Okay, so I went with my daughter to orientation day for college.   And I thought sitting through a graduation mass was long.  O.M.G.

They split the parents and kids up to go their separate ways for the day.  Which is probably good because let’s face it…what kid at that age wants to be seen anywhere NEAR their parent?  Seriously.   The kids had lots and lots of fun activities and met lots of new friends…spent the night in a dorm…had a bon-fire…laughed…cheered…blah blah blah.

The parents?  We sat for hours on end in seminars.  The first one was 1 hr 45 min on one side of the campus…the next one was 2 hours on the OTHER side of the campus, then lunch back where the first seminar was on the OTHER side of the campus…then…you frickin guessed it…back across campus again for another 2 hr session.  RU frickin kidding me?  My knees are old.  It was 89 degrees.   I bet a man planned it.  Dumbass.

Speaking of men. Funny thing…as with most things in marriages…I’d guess 95% of the parents present were woman.  lol.  Maybe because the man can’t be trusted to retain anything of importance.    One mom I met there told a story about how her and her husband went to their oldest childs orientation and the husband fell asleep once and the rest of the time sat there with his mouth open and a dopey look on his face.  Clearly…his mind somewhere else.  So that’s how he got his ‘pass’ for this orientation.  Shane got ‘his pass’ much in the same way.   The sighing and complaining would have been too much.   For me I mean.  lol.

The first seminar went on and on.  My ass hurt so bad from those stupid chairs.   Then they asked if anyone had any questions.  *please…no one raise their hand, please…no one raise their hand!* No one raised their hand!!  For about 2 minutes anyhow, then someone reluctantly puts their hand up.   (damnit!)  Then another, and another.  And.  Another.   After all their questions were answered, we walked in the sweltering sun…campus maps on hand…to the next seminar.   You’d never guess what the next seminar covered!   It covered EVERY SINGLE question that was answered in the LAST seminar!      *blink* Plus one area that hadn’t been touched on yet….Study abroad.

So this part was interesting.  They encourage all their students to do a study abroad!  Yea!  Not only that, but there are opportunities to do 10-day ‘stints’ in other countries either missionary type stuff…or study related.   One guy went to Africa to help build huts for 10 days, and a girl went to Iceland to study her field of marine biology.  Now that’s some cool crap man!  And look…if I’m shellin out all this dough….they SHOULD encourage my kid to go abroad!   Shit, they should take our whole frickin family for a week!  (actually…other than airfare, it’s considered part of their tuition!  How swa-eet is that?)

The best part of the day was when I hugged my daughter goodbye for the night.   (and not just because I could leave!)  And it hit me as she walked away…this is really real.   I watched her interact and I’m so comfortable with this whole process.  It’s just a wonderful feeling.  To  look at your kid who…just 15 years ago was beating her head on the concrete sidewalk when she was mad…to be so outgoing…introducing herself to new people and getting excited about her new life away from home.  Very.  Very. Cool.   With that…I walked BACK to the other side of campus to sign out….bag in hand containing…of course…two new shirts “college name – mom” and “college name - dad”  (name intentionally left out incase any weirdos are reading this.   Shoo weirdos!  Shoo!)

*footnote:  Then next day I found out the kids were all up til 5am.   Yup.  College life.