The Drop Off

Wednesday morning, we woke very early to finish packing the car, and then to drive Kayla to the dorm.  The trip was pleasant, just Tom, Kayla and myself.  Tyler and Brittany both had their first day of 9th and 8th grade, and neither wanted to miss the first day of school.  Not that there would have been room in the car, anyhow.  So, I made the kids a pot of coffee, wrote them a nice note with a reminder to take their own "first day of school" pictures, and off we went.

When we arrived, the parking spaces around the dorm were busy with parents and kids unloading the "stuff" that freshmen bring to their dorm.  We borrowed a big laundry cart, transferred the "stuff" into it, and off we went into her room.  The dorm room was tiny, much like a jail cell.  Both beds were lofted with a desk under each.  Kayla seemed surprisingly overwhelmed at the thought of finding room for all of the "stuff" she brought, so, we stayed and helped her until each item had a new home.  I was happy and excited up until this point, when that thought hit me, "This is not just the 'stuff's' new home, it is Kayla's new home." 

We walked outside to say our goodbyes, and that's when the tears began to flow.  Kayla said, "Thank you for raising me."  I just hugged her.  I felt foolish walking back to my car with my eyes watering so much.  It felt like I was the only one crying, everybody else seemed to be fine. 

Well, we went to have a nice relaxing lunch at Olive Garden, and I had time to figure out why I was crying.  I am not sad that she is at college, I am happy about that.  I am crying more because this is a milestone event in our lives, marking the time between "being a kid and living at home" and "being an adult who has moved away from home."  Things just feel different now.  And, the way I am, I cry when I'm happy. 

Welcome to the U of M!

Well, I've officially been living in Frontier Hall on the b-e-a-utiful University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus for 4 days now. A loooooong 4 days of orientation and Welcome Week activities jammed one after the other in attempt to keep these new freshman from partying I guess. (That's at least my theory...haha.) My feelings are back and forth on this, at some points I'm overly excited, just so anxious to actually start classes and "settle" in, it still kinda feels like I'm at a camp for a week. Other times I'm having a blast with new friends (we had way too much fun on the "Fairly Odd Coaster" at the Mall of America last night), starting new inside jokes with my roomie and hall-mates ("Know the code," and mocking my retainer lisp), and rolling our eyes at the utter cluelessness of our orientation leader. Throughout these 4 days, I've successfully taken 3 showers, (having tried each of the 3 shower stalls in my hall's bathroom in attempt to find the one with the perfect amount of water pressure to suit my taste), eaten a few meals at the dorm restaurant (I am starting to realize I can't eat at The Grill, The Exhibition Station, The Dessert Station, and The Salad Bar for every meal, I have to start "choosing"--I know, sad), and walked enough to feel like I'm at Disney World every day--Welcome to College, right?!

Oh, and another one of my "feelings" that has graced me with its presence over these past 96 hours. Homesickness. I've realized, the worst of all sicknesses. But its only when I'm alone and not doing anything that I think about it! Which is not too often so hopefully I will keep myself busy and meet more people to stave off this deathly-illness as much as possible :S

Here are 2 "highlights" of Welcome Week (meaning some of the activities that I didn't skip and/or daydream out of boredom in): 1) Convocation. Sooooo awesome. The entire class of 2014 gathered in the hockey arena (which I now know the name of...Mariucci Arena..yes, be proud!) and we were adressed by the University's president and given our 2014 Graduation tassels as motivation. The marching band came out and played a few songs and I got chills everywhere, I almost wanted to cry! The fact that I am now a part of this amazing, reknowned University is so surreal, so humbling, so amazing, so life-changing. 2) Pride and Spirit. Again, the whole class was in the TCF Bank Stadium, the home of the Golden Gophers, and the band, cheerleaders, football coach, and Goldy led us in learning some of Minnesota's football spirit traditions. (I think I still will run over to YouTube to learn the Rouser and March before next Saturday's first home game! By the way, as of now, we are 1-0 :) .) This was also when we made the big Minnesota "M" in the field as a class...that pic above is us "in the process."

So, I am now a Golden Gopher. I am in the place where even Mother Nature lets the trees turn Maroon & Gold. I am in the place where I can rightfully say "We are...Minnesota!"