Quick reflections about dropping my daughter off to college for the first time.

[trumad]

Drove from Orlando to Tallahassee yesterday to drop her off for University at Florida State. Kills me for two reasons---one---I'm a lifelong Miami Hurricane fan---and two-- well---I'll miss her.

She moved into one of those 4x4 apartments--3 other roommates---each with their own room and bathroom---and a joint common area.

Today was move in day and it was busy. Students, parents--Parents, students. Students with their wide excited smiles, parents with a look of utter exhaustion. Of course it was the hottest day ever.

The end of the day--- Students and parents hugging--- Mom's crying---Dad's trying not to.....

My daughter has spent 19 years with me and her Mom---today.... she sprouted her wings and is off and running.

OK--- can't type anymore.... someone's cutting onions.

tru

[malaise]

1. Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww

She'll be home for Thanksgiving and Christmas before you can reorganize her room

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. My dear trumad...

It's tough when they go away...

I remember when my oldest daughter did the same thing. I had never felt so much grief at her absence.

I even called my brother to ask if our parents had missed me when I went away to school. They had never said anything.

He told me, yeah, they missed you.

You know it's part of life...and she will be back.

[brer cat]

3. I remember that day, tru.

One of the hard ones, for sure. I hope she has much success in college, and when she graduates. I know you work hard to make the world a better place for her.

[shenmue]

4. Mazel tov

I remember when I started college. It was hard for me and my parents.

I turned out fine and I bet your daughter will be even betterer.

[bluevoter4life]

5. Go 'Canes

Graduated USF so they are my #1 but I was born and raised in a Miami household.

Congratulations to you and your family. Good luck to your daughter

[exboyfil]

6. My oldest daughter goes off to college next week

I am very excited for her and a little scared for her safety. We were talking today on our walk how she has never been away from us for very long (a week stretch when her mom and I were in Hawaii).

I think she will do fine. I do worry about her though given all you hear about women being sexually assaulted on campus (one in four). We have talked at length about that. She did her mandatory alcohol training today. She says she will not drink before she is 21 (she will be done with her B.S. before then), and I told her to always be in control of her drink to the point of opening it herself and never leaving it (that includes non-alcoholic drinks). I worry about the hours she will have to spend with men on her project teams and in the computer labs (she will be an engineer). I specifically picked out the dorm closest to her Mechanical Engineering building to minimize potential danger crossing the campus.

She has never dated. I frankly think the boys in her high school have been crazy not to ask her out. She is beautiful and intelligent. I am a protective father but not a monster about it. She worked this summer as an engineering intern at my employer and did not meet anyone (I was a little surprised by that). I made a strong effort to not see her at all during the day except for a few Fridays out of work for lunch.

[Freddie]

7. You'll both be fine

But I sure remember how tough it was to drive away leaving my boy 3 hours away in the huge dorm at the huge university.
And he did the same thing to me, chose Penn State with me being a Temple grad.

[Voice for Peace]

8. "You'll fly away; but take my hand until that day"

This was the song a friend gave me when my daughter left for college.
What a time..

So when they ask how far love goes
When my job's done, you'll be the one who knows.

[oldandhappy]

9. Hugs and a tissue, smile.

[HuckleB]

10. I hear you.

I'm not looking forward to it, myself. I get ten more years before that, but...

Luckily, I have no big college sports affiliations. Big Sky Conference is actually bloody entertaining, but traveling students can easily find a carpet in an opposing dorm to sleep upon.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. Congrats!!

Wishing her well and soon she'll be back to tell you how much you don't know.

[AtomicKitten]

12. When my daughter left for Cal, I felt 100 years old.

It's a right of passage for all concerned.

You must be very proud.

[SheilaT]

13. I guess I'm not like other parents.

Our oldest went off to school over a thousand miles from us (he went to Reed College in Portland, we lived in the Kansas City area) and it was much more exciting than sad.

Younger son only went a couple of hundred miles away, to the University of Tulsa.

Maybe the biggest difference (aside from being sons, not daughters, which does matter) is that they'd been away from home any number of times before, mostly off to various camps, for as long as three weeks at a time. I've noticed over the years that the kids who often have the very hardest time adjusting to being away at school are the ones who have never spent any time away from home before.

It's also my personal opinion that they should be more than a couple hours drive away so that they aren't tempted to spend every weekend at home. Or worse yet, parents don't think they should be spending every weekend home. College is the time to sprout wings, as you said, and its A Good Thing.

[riderinthestorm]

27. Agreed 100%. My oldest was just so ecstatic and thrilled to be there, no way could I grieve

Her joy and enthusiasm was enormous.

My youngest has actually lived in CA this past year finishing her Jr and Sr high school years in one year (salutatorian too!) while we reside in IL.

Now she's off to Trinity in Ireland for uni. My oldest got her masters in archaeology at York in the UK so there's no tears at the distance since we've already figured out this whole long-distance-education experience.

So yeah, bottom line is I agree on the experience thing. When the kids are really comfortable with being away from home already it makes a huge difference.

I'm excited to drop my youngest off in Dublin this fall. And she's wild about going.... How can I be sad in the face of that?

[justgamma]

14. It's a sad day.

When the girls moved out, I was fine, but when I dropped my son off at college it tore me up. They left, but I felt like I abandoned him. Oh, the tears.

[Arugula Latte]

15. I've got a year before I'm in this position.

I've been dreading this letting-go since about the first month after my oldest was born ... But ... damn. What can you do? Time flies and kids need to fly too. But it's painful.

[frazzled]

16. Tomorrow you'll be so excited for her

That's what I felt when we took our first child (a daughter) to school. I just remember thinking: wow, she's going to have such stimulating new experiences ... interesting courses, cool professors, new friends. I think I felt nervous about things like whether she would do her laundry regularly or not be homesick, but mostly I felt excited. I kind of wished I could do it all over again myself.

[mcar]

17. Been there once already and will do it again next year

Younger son may end up at FSU too. It's a rite of passage for them and us.

I cried like a baby when we brought the first one to college. It's so hard but so right for them.

[mackerel]

18. I got a little teary eyed reading...

sending the boy off next year...tears of joy, pride and sadness.

[LibDemAlways]

19. That was me three years ago. My daughter

will start her senior year at UCSB this fall. You will be amazed at how quickly the time will go, and before you know it, you'll be gearing up for her graduation.

The shy teen I dropped off three years ago has blossomed into a confident young woman who is pursuing a double major, currently working as a marketing intern on campus, and enjoying a full social life with a great group of friends. I wish a very positive experience for your daughter as she embarks on her college adventure. Sounds like she is off to a good start!

[AngryAmish]

20. Parting is such sweet sorrow.

Lil AA1 is going to 1st grade. Lil AA3 is into Preschool.

I have already cried.

[rurallib]

21. She'll be back before you know it with a bag of laundry

and a request for the car for the weekend --------

[Dustlawyer]

22. Been there done that, 3 times. It never got easier. The sad thing is that if things go right,

they never come back home to stay! It does get better though, just left my grand daughter's 2nd birthday party! It is a milestone, that's all!

[Texasgal]

23. Your daughter has an amazing Dad!

Such a sweet post... I knew you had it in you.

Good luck to your baby. College was the best time of my life! I also had great parents that clipped my wings and let me fly! I will always be grateful for that! You'll be okay Dad. *hugs*

[MadrasT]

24. Awwww... best wishes for all of you as you make this transition.

[calimary]

25. Ours just went ahead and got busy.

She never looked back. Thrilled and excited and a little nervous. I just simply was a mess. I cried all the way back to the airport.

[ripcord]

26. I don't need to hear this

My daughter is starting at Caltech and we have to move her in next month, we live in the area but they require freshmen to live on campus. I more proud of her than I can say but the house is going to be very empty and very quiet.

[tblue]

28. Been there, always dreaded it

and, yes, it tore my heart our. Every time my kid leaves after vacation, I'm sad all over again. But them I'm the type who got sad when he'd go to school from 8-2:00 everyday. The one thing I tell myself to pull myself together is: It's not about me. It never was. And what I want most in the world is for my kid to have a wonderful, rich, rewarding life. So it's all good. It's really what I want.

Still hurts though.

Take care, huh?

[KT2000]

29. Went with my sister

to drop her daughter off at college - from Washington to Missouri. My sister was a mess all the way home. It's a very difficult thing. Just remember - next stop - Thanksgiving!!

[genxlib]

30. Hurricane Alum Here

At least it wasn't the Gators

Go Canes!

Congrats on setting one free.

[tblue37]

31. A little gift for you:

At the San Francisco Airport

by YVOR WINTERS

To my daughter, 1954

This is the terminal: the light
Gives perfect vision, false and hard;
The metal glitters, deep and bright.
Great planes are waiting in the yard—
They are already in the night.

And you are here beside me, small,
Contained and fragile, and intent
On things that I but half recall—
Yet going whither you are bent.
I am the past, and that is all.

But you and I in part are one:
The frightened brain, the nervous will,
The knowledge of what must be done,
The passion to acquire the skill
To face that which you dare not shun.

The rain of matter upon sense
Destroys me momently. The score:
There comes what will come. The expense
Is what one thought, and something more—
One’s being and intelligence.

This is the terminal, the break.
Beyond this point, on lines of air,
You take the way that you must take;
And I remain in light and stare—
In light, and nothing else, awake.

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/177283

[a la izquierda]

32. As a professor speaking...

We try to take good care of them, while letting them be adults.

[uppityperson]

33. After dropping off mine, I made it a block before I pulles into a parking lot full of other

crying parents. Hugs to you and congratulations.

[fishwax]

34. .

[mnhtnbb]

35. Aw, trumad, my youngest son went to college here in Chapel Hill (NC)

where we live (although we didn't see him much) but today he will drive off to New Haven, CT
for a 3 year graduate program--MFA--at Yale School of Drama.

I have been awake since midnight. Could not get back to sleep. It didn't help
that last year he was gone to Berlin for 10 months on a Fulbright--I knew he'd
be coming back, although briefly, to Chapel Hill before he hopefully, went on
to graduate school. But we didn't know the answer to that until last March.

But this? This seems really final. He's grown up and gone. We'll probably be lucky to
see him a couple of times a year from now on.

I understand the onions!

[trumad]

36. Awesome kid you have there. .

And by the looks of this thread....DUers have a bunch of awesome kids.