Freshman - any surprises?

[Anonymous]

Obviously every student is different and it may not translate for all, but any major surprises from what they were expecting from tours, word of mouth, and research they did before committing?

[Anonymous]

Our DC is at Towson. I've been surprised at the transition. He lost his glasses at a party and then lost his air buds on campus the next day. Got meningitis (I know!!) and we helped get him situated with that. He does have ADHD so maybe this is to be expected.

DC seems to be liking it and DH and I are glad we didn't do the OOS option. DC has needed more "tucking in" than I expected

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our DC is at Towson. I've been surprised at the transition. He lost his glasses at a party and then lost his air buds on campus the next day. Got meningitis (I know!!) and we helped get him situated with that. He does have ADHD so maybe this is to be expected.

DC seems to be liking it and DH and I are glad we didn't do the OOS option. DC has needed more "tucking in" than I expected

Oh my goodness, you’ve all been through it and meningitis! I know you couldn’t have predicted this one. You’re do a seamless and uneventful rest of the school year I hope!

Your post helped me too, have an ADHD kid and think closer is wise as they debate options.

[Anonymous]

Good luck, OP!! ♡

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our DC is at Towson. I've been surprised at the transition. He lost his glasses at a party and then lost his air buds on campus the next day. Got meningitis (I know!!) and we helped get him situated with that. He does have ADHD so maybe this is to be expected.

DC seems to be liking it and DH and I are glad we didn't do the OOS option. DC has needed more "tucking in" than I expected

I thought most colleges required the meningitis vaccine—does Towson not?

My senior’s doctor specifically said it was important to get before college, and most schools required it anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our DC is at Towson. I've been surprised at the transition. He lost his glasses at a party and then lost his air buds on campus the next day. Got meningitis (I know!!) and we helped get him situated with that. He does have ADHD so maybe this is to be expected.

DC seems to be liking it and DH and I are glad we didn't do the OOS option. DC has needed more "tucking in" than I expected

I thought most colleges required the meningitis vaccine—does Towson not?

My senior’s doctor specifically said it was important to get before college, and most schools required it anyway.

No vaccine is 100% effective. PP’s child may just have been very unlucky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our DC is at Towson. I've been surprised at the transition. He lost his glasses at a party and then lost his air buds on campus the next day. Got meningitis (I know!!) and we helped get him situated with that. He does have ADHD so maybe this is to be expected.

DC seems to be liking it and DH and I are glad we didn't do the OOS option. DC has needed more "tucking in" than I expected

I thought most colleges required the meningitis vaccine—does Towson not?

My senior’s doctor specifically said it was important to get before college, and most schools required it anyway.

There are strains not regularly covered in the US meningitis vaccination protocol. I _think_ it's B that isn't routinely included but not sure. I'd check with a healthcare provider (because I want my kids to have all of them when they're old enough).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our DC is at Towson. I've been surprised at the transition. He lost his glasses at a party and then lost his air buds on campus the next day. Got meningitis (I know!!) and we helped get him situated with that. He does have ADHD so maybe this is to be expected.

DC seems to be liking it and DH and I are glad we didn't do the OOS option. DC has needed more "tucking in" than I expected

I thought most colleges required the meningitis vaccine—does Towson not?

My senior’s doctor specifically said it was important to get before college, and most schools required it anyway.

No a lot do not require it.

I got it for both of my kids, because well it seems dangerous not to. Given that you can go from symptoms of having a cold/flu to being comatose/dead in 24 hours and that it's often misdiagnosed (if you can even get your kid to go to the ER/UrgentCare), it seemed prudent to get taxed.
Got first shot summer before freshman year and the booster at xmas time (If I planned even better they would have had it 2 months earlier and then booster before heading to college)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our DC is at Towson. I've been surprised at the transition. He lost his glasses at a party and then lost his air buds on campus the next day. Got meningitis (I know!!) and we helped get him situated with that. He does have ADHD so maybe this is to be expected.

DC seems to be liking it and DH and I are glad we didn't do the OOS option. DC has needed more "tucking in" than I expected

I thought most colleges required the meningitis vaccine—does Towson not?

My senior’s doctor specifically said it was important to get before college, and most schools required it anyway.

There are strains not regularly covered in the US meningitis vaccination protocol. I _think_ it's B that isn't routinely included but not sure. I'd check with a healthcare provider (because I want my kids to have all of them when they're old enough).

yes, it's B. That's the one not typically given until college age, and many peds don't even mention it (I had to ask)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our DC is at Towson. I've been surprised at the transition. He lost his glasses at a party and then lost his air buds on campus the next day. Got meningitis (I know!!) and we helped get him situated with that. He does have ADHD so maybe this is to be expected.

DC seems to be liking it and DH and I are glad we didn't do the OOS option. DC has needed more "tucking in" than I expected

I thought most colleges required the meningitis vaccine—does Towson not?

My senior’s doctor specifically said it was important to get before college, and most schools required it anyway.

There are strains not regularly covered in the US meningitis vaccination protocol. I _think_ it's B that isn't routinely included but not sure. I'd check with a healthcare provider (because I want my kids to have all of them when they're old enough).

yes, it's B. That's the one not typically given until college age, and many peds don't even mention it (I had to ask)

My HS senior just got that vaccine at her well visit after her 18th birthday, as suggested by her pediatrician. I'm shocked that pediatricians don't routinely recommend it -- that seems irresponsible.

[Anonymous]

Please get the vaccines for your kid. I personally know a kid who went to bed with a what seemed like an ordinary fever and passed before sunrise.

As for OP’s question, I was surprised by how much harder it was for my extremely extroverted kid to get into a social groove, and how attached she stayed to long-distance boyfriend and high school friends. Arriving and making friends feels like a very different process than it was when we were young.

[Anonymous]

I was surprised that mine seemed younger when I saw him, rather than older. He was skinnier and stragglier. Also very happy and excited about classes and clubs and friends in a young puppy sort of way.

[Anonymous]

DS is also at Towson - I was surprised that despite not finding friends yet and not really having a social life, he is enjoying it and has not wanted to come home. He did come home Friday to vote and wanted to go back Saturday morning...

Like PP, he also has a long distance girlfriend and has remained very attached. I guess face time/phone/texting it is easier to remain connected than in my day when it was $$$ calls or handwritten letters! He swears the GF isn't the reason he hasn't found friends - and he is doing some clubs/activities at school....

[Anonymous]

We sent our adhd kid to a small school in MA. She’s been through an ER visit, a nasty rooming situation that led to a room switch, a nasty sinus infection, and is currently on crutches for her screwed up knees for witch she needs to see a specialist out of state.

Despite all this, she is happy. Just had a friend move in with her that was having her own roommate troubles. Loves the area. Enjoying her classes.

[Anonymous]

My son is 15lbs or so skinnier. He walks everywhere and goes to the weight room every day with his new friends. I thought he would gain with the amazing food there, but he decided to not keep any food in his dorm room so no snacking, he says.