Parent DIS-Orientation - Day Two

*crickets*


That pretty much sums up Day Two of Parent DIS-Orientation.

That's because I skipped it.  Yes, dear readers, I was a bad mom and skipped it.

If they had really wanted me to attend Day Two then they should not have given me the entire agenda on the first day.  Because once I saw what was in store for Day Two I quickly realized that there was only one session that would be of any interest to me at all.  All the important stuff had been covered on Day One.

So in my infinite wisdom (before I ingested any coffee) I decided that I would check out of the hotel early, grab some breakfast and hit the one session, skip the rest, and explore the town and surrounding area where my son will soon be living for the next (hopefully only) four years.

After I checked out and was having breakfast reality dawned on me.  IF I attended the one session, I would have to park the car on campus - where it would pretty much be held hostage until the end of the orientation (since you couldn't be hopping in and out of the parking deck willy-nilly) and that would mean that I would be confined to the campus.

This wasn't happening.  So I skipped the whole thing.  The problem with this?  I had already checked out of the hotel; THREE HOURS before I had to.  That coupled with the fact that Man-Child would be tied up in his orientation for approximately three more hours.

And so I explored.  And then re-explored.  And then explored some more.  It's safe to say that I covered every bit of that town and the surrounding area at least four or five times.  Let me just say this - there ain't much to do in that tiny, little mountain town to keep you completely occupied, on your own, for six plus hours.

Although, I did manage to buy a birthday gift and a father's day gift, so at least the time wasn't completely wasted.

I also discovered that I am VERY happy that Man-Child won't be able to take his car to this tiny, little mountain town.  Because apparently, in tiny, little mountain towns the roads are tiny, twisting, scary roads once you get off the main ones.  And there is little room for error.  And when you start to envision your child driving on these tiny, twisting, scary roads that have no room for error ESPECIALLY when they will most likely be covered in ice in the winter.....well, then your heart stops cold.

But this meant that I spent a good portion of the day in the car; especially when you throw in the fact that I still had an almost two hour drive home.  As you can imagine, I was pretty much completely spent by the time we finally arrived home last night.

But the best thing about the whole trip?  Man-Child is EXCITED and happy about his choice.  I have to admit, after dinner with him on Monday night I was concerned.  As I mentioned before, he was very quiet and didn't seem enthused.  I thought maybe he had thought he'd made a mistake accepting this college's offer.

I was so concerned that I voiced my worries to Hubby when I called him on Monday night.  I lined up a whole speech for Man-Child about how he didn't HAVE to go to this particular school; that he still had options, etc.

But when I picked him up Tuesday afternoon he was positively giddy.  As he chattered away about his schedule, his major (which we all know will probably change at least a gazillion times), how wonderful this school is my heart soared.

He was happy with his decision.

And that makes me happy for him.  Although bittersweet; still happy.  He is on his way to becoming an adult.  And I am slowly (very slowly) coming to terms with that.