We're off to take DS to college!

TarHeelMom

TarHeelMom

Cathlete
Hi folks!

We're off to take our oldest son Alex to his freshman year of college (UNC-Chapel Hill), so I won't be around the next few days. Next week I'll let you guys know how it all went. I am looking forward to this about like I look forward to going to the gynecologist. Or for a mammogram. Or to the dentist. All the REALLY fun stuff of life, ya know? ;-)

If we have any Cathe College Moms out there who have been through this before, PUH-LEEZ sing out -- I will welcome all words of advice on how to successfully deal with this transition. I know it won't be as bad as when my younger son goes and the nest truly empties, but it's still feeling really huge. Ugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! On the positive side, Alex really couldn't be more excited, and we know he's going to a fantastic school in a great college town and will just have the BEST time. That honestly does help a lot. (Just not QUITE enough, yet. :-()

See ya soon, everybody!!!

http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0304/sport/sport-smiley-003.gif Kathy S. a/k/a "Baby Tarheel" Mom :) http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0304/sport/sport-smiley-001.gif
 
and i just came back from taking my DS to kindergarten!!!! your son will do GREAT..and i bet he will miss his mom!!!
 
Hey Kathy S

Another Cathe College Mom here. Sort of. My DD went off to school last week. She's going to a small technical school here in town, where her dad works, but will be living in a dorm room and be on her own. We haven't heard from her since the weekend she moved out/in, but at that time she was having a blast with all the orientation activities. I miss her terribly, but life has been much less complicated since she left.

Let us know how DS and you make out.
 
Ooooh, good luck Kathy!!! DD has already told me that she wants to go to the university in our town, so that she can live at home.:) I don't hold out much hope she'll still feel like that when she's actually ready to go, but for now it keeps me sane:)
 
Hey Kathy! Not a college mom ... but I took Nik to her first day of high school today and it was not fun for either of us! I honestly thought she was going to cry. I can't imagine how I'll feel when she goes off to college. Keeping you and Alex in my thoughts today!!!

Carol
:)
 
Hi Kathy,
I have to say it was a bittersweet situation for me. I was excited for my daughter but sad at the same time. Pulling away that first time after dropping her off, waving to her, was really hard. Last year she graduated and is doing very well on her own (great job, nice place where she is living). So, pat yourself on the back that you've done a great job raising him and that he wants to leave home. And, my youngest daughter is in her third year and I am really loving the empty nest. It's a new chapter in my life and it is as great as raising them.

Joanne
 
Cathy -

I'm afraid I won't be much help because everytime I even THINK about my oldest daughter graduating and leaving for college, I get teary-eyed, it feels like a knife is going through my heart and I keep hearing Rod Stewart's "Forever Young" play over and over in my head. How do they grow up so quickly? There should be laws against that.

But I want to wish you a good trip and hope your son has a wonderful first year of college!


Angie
 
Oh, yeah - and thanks again for the Visa card info! My new bedroom furniture is looking fabulous and the hot tub is a relaxing addition to our home!! ;-)


Angie
 
Kathy, I have no words of wisdom just hugs and empathy. I was sick to death when my son decided to stay and extra couple of weeks at Boyscout camp this summer. He wanted to work as volunteer staff and I wanted him home, wahh wahh for me:( I was proud of him but the thoughts went through my head of what in the world will I do when they actually leave home? I consoled myself that these are the natural steps, although bittersweet, of them growing up and away from us. This really is the goal! Helping them be wonderful productive adults and members of society, standing on their own...but it is so painful all the same.
 
Kathy, you'll be fine. I hope you enjoy your stay in Chapel Hill. I sent you an email awhile back with suggestions for where to eat, stay, etc. I hope you got it!

Your son will be fine, and you have my email and phone number if you ever have an emergency, or you just want me to spy on him.... }(

It'll be a great weekend for moving in. Nice weather.

It'll be fine, seriously. This is a great town to go to college. My daughter starts her junior year here next week too.


Liane
 
Kathy

I had a hard enough time taking my oldest to middle school/Jr high. I will be a basket case by the time the college years get here.

I just wanted to wish you luck and remember that your son will miss you too! :)
 
Wow Kathy, I feel your pain!

My DS is off to college this year too, but he chose to live at home and complete his first semester at North Georgia College & State University before transferring to Georgia Tech. So... I don't have to experience him moving out just yet, thank goodness.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you live in Georgia? Your son gave up the Hope Scholarship money to go out of state? Wow! He must really want to go to UNC! One of my best friends lives in Chapel Hill, and all 3 of her kids have gone to UNC. (She was a UGA graduate like me). They love UNC and can't say enough good about the school.

Good luck to your DS, and good luck to you! :)
 
Good luck to you and your son Kathy. When my oldest went away, I was okay until we actually had to leave after getting him all settled in. I cried all the way home.

As I recall, the first month was really hard on the whole family. We really missed his presence. Eventually, we settled into a new routine.

I just loved it when he came home for weekend visits with a trunk full of dirty clothes}( !

Tammy
 
Hi I know how you feel. My oldest/DD is leaving in aweek.
She'll only be about 40 minutes away but I still feel sad.

Maureen
 
Kathy
We took our daugher two years ago and now we will take our son for the first time next week. It is a milestoe in the life of the whole family. I recall crying as we pulled up to the dorm!;( ;( ;( DH and I cried most of the way back home, 6 hours! It got better as we got used to it. Especially as we saw how well she adjusted.
My son has friends (brothers) at UNC Chaplel hill! They are quite happy with the school.

You will do fine and be Happy/Sad from time to time. It is a part of parenting we all must endure. I consider myself lucky enough to to have had such wonderful kiddos to miss so much!


Judy
AKA "likes2bfit"
 
Kathy -

No words of advice here, as my son is just going into second grade. Every time I think about the day he goes to college, it makes me start to cry, so I can imagine the mix of emotions that you're going through! Good Luck! He'll be fine, and so will you!;)
 
We dropped off my youngest son in Pittsburgh on Labor Day after he graduated from high school in 1991, and he started in the Pittsburgh Art Institute after that. About a month after he got there he called me at 5 AM to find out what to do about a bad toothache. I hung on the phone with him until he was confident about what to do, and he found a dentist to do a root canal. He was in an apartment with a room mate who he couldn't trust to help him, so he was on his own.

He spent the next 2 years working in a pizza shop which got robbed at gun point, and survived various other roomies, some of whom did not pay their share of the bills or stole money from him.

BUT, he made it through, and it WAS a good experience for him. He's gainfully employed and doing well - he never moved back home like a lot of kids do anymore.

This is his website - he sells t-shirt for which he designs the artwork so he paid attention when he was in school:

http://www.joeshirtman.com

Just Do It! :)
 
Bumping. So how did it go? How was Chapel Hill? (I've been here the whole time, so you don't need to tell me the weather! }( )
 
I'm about to give up on you. Aren't you home yet? :D I guess maybe you combined your trip to Chapel Hill with some sort of Labor Day trip by now?
 
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