Dorm life as an adult & What College Orientation really is.....

My first step into adulthood occurred this week!! I took my very own little girl ( yes!! The same one that was adorable driving her pink Barbie jeep, precious playing with her many American Girl Dolls and the beautiful little girl that spent hours playing school, restaurant & mommy with me in her playhouse!) It was awful! Truly awful!! I keep reminding myself to remember how blessed I am that I got to go with her to orientation & spend the last 18 years being the best & most attentive mom around!
You know the pictures they show on the college website of parents & students with arms linked fluttering through campus together? Ummm.... Not so much fluttering arm in arm going on! When you arrive ... You immediately drop your sweet child off (mine did sneak me in to put the sheets on her bed correctly!) and they send you packing to your dorm! Since they don't think adults want to share a room... They put you in a "Private" room! So basically I was in a 5x5 prison cell with a very small window, horribly uncomfortable squeaky bed, sink & bathroom in the outer area of the suite! Please picture the white walls!! I watch far to many Criminal Mind episodes for this scenario!! Luckily the schedule is beyond jammed packed so not much time at this point in the room!!
We head to the large meeting area (we get to meet up with our kids... Yea me!!) I even had the opportunity to join the Parent Associaton ... I'll even get to go up in the fall to help out!! It's the ultimate room mom experience! I'm a pro at being the room mom, Sunday School leader, Prom helper & more... So I'm excited! I have a purpose!!! We get about an hour with our dear little ones & then we are sent off to separate meeting areas once again.... This pattern cycles on for 3 days!!! Yes 3 days!!!
The nights were crazy!! All alone in a cell with no color & no tv!!!!! Oh my!! The first night I went & bought snacks & drinks for Lex to get to at least see her dorm!! The 2nd night I took candy & more drinks! I even snuck doughnuts to her one morning!!! Even with my adventures ... The nights were lonesome & kinda scary! I haven't stayed alone in a house for 18 years or so!!
I did survive! My Criminal Mind flashbacks never came true.. I was safe! I even slept the 2nd night. I'm pretty sure lack of sleep from the first night & being totally drained emotionally helped!
The last day it poured & I mean the flash flood type of rain!!! We were soaked all day! The kids were soaked all day! They kept us totally away from our kiddos on this glorious rainy day!! We went to meetings all day! It was very informative but overwhelming all the same!
We were finally reunited when Lexi snuck me back in to take the sheets off, help her pack up & turn in all of the required "turn in stuff"!!
It did make me feel a bit better to meet some other moms in the same boat as me!! We are all scared & sad!!
August should be an adventure for all of us for sure! I've been reading another book .. This one on your daughter going to college! It's really good. I will do a review on it soon in case it might help you!
Happy Weekend!!!