Move-ins after first year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is she allowed to park her car on campus all year? Did she drive herself before, when a parent accompanied her?

This would not work for my kid with severe ADHD, but if your kid is very functional and organized, and has already driven the route... then perhaps, yes.

Well if your kid has severe ADHD, you likely are not letting them take a car sophomore year to a university that is an 8 hour drive from home. That combo simply doesn't work for most.

My kid with mild ADHD didn't take a car until senior year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's no airport nearby? I would buy her a ticket instead.

OP stated She is taking the car for the year. Cannot check a car for a flight

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do parents always continue to accompany kids after first year when they go relatively far away? We were planning to send my husband with our sophomore daughter on her 8 hour drive next week to move into her sorority, but he's had something come up at work and I have an unavoidable work commitment too (and we have two other kids at home). She is fine with the drive, seems ok asking friends to help lug her stuff, and will be keeping her car at school - he was going to fly home. Of course last year we did the whole thing with her - overnight trip, put everything together, etc. Needless to say in the 1990s we wanted nothing to do with our parents on campus. Are we terrible parents sending her off with a packed SUV, snacks, phone, etc.?

My dad moved me move into my dorms/apartments each year of college. This was in the 90s and I went to school half way across the country. He didn't stick around to unpack things or anything but I have very clear memories of him lugging boxes up to the 4th floor walk-up of my sophomore year dorm. No air conditioning and it was HOT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's no airport nearby? I would buy her a ticket instead.

DP, but I’m not sending my kid on their own to wrangle all the stuff they would be bringing. The car would be easier for a solo person.

And yes, please don't send your kid via airplane without a plane for someone (friends) to help them for move in. My kid's soph year, one of their friends parents did just that (they were on vacation!!). Kid showed up at 4pm at the dorm and had no plan for getting their stuff from storage. I was still there with rental car and helped friend with 3 trips from storage to get everything to the dorm. So just make sure they have a plan (or your credit card to take Ubers to do it all)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is she allowed to park her car on campus all year? Did she drive herself before, when a parent accompanied her?

This would not work for my kid with severe ADHD, but if your kid is very functional and organized, and has already driven the route... then perhaps, yes.

OP - yes and yes, and appreciate that this is a kid-specific decision. Sorority has free parking(!) and we have done this drive as a family several times, weather looking good.

OK, then it looks like she can handle herself. To me this is not a "setting up room" issue (couldn't care less about that), it's a driving safety issue.

And most 19yo are capable of driving 8 hours by themselves safely. If not, they should not be having a car at college, IMO

[Anonymous]

Tell her to get an early start leaving and take her time driving. She'll be fine, she'll have time to unload her car over several days if she has to.

I went to school 16 hours away from home and had a car starting sophomore year so I drove myself. Had to stay in a hotel if I split it into 2 days, which was a little scary at first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's no airport nearby? I would buy her a ticket instead.

DP, but I’m not sending my kid on their own to wrangle all the stuff they would be bringing. The car would be easier for a solo person.

And yes, please don't send your kid via airplane without a plane for someone (friends) to help them for move in. My kid's soph year, one of their friends parents did just that (they were on vacation!!). Kid showed up at 4pm at the dorm and had no plan for getting their stuff from storage. I was still there with rental car and helped friend with 3 trips from storage to get everything to the dorm. So just make sure they have a plan (or your credit card to take Ubers to do it all)

That’s sad and nice of you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's no airport nearby? I would buy her a ticket instead.

DP, but I’m not sending my kid on their own to wrangle all the stuff they would be bringing. The car would be easier for a solo person.

And yes, please don't send your kid via airplane without a plane for someone (friends) to help them for move in. My kid's soph year, one of their friends parents did just that (they were on vacation!!). Kid showed up at 4pm at the dorm and had no plan for getting their stuff from storage. I was still there with rental car and helped friend with 3 trips from storage to get everything to the dorm. So just make sure they have a plan (or your credit card to take Ubers to do it all)

That’s sad and nice of you

Yes, I thought it was a bit sad as well. I flew 3k miles (2 flights) to move my kid out at end of freshman year and again for moving back in sophomore year. When you cannot rent a car as a 19 yo, it makes it difficult. I get if you cannot afford it, but if you are on a tropical vacation, you can, and should have adjusted your plans accordingly IMO.

[Anonymous]

After freshman year, I did not help to set up their (2 sons) space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is she allowed to park her car on campus all year? Did she drive herself before, when a parent accompanied her?

This would not work for my kid with severe ADHD, but if your kid is very functional and organized, and has already driven the route... then perhaps, yes.

OP - yes and yes, and appreciate that this is a kid-specific decision. Sorority has free parking(!) and we have done this drive as a family several times, weather looking good.

OK, then it looks like she can handle herself. To me this is not a "setting up room" issue (couldn't care less about that), it's a driving safety issue.

And most 19yo are capable of driving 8 hours by themselves safely. If not, they should not be having a car at college, IMO

It's not a great idea for any driver of any age to drive solo 8 hours straight. I wouldn't let my fairly new teen driver do it alone.

[Anonymous]

I think an eight hour drive is a lot to do alone -- I wouldn't want to do it myself -- but I think your DD should be able to find someone local who might drive with her.

But we don't do long drives in our family, so maybe that's just me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is she allowed to park her car on campus all year? Did she drive herself before, when a parent accompanied her?

This would not work for my kid with severe ADHD, but if your kid is very functional and organized, and has already driven the route... then perhaps, yes.

Well if your kid has severe ADHD, you likely are not letting them take a car sophomore year to a university that is an 8 hour drive from home. That combo simply doesn't work for most.

My kid with mild ADHD didn't take a car until senior year

My kid with ADHD took a car to a school 8 hours away, what is up with a car being there and being ADHD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is she allowed to park her car on campus all year? Did she drive herself before, when a parent accompanied her?

This would not work for my kid with severe ADHD, but if your kid is very functional and organized, and has already driven the route... then perhaps, yes.

OP - yes and yes, and appreciate that this is a kid-specific decision. Sorority has free parking(!) and we have done this drive as a family several times, weather looking good.

OK, then it looks like she can handle herself. To me this is not a "setting up room" issue (couldn't care less about that), it's a driving safety issue.

And most 19yo are capable of driving 8 hours by themselves safely. If not, they should not be having a car at college, IMO

It's not a great idea for any driver of any age to drive solo 8 hours straight. I wouldn't let my fairly new teen driver do it alone.

DP: My 19yo is not a "new driver". they started driving at 15 (must have at least 6 months with permit but can start at 15 and cannot get DL until 16). They had their license for 3.5 years when they started sophomore year of college.

So while I'd prefer someone be in the car with them for longer trips, I'm not tagging along for an 8 hour trip back to college (I would for a 2-3K mile trip or would require them to have a friend with them for that long)

[Anonymous]

Not going this year. DC ready to get back to school and friends and is fine with not having us along - sadly!

[Anonymous]

PP here. I will note DC is flying, not driving which could make a difference.