What I Learned My Freshman Year
School’s out for the summer and the college students are back home. The freshman year is over.
I never attended college myself. Well, only the semester I trucked back and forth to the junior college. That’s where I learned of the foibles of our founding fathers and taught myself English 101 because the teacher never showed up for class. Though I never went away to college, I’ve learned quite a bit by sending the child off.
Engineering
First, let me admit that we lucked out with an unusually large dorm room. Still, there must be some equation and special tool to get a whole bedroom full of belongings into what is typically a walk-in closet-sized space. However, we used a ruler, blank paper, indecision, and a lot of muscle. A knowledge of subtraction (taking some of it back home) and division (raising the bed to slide a bunch of stuff underneath) are a plus. The addition and multiplication come when said child comes home for breaks with a list of items she needs to take back with her. I think my husband scored higher in this class.
Creative Writing
I must have gotten an incomplete because after a semester of editing papers they stopped coming. Not sure what that says about my own writing. Yipes!
Social Studies
Here is where I learned to deal with the the drama that takes place on a college campus. Being in a new environment, away from home and the friends you’ve known for years, can be tough. New friends introduce themselves and their quirks. Old friends move on. Requirement for this course: a listening ear. I’d give myself an A(-) .
Psychology
I aced this one. After all, I am a mom with almost twenty years experience in handing out advice and guilt. This class requires a telephone and email, always making you available.
Economics
This course had the greatest affect on us. This is where I learned that those who don’t have money, get it. Those who thought they had it, lose it. Thank you, God, for scholarships!
At the end of the year, I’d say I racked up at least 30 hours toward graduation…all spent in the car going back and forth to the school.
So, for those of you who have experienced that freshman year, how did you do? For those who have yet to start that freshman year, what are you looking forward to (or not)?
Sandra Ardoin
As an author of heartwarming historical and contemporary romance, Sandra Ardoin engages readers with page-turning stories of love and faith. Rarely out of reach of a book, she's also an armchair sports enthusiast, country music listener, and seldom says no to eating out.
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Heidi Chiavaroli
When I was a freshman, I learned that there really is no place like home!! 😉
Sandra Ardoin
Ah, sweet words to a parent’s ears! 🙂
Jackie
Sandra,
My son starts college in August. He’s 6’5″ and an athlete. I’ve spent years trying to not shrink his clothes, and those athletic clothes you can’t use softener or they don’t wick. I have laundry down to a science. As we visited many different colleges with my son I tried to find out what the “party” environment was like and check out the laundry facilities. He was concerned with academics and tennis. My hubby was concerned with the financial aspect. In the end God showed my son where to go and we all have peace about the decision. And the laundry? He lives close enough to drop it off at home. I’m so happy, I offered to do his roommate’s laundry who is from another state.
God is good.
Sandra Ardoin
Yes, He is, Jackie.
As soon as we visited the school, my daughter knew that was where she was to go. We all felt good about it. Not close to home like your son’s, but her room was right across the hall from the laundry. Surprisingly, she didn’t have a problem with the noise.
You’ll be amazed by how fast the year goes. My best to your son in his academics and sports! 6’5″? Wow!