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Silently freaking out... this college thing is really happening!


Tardis Girl
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OK, I have two seniors -- my oldest two, my first ones to leave home -- yesterday and today they signed up for housing. On the other side of the country. They have roommates. They have suitemates. I am so excited for them. But I am freaking out on the inside!

 

This is really happening! All these years I knew it was coming. The college app process made it seem very real. But now there are OTHER names -- real people who will be part of their lives, who they will see every day and live with. I just can't believe it.

 

Breathe.

 

Breathe.

 

...what am I going to be like in August?! I want to be like this :thumbup: :seeya: ... But I feel like this :crying:

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:grouphug: Been there, done that, with my second leaving this August...

 

It IS sad as it is the end of a stage of life, but it helps me to remember my own life when I was that age and how much I was looking forward to it all. We just have to realize it's a different stage in our lives...

 

But I'll admit even now to being nostalgic for the "good old days." I know now why nostalgia is such a big thing for many older people (myself included).

 

In the end, be happy for them and do what you can to share their new lives.

 

:grouphug:

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All three of mine are off this fall, we sent deposits out yesterday. THe whole college application process was so daunting, that there was no extra time to think about it actually happening, but I imagine now there will be some time for it to sink in. Still so much to do... I am starting to make plans to move furniture all around the house after they leave, to make it look a little different and larger. I'm going to need lots of projects and new activities.

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Breathe.

 

...what am I going to be like in August?! I want to be like this :thumbup: :seeya: ... But I feel like this :crying:

 

It is very exciting for our kids as they prepare for the grand adventure of college. Amazing how quiet the house is after they go! But that first semester can be tough for all parties. It can take more than a few months to find the right group of friends or the right academic path. So be prepared to keep up the :thumbup: while feeling like :crying:.

 

And count your technological blessings! Skype is an amazing tool to help us stay connected to our kids.

 

I'm just so excited about my son's opportunities. So while I miss the kid, I know he is where he needs to be.

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Breathe.

 

:grouphug: Stacey, try to focus on each day with your seniors, not what's down the road. As I tell myself when I ski scary slopes once a year: "just ski what's in front of you." Don't look at the moguls ahead. Enjoy your seniors. ((Lots of hugs)) ~Brigid

Edited by Brigid in NC
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Hugs

It is unimaginable, isn't it? And at least for me, because it is usually preceded by a time of intense closeness as you work together to get the child prepared and packed, the lack of child afterwards is made much worse for a bit.

You will still have to do an astonishing amount of parenting lol. You just get to do it from farther away, with less information. Jane is right - modern technology makes communication so much easier. Try different forms until you find one that works for both of parties. It might be a long weekly skype visit or it might be daily brief emails or texts. If one thing doesn't work, try something else. We have lots of choices now, fortunately.

I'm sending my last off next year and already dreading it.

More hugs,

Nan

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Thanks you guys -- I knew I could find some emotional strength from you wonderful ladies!! Some days I am just excited, some days I have to leave the room with an excuse because I'm about to burst into tears. And I know they are super excited but then other times they feel scared. I don't remember feeling the ups and downs when I was their age -- I was just happy to get out! lol

 

But I was also only going a couple of hours away. I think knowing that I will be lucky to see them at Christmas, knowing that we have no family or anything out there gets to me a little bit.... But I'd probably be like this no matter what.

 

I'm just so accustomed to seeing them and hearing all the little things going on in their lives. They really are friends to me now, and I am going to miss their company so much. And that will leave me with 3 young children, 8 and under. My life is going to be so incredibly different. Ugh, I'm started to get teary-eyed again. WHAT AM I DOING?!

 

I can do this. Just smile and be happy -- it's exciting, I'm trusting that all will be well!! :thumbup1:

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Stacey, about the distance, here is what you do... Who on the WTM board lives near this college? I'm serious. When my son was flying about the country looking at colleges, several boardies contacted me to say that they would give a hand if he got hung up on flights. I suspect there is a WTMer whose kid attends college in another state too, someone who would love to feed your guy some Thanksgiving dinner.

 

We're all family here, right? (I'm the eccentric aunt. ;))

 

Jane

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...what am I going to be like in August?! I want to be like this :thumbup: :seeya: ... But I feel like this :crying:

 

I'm not guaranteeing that you will feel this way, but I was teary most of the second half of summer before we packed up dd. Once we moved her in, made her bed for her, and then skedaddled (so she wouldn't have to shoo us away,) we were OK.

 

I was pleasantly surprised that I was OK, since I could envision her in the right place for her, having fun with her roomate, learning to two-step, etc!

 

Truly, it was harder before she left.

 

I invite you to join my strangeness. : ) It seemed to work pretty well.

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...what am I going to be like in August?! I want to be like this :thumbup: :seeya: ... But I feel like this :crying:

Oh my! I'm with you! I'm finding myself so unprepared to start to let go. I was really good at adding children, not quite as good at subtracting I guess...I'm trying really hard to find ways to celebrate the future. Honestly, now that my dd has chosen a school for next year, I feel a bit better. It's a good fit and her joy just radiates from her very being. I'm not really good at hiding my feelings from my oldest daughter (she's one of my best friends) so I'm really concentrating on doing fun things to prepare for next year (like surprising her with a cake in her school colors and having a family party or shopping for bedding, etc.). I'm thinking that waterproof mascara is part of MY plan for August. :group hug: I'm thinking that THIS part may be more difficult than August. I just don't know WHAT it's going to be like (my oldest dd is a leader in the house, the other 4 girls are still young) but it will soon feel like normal.

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Something that I've done when my kids left the nest was to write every single day. Yeah, I've spent a fortune in postage...

 

That's impressive! I'm hard pressed to get mine to e-mail or call once every week or two. The first year he did well. But now I consider him officially out of the nest and I've adjusted. It almost felt strange having him home for spring break (with his serious girlfriend). I enjoy hearing of all he's doing and plans he has though. I doubt that will ever change.

 

And then I get to go through it all again this year with middle son...

 

And in two more years with youngest. Hubby and I are planning a vacation to start our "new life" when that happens. I don't know how much money we'll have ;) but we'll have to do something. It's going to feel so strange until we get used to it.

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Margaret - What a fantastic thing you have done. No empty mailboxes. When you see your children, or talk to them, you can all talk about what is happening now, not be struck mute by the trivialness of today's happenings compared to all the millions of things that have happened in the intervening months, and the feeling of closeness will still be there. My mother wrote to me every day when I was in college far away. I know it required a huge effort on her part, but it was a lifeline for me. What a good mother you are...

Nan

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Not that I would ever wish these feelings on anyone, lol, but it is such a comfort to me to hear all of your comments. Thank you so much for sharing! I think I will be popping back onto this section when I need a shoulder to cry on. ;)

 

And about the letter writing -- I thought it would be amazing if I wrote a letter a week (of course, 2 kids so does that mean I write 2 letters a week or that they each get one on alternating weeks? Not sure).... But a letter a DAY!! Wow, that is truly impressive. Very cool! :thumbup:

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Aww...that's so cute! I like all those little things that you write about. I'm worried about my youngest ones...IDK...forgetting about their big sibs, I guess. So I really like hearing what you do.

 

I've been thinking -- from time to time when I'm at the store or something -- about little things I could send them in a package. I remember a couple of times a year getting a box from home -- usually something edible like cookies or something, and then some other little goodies. Always such a joy to get the green slip in my mailbox that I had a package to pick up at the desk. And of course, everyone on the floor knows when someone gets a package and hopes the receiver will share the goodies! ;)

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Hubby and I are planning a vacation to start our "new life" when that happens. I don't know how much money we'll have ;) but we'll have to do something. It's going to feel so strange until we get used to it.

 

Colleges should provide a week at an all-inclusive resort for the parents after they've dropped their youngest one off at college. I could do with some beach walking and a couple of juicy trashy novels once all of this is over!!!!

My eldest sometimes talks to us daily and other times talks to us not at all for weeks at a time. I try to send a newsy e-mail at least once a week. My Mom wrote me 3 times a week for years and we talked on the phone once a week, which we still do to this day. Now I understand why.....sigh!

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Thanks for such a timely thread. We are extremely busy and, for that, I am grateful. I don't have time to think about ds leaving yet.

 

What bothers me the most is wondering how the family dynamics will change. And will my 9 year old have strong enough memories about her oldest brother or will she forget the fun they had...

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What bothers me the most is wondering how the family dynamics will change. And will my 9 year old have strong enough memories about her oldest brother or will she forget the fun they had...

 

YES!! I totally feel this. My younger crew will be 8, 6, 3 when the older ones leave this summer. I really wonder what their recollection will be of the older ones. I am trying to think of how to keep them all feeling connected to each other when they will probably see each other once in 10 months time....

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Fruit leathers are a good idea. I paint pictures and fold them in half and send them as cards. I try to send photos from time to time, and funnies (my mother saves them for me to send). I attach photos and funnies to my emails, too, especially if the child is far away and homesick. I have a fabulous set of emails from Japan. My emails/letters sound like yours: The dog found some burrs I missed in the yard and I spent an hour picking them out of her fur. Daddy painted the bottom of the boat today. We're trying a more eco-friendly bottom paint this year. Your brother got his triple at gym. The snowdrops are blooming. ... There is always something interesting going on with someone in the clan. I always try to comment on what is going on in their lives and talk about something they have to look forward to or remind them of that time when blank (related to what is going on at home - a link) and ask a question or two that they can answer. I find it easier to find things to say when I am writing every day than when I am only writing occasionally.

 

Margaret - What a good idea about the sharpies and having the sibs write on the letter. And about the readings.

 

I'm dreading this summer when my oldest graduates and ships out and communication may be sporadic. He's my one that I communicate with most consistently. The middle one finds it hard to be reminded of home, I think.

 

I'm mailing off 4 Easter baskets contents and a birthday box tomorrow!

 

Nan

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Dd rarely has time or money to spend on shopping for clothes, so we're sending her a "grown up" Easter basket this year, a pretty aqua cross-body purse (her fave color and style)filled with rolled up sneaker socks in bright colors, so they look like easter eggs. : ) Some other necessities will fill up the box.

 

Thanks for sharing your ideas; I've been taking notes.

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Hot cross bun recipe. Now there is a thought. My mother still makes them for our whole clan. Perhaps I had better get the recipe this year. Just in case. Sniff. I know my oldest spent a year perfecting his breadmaking ability. I don't think he's baking as much, between studying for coasties and his capstone project, but I bet he would still like that recipe. In fact, I know he would, because he could leave out the citron (which he always picks out) and just put in the currents. Nice that email is practically instant.

 

My first year of college, my Jewish roommate intercepted my Easter candy and laid out all over the room for me to find Easter morning. I must have had a basket, too, or I would have remembered not having one. I've sent the candy in ziplocks, but baskets would certainly be nicer. They got very lopsided, gluey valentines this year because their 2 year old cousin helped me make them while I was babysitting for him.

 

I had a first this year - I mailed a baby blanket to one of his friends, the kind that is traditional for our family, with feather-stitching and French knots all around the edge. Obviously my family is getting older.

 

Nan

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That is a good idea. I'm sure I could a folding one out of stiff paper and paint it to look like a pretty basket. It would be a better idea than painting a card. Thank you!

 

Nan

 

Not a basket but tomorrow I am mailing double chocolate muffins (cocoa and chocolate chips) with a jar of Nutella. Talk about decadence...

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Yummm...

I have added the dog and a trolling motor to the birthday cake, presents, and cookies being sent up with the friend who is visiting for the weekend LOL. I was just waiting for it to occur to my son that it would be possible to send his dog. Must remember to reapply the frontline and include some food... Jane sends double chocolate muffins and I send dogfood. I knew she was better at sending baked goods than I but this is getting ridiculous. Jane - didn't you send a pie once? I tend to stick with oatmeal cookies. Those travel well and are sustaining in situations of great tightness.

Nan

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Jane - didn't you send a pie once? I tend to stick with oatmeal cookies. Those travel well and are sustaining in situations of great tightness.

Nan

 

Yup. I have sent a bundt cake, a pie, asiago pesto bread, a coffee cake... But usually cookies. I think biscotti travel the best but oatmeal cookies with raisins or dried cherries seem to be a universal favorite.

 

Packets of tuna and those Thai noodles (a step up from Ramen--just add hot water) are good for late night study snacks. Nuts, too.

 

To the OP: we seem to have moved this thread away from your initial post but not really. The boxes, the letters, the emails are one way we continue to mother our kids as they venture off into the world.

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To the OP: we seem to have moved this thread away from your initial post but not really. The boxes, the letters, the emails are one way we continue to mother our kids as they venture off into the world.

 

 

lol -- Don't worry, I get it. :) And I'm still reading everything, too, so I'm paying attention. :tongue_smilie:

 

Actually, for those who mail, I do want to ask if there are any tricks for mailing perishable foods and keeping them at their freshest. It's been probably a decade or two since I mailed cookies to anyone. And I remember hearing something years ago about putting a slice of bread in with cookies to keep them fresher (moisture from the bread helps the cookies?? IDK). Never tried that, though.

 

So any tips on packaging perishables or types of foods that mail better or worse than others?

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To the OP: we seem to have moved this thread away from your initial post but not really. The boxes, the letters, the emails are one way we continue to mother our kids as they venture off into the world.

 

I really appreciate these "mothering our kids" ideas. LOL! It makes me feel a bit better! My daughter received an email yesterday that began "The time to apply for your new home is here!" New HOME?! LOL!!!! I'm feeling much more peaceful and excited about the coming year (and less apprehensive). Knowing that I'm not the only one who is "Silently freaking out" is very reassuring. Thanks to all who are posting.

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To the OP: we seem to have moved this thread away from your initial post but not really. The boxes, the letters, the emails are one way we continue to mother our kids as they venture off into the world.

 

Yes - parenting from afar. It doesn't stop just because your child is elsewhere. It is frustrating at times not to be able to hug your child to comfort them, hence all the information about sending cookies. Pitiful as it seems, this seems to help both the child and the parent. When in doubt - bake cookies LOL.

 

I have been exchanging emails with my oldest this week arranging how to send his dog to school for a visit (a friend is going).

I will need a leash.

Yup.

I don't have any dogfood.

I will send some.

We are going fishing -she will need her lifejacket.

Ok.

 

It is comforting, in a backwards sort of way, to get the emails or phone calls that say things like, "I have discovered that I need a black long underware shirt. Can you send me one?" It would be nicer if you could put your child in the car and go try them on, but it still is rather nice to have to go dig in his drawers to find something similar, take it to the store, lay them out to compare sizes, package the shirt up with some cookies and a note and some pictures and comics, and mail it off. It provides a sense of closeness. Sometimes it is easier, a matter of finding it online and ordering it to be shipped straight to the child. (Can you tell mine are at a school in the middle of nowhere?)

 

As far as keeping baked good fresh - my best tip is to use priority mail, especially those pre-paid boxes, since oatmeal cookies are on the heavy side. Priority mail usually arrives the next day or the day after, for us anyway. Oatmeal cookies last just fine for at least a week, no matter how you package them. They probably last several weeks. I would only worry about adding a piece of bread (which I have heard about also) if it were going to take a week for the package to arrive. Definately check out those pre-paid boxes. I think you can even buy one and then take it home to fill it and put it in your own mailbox with the flag up.

 

Jane - I knew it. I remember the asiago thing, too.

 

OP - Unfortunately, we can't tell you that you won't miss your children after they go. This is the best we have to offer for comfort - stories and information about continuing contact with our children. Hugs.

 

Nan

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As far as keeping baked good fresh - my best tip is to use priority mail, especially those pre-paid boxes, since oatmeal cookies are on the heavy side. Priority mail usually arrives the next day or the day after, for us anyway. Oatmeal cookies last just fine for at least a week, no matter how you package them. They probably last several weeks. I would only worry about adding a piece of bread (which I have heard about also) if it were going to take a week for the package to arrive. Definately check out those pre-paid boxes. I think you can even buy one and then take it home to fill it and put it in your own mailbox with the flag up.

 

 

Another fan of the flat rate box! And home baked goods stay fresh for a while--I don't think it takes anything special. I do fill in spaces in the boxes so that things don't shift a lot.

 

Funny, I was with my husband's sister and family over the weekend. On the topic of baked goods in the mail, the comment of "We love homemade oatmeal cookies!" was made by some who are decades out of college. :lol:

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Definately check out those pre-paid boxes. I think you can even buy one and then take it home to fill it and put it in your own mailbox with the flag up.

Nan

 

Great idea! OK, so I feel silly asking -- and you said it probably doesn't even matter how you package oatmeal cookies for freshness -- but when you mail cookies or bars or something baked, do you just put them in a ziploc bag, or some kind of tin or something? I guess maybe it also depends what else is getting sent in the box -- that extra long underwear or something heavy....

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We sail and I have been thoughily trained to keep things dry LOL. I use a twistum and plastic bag (old shopping bag if I need a big one) or ziplock. I put whatever it is in a bag, put the bag in the box, and then fish around for something else useful to put in to pad the box. I keep any bubble wrap I can get my hands on and often wrap the bag in bubble wrap first. I at least put in crumpled paper to fill up any spaces. In other words, I wrap in plastic in case the box gets wet and I stuff the box full so nothing can shift. If I had extra tins, I definately would send any baked goods in a tin lined with wax paper, since that would be the easiest for the recipient to open and shut. I keep a supply of newspaper, bits of bubblewrap, and old boxes of various different sizes in the shed and I have a roll of packing tape in the kitchen. I put an index card inside with both addresses, just in case. Sometimes UPS will deliver to the doorstep whereas USPS requires a trip to the post office, something that is difficult under some circumstances. So, for example, when mailing a Christmas stocking and presents to the Ukranian roommate who was spent this last Christmas working instead of coming to us as usual, I was careful to get the address of where he was staying and UPS the package rather than send it to his school mail box, being afraid that the dorm with all mailboxes would be closed for the holiday and it would sit there until after Christmas. On the other hand, UPS will not send things to a post office box (which is what a student mailbox is, here). Instead, the box has to be mailed to the address of the school's shipping office, where the student picks it up after receiving a note in his mailbox saying that it has arrived. Both have their advantages. The UPS office near us is Staples and is open more than the post office. Flat rate - that is the name of those pre-paid boxes. Thanks, Jane.

 

Another thing to think about: There have been situations in which only US mail worked in order to contact my children. The school told us about this beforehand so we could pre-send small packages and letters. That way, the student would have something every day, including the first day. (I used to do this for camp, also. For camp, I sent pre-stamped, pre-addressed envelopes with the letter paper inside. *I* got great letters from camp from my children as a result. The best describe hoisting a councilor up the flagpole in his sleeping bag, winning the swim-the-lake race, and ... catching a chipmunk in the fire bucket!!!)

 

Nan

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To the OP: we seem to have moved this thread away from your initial post but not really. The boxes, the letters, the emails are one way we continue to mother our kids as they venture off into the world.

 

The direction this thread has taken is very comforting. I'm feeling better already. Until August comes around, that is...

 

When in doubt - bake cookies LOL.

 

 

LOVE this. :D

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LOL - I just made a triple batch of oatmeal cookies - one for each college student and one for my at-home son and my husband. I had to use my huge metal bowl and mix in the oatmeal, chips, and nuts with my hands because my portable hand mixer cannot handle that task. I did it sitting on the floor with the bowl on a cookie sheet because it was ergonomically easier than doing it with my elbows up around my ears.

 

Beware, oh ye parents of future college students...

Nan

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LOL - I just made a triple batch of oatmeal cookies - one for each college student and one for my at-home son and my husband. I had to use my huge metal bowl and mix in the oatmeal, chips, and nuts with my hands because my portable hand mixer cannot handle that task. I did it sitting on the floor with the bowl on a cookie sheet because it was ergonomically easier than doing it with my elbows up around my ears.

 

Beware, oh ye parents of future college students. You

Nan

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LOL - I just made a triple batch of oatmeal cookies - one for each college student and one for my at-home son and my husband. I had to use my huge metal bowl and mix in the oatmeal, chips, and nuts with my hands because my portable hand mixer cannot handle that task. I did it sitting on the floor with the bowl on a cookie sheet because it was ergonomically easier than doing it with my elbows up around my ears.

 

Beware, oh ye parents of future college students. You find yourself doing some funny things.

: )

Nan

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About phone calls - a recent Easter phone call reminded me of something that might be useful to add to this thread. Sometimes, what counts with phone calls isn't so much what is said but how long you stay on the phone. If you have a non-talky one, it is easy to get the impression that the child doesn't want to be on the phone right now or has said everything he has to say and it is now time to hang up. That might not be true. He or she might need a bit more contact, enough to feel like it has been a real visit, a nice one. Instead of sitting on the phone not saying much of anything, something that works well is to put several people on the phone at once. For example, we will put a sibling and a parent on at the same time, or make sure that several siblings are sitting in with the parent for a skype visit (for my nephew). The college student may not say much. It may just be the siblings and parent talking to each other, or helping each other tell the news or stories. The end result is sort of like having the silent one sit at the dinner table with you for a family dinner. Not much communication may happen, but it feels like a nice visit. My family has found it is less awkward this way. You can ask the occasional direct question without making it sound like you are grilling the student.

Just in case this helps anyone...

Nan

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I used to send cookies but, now I don't b/c dd thought I was trying to "make her fat"???? Her room mate and best friend is a fabulous cook who keeps them well-supplied with snickerdoodles (dd's favorite). Instead, I like to send a package of these no-sugar organic lollypops that are really handy when studying and working hard. I also enclose small fun accessories such as sox or scarves and such, or groovy-looking pjs. Those flat-rate boxes can fit so much, they are fun to fill.

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Oh dear! I have active boys, so although I do think about their faces breaking out, other than that, I generally consider oatmeal cookies "healthy" lol. Carrot sticks would be much harder to send through the mail. If I had to be healthier than oatmeal cookies, I'd start sending dried fruit and nuts, especially the family favourites, pistachio or raw cashews. Those would be a bad idea, though, if one were trying to keep the calories down and one had a habit of munching while studying. Air-popped popcorn would be a better option for that, and mailing that would be a waste of a flat-rate box. We had popcorn poppers in school, though, and brought lots of bags of popcorn with us from home. My boys aren't allowed them in the dorms : ( Anyway, that is a good point about the cookies. Fortunately, funnies aren't fattening.

 

Nan

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OK, I have two seniors -- my oldest two, my first ones to leave home -- yesterday and today they signed up for housing. On the other side of the country. They have roommates. They have suitemates. I am so excited for them. But I am freaking out on the inside!

 

This is really happening! All these years I knew it was coming. The college app process made it seem very real. But now there are OTHER names -- real people who will be part of their lives, who they will see every day and live with. I just can't believe it.

 

Breathe.

 

Breathe.

 

...what am I going to be like in August?! I want to be like this :thumbup: :seeya: ... But I feel like this :crying:

 

I feel like your last smilie, just add a few crocodile tears. I am going to miss this kid.

 

But I am very excited for him! And, honestly, partly envious. To go back to school, knowing what I didn't know back then... what an opportunity.

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This is going to be a piece of cake, after sending my ds away for 10 months last year.

 

He was an AFS exchange student and spent the year in Germany. It was very hard for me. Actually, holidays were not as difficult as I expected, because I had thought about it ahead of time and steeled myself. But sometimes just day to day, it was really hard.

 

When he leaves for college, he'll be home for Thanksgiving!

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OK, I have two seniors -- my oldest two, my first ones to leave home -- yesterday and today they signed up for housing. On the other side of the country. They have roommates. They have suitemates. I am so excited for them. But I am freaking out on the inside!

 

This is really happening! All these years I knew it was coming. The college app process made it seem very real. But now there are OTHER names -- real people who will be part of their lives, who they will see every day and live with. I just can't believe it.

 

Breathe.

 

Breathe.

 

...what am I going to be like in August?! I want to be like this :thumbup: :seeya: ... But I feel like this :crying:

 

I remember feeling this way when our first one left home. He did a gap year before college. He had been saving money and planning a bike route across the continent of Europe for four years, and one month after he graduated from high school, he took his bike and crossed the Atlantic.

 

As it got closer to his departure, I really started to panic, and couldn't believe we had agreed to let him do this. I was certain he would get hit by a big semi truck in Eastern Europe and perish. The day before he left, I remember standing in the check-out line at the grocery store, getting him snacks for the plane, and suddenly bursting out crying. There was a long line behind me, and of course no one had a clue what I was crying about.

 

Every other departure after that felt so much easier!

 

My kids have said that what they like to get most when they are away from home is newsy letters filled with the very simple, seemingly unimportant every-day things that we do.

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I remember feeling this way when our first one left home. He did a gap year before college. He had been saving money and planning a bike route across the continent of Europe for four years, and one month after he graduated from high school, he took his bike and crossed the Atlantic.

...

My kids have said that what they like to get most when they are away from home is newsy letters filled with the very simple, seemingly unimportant every-day things that we do.

 

WOW! What a story!! That makes across the country seem not as bad! lol Thanks for sharing, and for the tip on the newsy letters.

 

I'm really enjoying all the replies on this thread, even though I don't comment on many. You guys are great! :)

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