college, schmollege
We went to visit the third and final college last Saturday. It was just Jake, Lydia and me. It was much further than either of the other two colleges. A bit over two hours. Lydia was a dream in the car, both ways. Jake slept the entire way there (can't blame him--it was way early and I would have like to trade places with him).
It is definitely in a less developed area than either of the other two schools. By a long shot. But it's a beautiful campus, right on the water.
It's interesting to see how the different colleges handle these days. Shortly after checking in the split the kids and parents up. We were sent to opposite ends of the building and had basically the same presentation, but in a different order.
The parents were sequestered in a smallish room with a stage set up and rows of chairs around three sides of the stage. By the time I got in there with Lydia there were very few seats left and we ended up in a corner seat with no easy escape. I was really nervous that we might have to make a quick exit if she got noisy and wouldn't be able to (seriously--we would need two people to stand up and then we would have to walk right across the front of the stage), but it went ok. There was a moment when she made a sound like she was about to sing and once she threw her head back and bonked it on the rail and started to wail, but I got her to nurse quickly and it worked out. There were many cheerios eaten. Lots of moms came up to us afterwards complimenting her on her behavior.
The teachers and students seemed enthusiastic (but not in a weird way) and it all sounded really good. Funny stories were told and the general small campus feeling was similar to First Choice College.
In the students' room Jake had actually talked at length to a girl on the student panel afterwards. She had mentioned that she works at the campus radio station and organizes coffee houses with musicians. He asked about the types of music played (not really his type, though she said she is trying to get a more varied thing going), and asked about the radio station. The kids we saw were less creative in their attire than we had seen at First Choice College and Jake wasn't happy with that. He did mention that when he talked to his hs counselor he said he thought Jake might be happy at this school because a lot of nonconformist students go there. I laughed.
"So he said all you weird kids go there?"
"Yeah." Smirk.
By appearances the weird ones must have still been sleeping, though. Jake said that he thinks this school would be his second choice, if not for the remote location. He will apply to all three and then make his decision (unless it's made for him by acceptance/rejection letters).
My favorite part of the visit was the ride home. Two plus hours to talk to Jake. In our daily life, time runs too short. He gets home, exhausted, and either takes a nap or does homework. Dinner is a noisy affair with five other kids full of stories and Lydia clamoring for More Food In My Mouth NOW. More homework time, or whatever and the day is gone.
But on the ride home it was just the two of us (Lydia slept), and it was great. We talked a little bit about the school but more about other things. Whatever came up. Tattoos (please put years of thought into it and don't ever get a name tattooed on your body unless it's that of a family member--someone you know you'll want there your entire life), music, learning disabilities (he knows someone with a certain one and wanted to know more about it), Darfur, and I don't know what else. He likes to go through his cd's picking songs out here and there that he thinks I'll like because of the lyrics. Times like that are nice reminders of the fact that I don't just love that boy. I like him and think he's pretty cool.
Have you noticed that there hasn't been any knitting content? I'm really feeling the pressure of completing the Christmas knitting and it's just not funny.
It is definitely in a less developed area than either of the other two schools. By a long shot. But it's a beautiful campus, right on the water.
It's interesting to see how the different colleges handle these days. Shortly after checking in the split the kids and parents up. We were sent to opposite ends of the building and had basically the same presentation, but in a different order.
The parents were sequestered in a smallish room with a stage set up and rows of chairs around three sides of the stage. By the time I got in there with Lydia there were very few seats left and we ended up in a corner seat with no easy escape. I was really nervous that we might have to make a quick exit if she got noisy and wouldn't be able to (seriously--we would need two people to stand up and then we would have to walk right across the front of the stage), but it went ok. There was a moment when she made a sound like she was about to sing and once she threw her head back and bonked it on the rail and started to wail, but I got her to nurse quickly and it worked out. There were many cheerios eaten. Lots of moms came up to us afterwards complimenting her on her behavior.
The teachers and students seemed enthusiastic (but not in a weird way) and it all sounded really good. Funny stories were told and the general small campus feeling was similar to First Choice College.
In the students' room Jake had actually talked at length to a girl on the student panel afterwards. She had mentioned that she works at the campus radio station and organizes coffee houses with musicians. He asked about the types of music played (not really his type, though she said she is trying to get a more varied thing going), and asked about the radio station. The kids we saw were less creative in their attire than we had seen at First Choice College and Jake wasn't happy with that. He did mention that when he talked to his hs counselor he said he thought Jake might be happy at this school because a lot of nonconformist students go there. I laughed.
"So he said all you weird kids go there?"
"Yeah." Smirk.
By appearances the weird ones must have still been sleeping, though. Jake said that he thinks this school would be his second choice, if not for the remote location. He will apply to all three and then make his decision (unless it's made for him by acceptance/rejection letters).
My favorite part of the visit was the ride home. Two plus hours to talk to Jake. In our daily life, time runs too short. He gets home, exhausted, and either takes a nap or does homework. Dinner is a noisy affair with five other kids full of stories and Lydia clamoring for More Food In My Mouth NOW. More homework time, or whatever and the day is gone.
But on the ride home it was just the two of us (Lydia slept), and it was great. We talked a little bit about the school but more about other things. Whatever came up. Tattoos (please put years of thought into it and don't ever get a name tattooed on your body unless it's that of a family member--someone you know you'll want there your entire life), music, learning disabilities (he knows someone with a certain one and wanted to know more about it), Darfur, and I don't know what else. He likes to go through his cd's picking songs out here and there that he thinks I'll like because of the lyrics. Times like that are nice reminders of the fact that I don't just love that boy. I like him and think he's pretty cool.
Have you noticed that there hasn't been any knitting content? I'm really feeling the pressure of completing the Christmas knitting and it's just not funny.
posted by Gretchen at 7:27 AM
1 Comments:
Gretchen, I hope that J and I stay this close as he grows up. Of course, I also wish that he'd just never grow up. :)
You've done a good job with Jake, and he's s fantastic little punk, isn't he?
Glad he's taking the college choice thing seriously.
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