What school has this? I know Texas State would have given her Tuition and UTDallas (I think) has a pretty good merit offer but the gap year is not allowed for merit.
My DD refuses to apply anywhere here in Texas - she wants out - Now, Huntsville, Alabama is not exactly what she had in mind but when push came to shove, money talks and it was either something in-state (TX) or something with hefty merit elsewhere - so, Alabama is looking pretty strong right now.

Hi, it was UTDallas. It actually sounded like a really cool program but in the end dd just couldn't get past the lack of students from places other than Texas. She's in a suite at her school and between the 4 of them they're from 3 different parts of the country.

Congratulations to your daughter!!

 

[robinb]

Just wanted to say "hello!" from an Alpha Xi. I hope she enjoys her experience as much as i did!

Thank you!

 

[lovesdumbo]

I wish I were a little closer to Syracuse or that my kids were still there to be able to help you out.

Thanks Beth! I'm pretty happy I can fly her home so relatively cheaply. I did book her Christmas flight home today. I looked at spring break and that's already almost $400 one way. I just hope now that she doesn't get motion sick on the small plane. She's prone to it. I don't know if I should warn her before her first flight or not. I don't think she'd take anything for it so why put the idea in her head.

Before she went I kept telling her to make friends with some kids from the Albany area so we would only have to drive her half way. So if I have to drive her half way and buy a $28 train ticket that won't be so bad.

I've had to remind myself at least 5 times today that it's not Friday for me just her. I have to go to work tomorrow.

 

[bjscheel]

When you were doing college visits, did you ever come across a "travel grant" for visiting? For DD16 we're looking at a school that hadn't really been on our radar previously. Now I'm seeing on their Visit Us page "Receive a $500 travel grant just for attending open house." And again on their tour page, it says tour guests receive a discount at the bookstore, complimentary lunch, $500 travel grant, etc...but what does that mean? If we get $500 cash just for visiting, sign us up! But I feel that's too good to be true

 

[mamacatnv]

Hi, it was UTDallas. It actually sounded like a really cool program but in the end dd just couldn't get past the lack of students from places other than Texas. She's in a suite at her school and between the 4 of them they're from 3 different parts of the country.

Congratulations to your daughter!!

DD is really seeking diversity as well. Although IMO 3 kids from Texas can be as different as 3 kids from other parts of the country. One of DD's BFF's has 2 roomies from China, the language barrier is daunting.

When you were doing college visits, did you ever come across a "travel grant" for visiting? For DD16 we're looking at a school that hadn't really been on our radar previously. Now I'm seeing on their Visit Us page "Receive a $500 travel grant just for attending open house." And again on their tour page, it says tour guests receive a discount at the bookstore, complimentary lunch, $500 travel grant, etc...but what does that mean? If we get $500 cash just for visiting, sign us up! But I feel that's too good to be true

Interesting, LOL, sounds like a time share weekend

 

[bjscheel]

Interesting, LOL, sounds like a time share weekend

I know, right? I actually just got an email response from them- the $500 is applied to your tuition if you end up going there. Sounds a little more legit now.

 

[bethbuchall]

My first care package was received and was definitely appreciated. We dropped him off August 24, but I saw him on September 1 and September 9-10 because I flew to Disney from the Buffalo airport. So, it seemed a little silly to do a care package before now.

I had bought a Pigeon stuffed animal from Kohl's along with the book The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? before he even left for college and put them away. The Pigeon books used to be favorites of his when he was little. So, I sent Pigeon and the book along with a couple dozen homemade cookies. I also found a Watchover Voodoo string doll at AC Moore. When he was in middle school, he saw them at the Hallmark store and had to have one. I thought (and still think) that they are ridiculously expensive ($7.95), so Santa brought the one that he had to have back then. This time, I had a 55% off coupon, so it made the price more reasonable. The one I picked is called Moving On and says, "I will watch over you through the winds of change." (I'll try to attach a picture, but usually I can't figure out how to do that anymore now that I can't use Photobucket.) I also put in some small packs of tissues because he had already had his first cold and mentioned that he should have brought small packs of tissues. He was really thrilled with everything and said that I always seem to know how to bring a tear to his eye. I told him that he was lucky that I left out the sappy note.

Today, I picked up a few little Halloween things for next month's box.

 

[lovesdumbo]

Love your care package! Never heard of the Voodoo string dolls-what a perfect choice. How sweet that he was so touched!

I sent Lizzy one the Monday after we dropped her off. DD (14) & I painted the inside box flaps blues and added clouds. Wrote on the flaps "something out of the blue-thinking of you" and everything inside was blue-oreos, crunch bar, blue socks with moon phases...she thank me for it but I almost got the impression she was embarrassed to get it. That didn't stop me from sending her a box last week-this was more about her-a nature/explore theme. She really loved it. My youngest & I already have a bunch more planned-Halloween, fall, Christmas, finals, yellow box of sunshine in the dead of winter, and I can't wait for April Fools-she's not an emoji fan but got a lot of fun emoji stuff.

 

[mamacatnv]

Love your Voodoo doll! A friend got me the caffeine voodoo, she hangs on my bathroom mirror.

Great package! I'm sure he loved it!

 

[lovesdumbo]

I was looking at the voodoo dolls. There is an exam passer-helps retain knowledge and take exams without fear. And a student-enjoy best days, ensure future dreams & come out of school debt free.

 

[bethbuchall]

I was looking at the voodoo dolls. There is an exam passer-helps retain knowledge and take exams without fear. And a student-enjoy best days, ensure future dreams & come out of school debt free.

I'll have to look next time I get a good A.C. Moore coupon.

I just remembered that I also included a bag of Jelly Belly jelly beans called "Mixed Emotions." I thought they were pretty appropriate.

 

[aprilgail]

Our family weekend isn't until the end of Oct! Have a long wait for that. I have sent SO many packages to her already. I sent her a box of baked by Melissa cupcakes first week. Sent her a box of French Macarons the second week, a dozen Davids Smore's Cookies the third week, a care package that I ordered through the school, a couple joke ones like a bag of gummy penises which she cracked up opening and sent her Bernie Sanders socks (she loves him), and this little squishy cat thing. Sent her a pack of toilet paper and paper towels which she was very happy to get along with a microwave pasta cooker and some pasta, raman noodles and some other food. She says she feels bad because her room mate comes with her every time to pick up her packages but she has never gotten one from home so this week I am addressing the package to both of them!

 

[punkin]

Niece is coming home for fall break (really just a long weekend). She says she really misses sleeping in her own bed in her own room. DH and I weren't mentioned until I said something. Lol. Then I got "Of course I miss you!!!"

 

[robinb]

She says she feels bad because her room mate comes with her every time to pick up her packages but she has never gotten one from home so this week I am addressing the package to both of them!

That is so nice of you! You might want to wrap the roommate up something special too .