Working with frat boys is like working with five-year-olds

Wednesday October 12, 2011: sooooo right now I'm crazy busy especially on the weekends with sisterhood events and service events and homecoming and midterms that it seems that i wont be able to come home until like halloween weekend because I'm hopefully still going to XY University with  Hannah. But i'm pretty sure that i am free on sunday the 16th if you wanted to come up and get food or something and I will also see you at homecoming if you guys are still coming. I just wanted to let you know that right now i really dont have time to come home and that right now things are pretty hectic and a little stressful, plus my throat is killing me and yes I am taking my Emergen-Cs lol 

anyway thats my life right now, I can't believe my favorite month is already almost over! waahhhh lol 

xo Alexandra

wow. You sound really busy and productive and involved in campus life. Of course I can come up on Sunday. Can you please put schoolwork before sorority stuff? You don’t have to be at every meeting and event. And of course we’re still on for homecoming next Saturday. I hope you have a lot of fun this month, your favorite one. Please watch your money, you don’t need to eat out every day, other than what’s already pre-paid, okay. Let me know if you need anything. Mom

Wednesday October 12, 2011: I made an appointment with health services for tomorrow at 10 so hopefully it isn’t anything and its just cuz the weather is changing or something like that. and i do put school before my sorority im just saying i have a lot of stuff to do with them on the weekends like on saturday we are going pumpkin picking at xxx farms! But homecoming is next weekend so we have to like build and paint stuff and at least we are working with a frat so they are like building everything but its like working with 5 year olds

At what time does homecoming start, just in case dad wants to go in to work in the morning?

tailgating is at 10 in the xxx arena parking lot (thats where I'll be cuz thats where are the organizations have booths) at 1030 there is food and games and other fun stuff in the visitors lot which is right by xxx, there are a bunch of balloons and stuff like you cant miss where all this will be (well maybe YOU can loll) and the game starts at 12

Awesome, you sound like an adult. Great stuff, kid. Keep up the good work. When do midterms start? When I come up on Sunday, what shall I bring you grocery-wise?

next week are midterms

This college experience is falling into place, boohoo

Thursday, 17 February 2011

Do I pick you up around 4pm tomorrow?

We can go to the Met (art museum in NY for a project) either on Saturday after your hair appointment because it is open until 9pm on Saturdays, or on Sunday. Whatever you prefer but I need to ask Dad if he can drive on either day. Later, Mom

ummmmm idk i need to see when you are getting me tomorrow but idk what time yet i will call you either tonight or tomorrow morning after my class
and saturday would be easier cuz i wanna come back on sunday at like 2 in the afternoon cuz i have meetings and stuff on sunday and monday
anyways i paid with my debit card online the 125 for housing it was easier than going to the student housing because my friend said it was hell giving them a check for some reason so i still have ur check i can give back to you and it said pay with visa credit but i put my visa debit number down....it said it went through so im hoping it actually paid so i guess we'll find out
anyways today is my first pledge meeting my pledge class is 14 girls and we have our last mixer tonight and then i cant drink anymore sooooooo ill talk to you tomorrow and stuff
bye, Alexandra

Tuesday, February 22, 2011 So how was induction? How long did it go and what did you do?

i got my new member pin that i have to wear all the time for 6 wks .....thats all im allowed to tell you lol but it was nice =]

Thu, 24 Feb 2011: What are your plans for this weekend? Let me know, Mom

i'm staying up here cuz i have so much to do

The whole weekend?

Idk, mom, Ill let you know Friday

Well, Friday came and went and she decided to stay on campus all weekend, which is the first time since she started college that she didn’t come home. I felt a little bereft. Then I realized I should be grateful that she is maturing and finding her place in school. She was not homesick at all, hung out with her friends, did homework and studied. She called us on Sunday night because she thought she had a virus on her computer, and Dad guided her through the process of running the AVG program to scan and erase the virus. Other than that, she was just doing her own thing up there (on campus) and we had better get used to the idea.

This empty nest is starting to grow on us!

Notice the time span between emails. I am not contacting her every day anymore.

Tue 2/1/2011: hey so nothing is really going on this weekend so i think i might come home either friday or sat... ill let you know though

Thursday 2/3/2011: sooo i think im gonna come home on saturday at like noonish cuz on friday i wanna like do homework and go to the gym and stuff
but on the way home do u think we can stop at like the mall? i just need some things for mixers and stuff nd i think the bigger malls have a better selection so i can get stuff for cheaper than at our mall

Friday 2/4/2011: Yes, I can pick you up tomorrow around noonish, and stop at the mall.

What did you do last night? Be careful tonight, love mom

okay cool
im just planning on doing productive stuff today...gym hw im not going out tonight cuz i just dont feel like it

(Do I notice a little maturing/growing up here?…it does a mother good.) Side note from me, the mother: If you compare the first semester to the second, there is a lot less correspondence going on. I am more at ease. I don’t wake up in the middle of the night worrying anymore, at least on days I know she’s not at a frat party. The students seem to have calmed down, settled, figured out some things. My husband and I are a little lost being home without her, but that too is getting better. We are enjoying each other’s company more. I keep busy with a college course, only one at a time, and writing novels. Of course I also work full time during the day, but the evenings would be long without these activities. She still comes home every weekend, but it sounds as if that will be changing, too.