Dropping Off a Kid at College
We’re off to Tuscaloosa today to drop Number One off at Bama. That’s right, pull up to the curb, shove him and his stuff out the door, and then pedal to the metal baby!
I know, I know, it probably won’t be quite that simple. First off, you won’t be able to even find the curb for all the hundreds of cars ahead of you, and then there’s the small matter of getting the stuff up to his room. And do you think Eyegal is just going to plop all that junk in there without doing some “arranging?” I don’t think so. And even after all that, there’ll be a Wal-Mart run (or two), plus the obligatory “last meal” consisting of stone cold food served at some overcrowded local eatery and then, finally, the goodbyes, which I’m sure won’t take long at all.
Anyway you slice it, Eyegal and I will have an easy time of it compared to our parents. In her case, they dropped her off at Harding and then proceeded to move to Brussels, Belgium for a 5-year work assignment. In my case, the first trip to college involved a two day trek in triple digit heat from Virginia to Searcy in August, 1980 with my recently-widowed mother in a borrowed Pontiac family truckster loaded with all my worldy possessions (Number One is packing so lightly that it’s leaving us thinking: Are you sure you have everything you need?).
I even made a cheesy sign for the occasion and put it on the back of the wagon: Where in the World is Searcy, Arkansas? People would drive past us on the interstate, shrug their shoulders, and mouth the words: “You got me.” The more helpful ones would smile and point straight ahead.
As we drove across the Delta somewhere around Wynne, Arkansas, my mother had had just about enough of the endless sea of cotton, rice and soybean fields that stretched from one horizon to another. With tears streaming down her face, she turned to me and said: “I can’t believe you’re going to college in this God-forsaken place.” I tired to reassure her, but I remember thinking: I can’t believe it either.
But once we got to Searcy and she saw the beautiful Front Lawn and the rest of campus, she was finally convinced that Arkansas did indeed have some trees and she started to settle down a bit.
Yeah, dropping off a kid at college–no big deal. I’m sure it’ll be easy. After all, this is the way it’s supposed to be, right?
(sigh).
16 Comments
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mmlace
Awww……I hope you and Eyegal will be okay!
mmlace
Perhaps he’s secretly packing light so that he can have an excuse to come home to visit…you know, to get the things he “forgot.”
That Girl
What? You didn’t have to stop in Parkin for inattentive driving?
Alan Gable
Unwarranted advice for primary unnamed son of EyeGuy – Your Mom’s gotta nest. Let her arrange your room her way(even if she wants to put a “dust ruffle” on your bed). Don’t fight it. That only makes it worse. It’s kinda what Moms do. When she leaves, then move things around and put up whatever roll tide paraphernalia you deem necessary.
Also, if you see a rugged looking dude with an old black and white hat walking around campus early in the morning, keep it to yourself. The rest of the nation is not aware that the Bear still lives…
Brady
I feel your pain, and the excitement of the moment. This will be another clear memory you’ll blog about in 27 years.
bpb
I remember it always being SO HOT every time it was time to move in/move out . . . and going up and down, up and down, up and down, those stairs at Lipscomb . . . why don’t they have elevators in those dorms??
Hal
I remember getting that day my parents dropped me off in 1978. My mother couldn’t stop crying and my father was grinning from ear to ear wishing that he could relive his college experience through me.
I’ll have to do the same with my number one in two years. I think that I’ll have to be medicated. Best wishes to you and Eyegal.
Mike the Eyeguy
It actually went pretty well–more later.
Jason Bybee
Isn’t Tuscaloosa a God-forsaken place, too? 🙂
Mike the Eyeguy
It might possibly be for a certain orange-clad football team come the third weekend of October!
Carolinagirl
Ah – the un-nesting syndrome begins. I remember shooing my parent away saying “begone, I’ve begun a new life.” …and that was at Freed-Hardeman. :0)
Jason Bybee
Nice retort!
Hope #1 has a great time. I know he’ll be just fine…
Terri
I just got back from dropping my oldest off at Harding. He was too busy eating lunch with some “cool kids” to come out & say goodbye when we were ready to go. My husband & I knew then it was time for us to go. For the record, he did come out and there were hugs (and not too many tears) all around. It wasn’t too bad and I am soo excited for him. We saw many friends from our time at HU & that was a lot of fun for us too.
Mike the Eyeguy
Terri–
I didn’t realize that we each had one the same age. I hope Harding is a blessing for him as it was for us.
To all–thanks for your comments and well wishes.
Darlene
I too just got back from Harding last night. We dropped my baby girl off on Thursday and hung around to get those last minute details taken care of. Man was it HOT!!!! Funny thing is, I dropped my number 2 off at Harding and my number one arrived safely in Fallujah for his second tour in as many years. She wouldn’t let me do anything other than carry boxes up three flights of stairs in 150 degree heat! Oh wait… I did get to hang up the shower curtain! Cathcart is her new home now… her room here sure looks empty.
Mike the Eyeguy
Darlene–it’s a long way from Fallujah to Searcy. As hot as Searcy is, Fallujah is hotter. God bless you and your children.