Just got back from Winona / Winona State for Freshman "Move-In Day" & orientation. John Jr's a little freaked out, but he'll manage - there's about 400 other noobs wandering around in the building with the deer-in-the-headlights look. Lots of upper classmen & RA's to help!
What's a bit of a trip is that Sheryl lived in this building 28 years ago as the 4th Floor "RA" when these buildings were part of the St. Teresa College campus (they've been absorbed into Winona State when St. Teresa's closed)
Started at 9am shlepping "stuff" from the car to the room, then organizing. Ugh... (Don't do this with a slightly OCD daughter and a Mom who's last child is leaving the nest ) I spent nearly an hour assembling a TV stand (that would've taken 15 minutes normally) just trying to stay out of the way.
Got off pretty easy - only 1 trip to Big K-Mart and 1 trip to Walmart for last minute "We'll buy them there" essentials and forgot thats.
Get him a map with directions to McDonalds and Sheehan Hall, he'll be fine.
John D said
Aug 21, 2013
Just what I need...
He already knows about the 10+ floors of Sheehan (female only) and Derek clued me into the 4:1 ratio of this campus. Maybe it's a good thing he's bivouac'd "off-campus" a few blocks north off Vila & Howard in the old St. Teresa buildings... some ghosts of solid Catholic girls lurking around..
SteveS said
Aug 21, 2013
I'm only about 40 miles from Winona if you guys ever need anything.
SShink said
Aug 22, 2013
John D wrote:
Maybe it's a good thing he's bivouac'd "off-campus" a few blocks north off Vila & Howard in the old St. Teresa buildings... some ghosts of solid Catholic girls lurking around..
And that's a good thing....?
John Jr. is more patient than our son. When we did the 30 min. unload at Mankato State last year since he was living in the dorms as a junior, we were pushed out of the room within minutes. Mom wanted to help him unpack and 'organize', and we were basically told 'I've got it.' But, he's a couple of years older than John Jr., and he lived at home the first two years of his college courses, so he'd had enough of us!
Gotta love the 'process' of freshman orientation and move in day!
John D said
Aug 22, 2013
He was a little freaked, and needed a support system that day (plus he doesn't mind a bit having his stuff organized - it isn't his forte). They changed his roommate, and we didn't find out about it until arrival - so things were up in the air.
The new roomy seems to be OK. He's an int'l exchange student from Malaysia. The down-side is the ONLY "stuff" he brought with him is a suitcase and skateboard. They'll be working out arrangements for using John's TV, fridge, etc. One positive is the roomy (Aaron) probably speaks better English than John does, and will be a good influence on study habits!
Talked to him briefly yesterday evening. He's already found a few SLP H.S. kids, and made a few new acquaintences, so it seems he's settling in.
John D said
Aug 26, 2013
Back from Green Bay.
More "drama" with kids and dorms... Sam's staying in the "International House" which is for exchange students and alums who've studied abroad. Since she spent an entire year "out of country", and has a shload of credits, she was given priority in selecting her room. She chose one of the 2, bigger, single person rooms (the other is for the RA).
We get there saturday afternoon, are met by the RA, and she hands Sam her "packet" and takes us up to the room. It's NOT the one she chose, signed an agreement for, and had email confirmation for. The one they had for her was not much bigger than a hall-closet, and is the one next-door from the one she was supposed to get. A girl from France was moved into Sam's room.
Oh Boy... The visiting kids are on a shopping trip to Appleton, won't be home until 8pm. No way to contact them. Sam is fuming.
The RA gets ahold of the Director of International Studies, and has her come over. This woman was a piece of work. She actually wanted Sam to resolve this between her and the gal from France. No way. "I have confirmation right here, that is my room, you screwed up, and you fix it!" (proud Dad beaming here...) "I will not be the bad guy here, who asks someone to move out, then have to live with them across the hall for the next year."
So, the Director met the girls when they got back from shopping, explained the situation, and the other girl moved that night.
We had to cram what was planned into two one-half days of moving & visiting into 6 hours of frenzy between 9am & 3pm today! Luckily Sheryl & I had booked a hotel room that had a pull-out couch! Sammy bunked with us last night.
Lost in the 60s said
Aug 26, 2013
You're making me want to not be involved with my son going off somewhere next year. His Mom will be a wreck.
cooz65 said
Aug 28, 2013
haha I have to say hearing the college stories are great to say the least! As I prepare for another year of fun, I always know I can look forward to the first week of school where the freshman just seem to wander and I get to smile knowing I once had to look like them
Dave Seitz said
Sep 4, 2013
I was at an event and one of the people had his daughter with. He was dropping her off at the airport so she can head off to school in HAWAII!!! Needless to say he was not a happy daddy having his only daughter head way out of state to school. He admitted he nearly started crying seeing her go through line at the airport to leave.
bowtie said
Sep 4, 2013
My younger one says ghes going to school to be a chef in hawaii, so she can surf.....
My older one did a basketball camp at St Thomas (college not the island), and now says she wont be doing any kind of community college.
At least we're a couple years away, both get great grades in advanced classes and I plan on being dirt poor by then so we get all the grant money and aid we can.
John D said
Sep 5, 2013
Well, because we are the possessor of the checkbook and neither of them got "full rides"... there were some stipulations.
Easiest was "No Flying Involved - wherever you go must be drivable in 6hrs or less".
Just got back from Winona / Winona State for Freshman "Move-In Day" & orientation. John Jr's a little freaked out, but he'll manage - there's about 400 other noobs wandering around in the building with the deer-in-the-headlights look. Lots of upper classmen & RA's to help!
What's a bit of a trip is that Sheryl lived in this building 28 years ago as the 4th Floor "RA" when these buildings were part of the St. Teresa College campus (they've been absorbed into Winona State when St. Teresa's closed)
Started at 9am shlepping "stuff" from the car to the room, then organizing. Ugh... (Don't do this with a slightly OCD daughter and a Mom who's last child is leaving the nest
) I spent nearly an hour assembling a TV stand (that would've taken 15 minutes normally) just trying to stay out of the way.
Got off pretty easy - only 1 trip to Big K-Mart and 1 trip to Walmart for last minute "We'll buy them there" essentials and forgot thats.
We move Sammy to Green Bay this weekend.
Get him a map with directions to McDonalds and Sheehan Hall, he'll be fine.
Just what I need...
He already knows about the 10+ floors of Sheehan (female only) and Derek clued me into the 4:1 ratio of this campus. Maybe it's a good thing he's bivouac'd "off-campus" a few blocks north off Vila & Howard in the old St. Teresa buildings... some ghosts of solid Catholic girls lurking around..
And that's a good thing....?
John Jr. is more patient than our son. When we did the 30 min. unload at Mankato State last year since he was living in the dorms as a junior, we were pushed out of the room within minutes. Mom wanted to help him unpack and 'organize', and we were basically told 'I've got it.' But, he's a couple of years older than John Jr., and he lived at home the first two years of his college courses, so he'd had enough of us!
Gotta love the 'process' of freshman orientation and move in day!
The new roomy seems to be OK. He's an int'l exchange student from Malaysia. The down-side is the ONLY "stuff" he brought with him is a suitcase and skateboard. They'll be working out arrangements for using John's TV, fridge, etc. One positive is the roomy (Aaron) probably speaks better English than John does, and will be a good influence on study habits!
Talked to him briefly yesterday evening. He's already found a few SLP H.S. kids, and made a few new acquaintences, so it seems he's settling in.
More "drama" with kids and dorms... Sam's staying in the "International House" which is for exchange students and alums who've studied abroad. Since she spent an entire year "out of country", and has a shload of credits, she was given priority in selecting her room. She chose one of the 2, bigger, single person rooms (the other is for the RA).
We get there saturday afternoon, are met by the RA, and she hands Sam her "packet" and takes us up to the room. It's NOT the one she chose, signed an agreement for, and had email confirmation for. The one they had for her was not much bigger than a hall-closet, and is the one next-door from the one she was supposed to get. A girl from France was moved into Sam's room.
Oh Boy... The visiting kids are on a shopping trip to Appleton, won't be home until 8pm. No way to contact them. Sam is fuming.
The RA gets ahold of the Director of International Studies, and has her come over. This woman was a piece of work. She actually wanted Sam to resolve this between her and the gal from France. No way. "I have confirmation right here, that is my room, you screwed up, and you fix it!" (proud Dad beaming here...) "I will not be the bad guy here, who asks someone to move out, then have to live with them across the hall for the next year."
So, the Director met the girls when they got back from shopping, explained the situation, and the other girl moved that night.
We had to cram what was planned into two one-half days of moving & visiting into 6 hours of frenzy between 9am & 3pm today! Luckily Sheryl & I had booked a hotel room that had a pull-out couch! Sammy bunked with us last night.
My older one did a basketball camp at St Thomas (college not the island), and now says she wont be doing any kind of community college.
At least we're a couple years away, both get great grades in advanced classes and I plan on being dirt poor by then so we get all the grant money and aid we can.
Easiest was "No Flying Involved - wherever you go must be drivable in 6hrs or less".