College Dorm Stuff. . . For Boys. . .

I have been seeing a lot of posts on Pinterest on what to bring and what not to bring to college for the freshman year.  I thought this would be a good post for today.  I searched the internet for these very same things last year when we were preparing to take Sprat to college.  I will share what I found and the truth about what is really needed. 
I will start with; things have changed since I went to college back when dirt was new.  College life is also very different for boys than girls, all the things that you think girls need or would like boys do not care about.  There are some things that us moms will have to insist on and that your sons will thank you for later, so be prepared to put your foot down. 
I did all of the dorm sheet shopping through the school flyer thing that all of the colleges send out.  Those are very handy but, in the words of my son, "the towels suck."  I bought all the sheets, towels, pillows, pillow cases, comforter etc. . .  Sprat informed me the laundry bag in that kit also sucked, it apparently ripped in the first weeks of school.  Sprat hated the towels the most, so my advice, buy your towels from where ever you buy your towels for your home.  Oh and boys do not care if everything matches, color and pattern wise that is.  Now for sheets it was very good to buy those through the college site because you  have to have the extra long sheets for dorm beds.   We also bought the trunk from the college site, we could have probably bought one from a local store but doing this online through the college site was very easy.  The trunk is a must for boys, Sprat decorated his with lacrosse stickers and band stickers and he used it as under bed storage, it had a lock so that he could lock any valuables in it when he was not in the room or when he would go home on break.  These locks are not 100% but they keep an honest person honest.  He kept his winter things in it during the fall and his extra summer things in it during the winter, it fit perfectly under the bed and it also was sturdy enough to use as an extra seat if you had company in your room.  We did not do curtains or hang things on the wall but I did take several of those command type hooks if we needed them.  Sprat did end up using those to hang extra towels or belts up, he even hung up a few lacrosse pinnies for decoration after we left.  We did get a small dorm fridge, I am not sure how much he used it but he had one if he needed it.  We did not do closet organizers, desk organizers, and things of that nature.  I did buy a caddy type thing for him to carry his shampoo, razor, soap, tooth brush and toothpaste to and from the showers.  Sprat stayed in a typical dorm where 16 boys shared a bathroom so this little shower caddy was a must.  He was not that enthused by it when I showed it to him but he did tell me later it was very handy and he was glad he had it.  I also got him some shower flip flops to wear to and from the shower and in the shower, he bucked at this and said it was stupid.  He later admitted he was glad he had them and he did in fact thank me for buying them for him. 
What Boys Need in the College Dorm:
trunk
shower caddy (Bed Bath and Beyond)
shower flip flops
command hooks of all sizes
towels (from where ever you buy them for home)
sheets, comforters, mattress pad, egg crate foam mattress thing (from college store)
lap top and printer, extra ink
flash drives
mini fridge used for leftovers and water
plastic refillable  water bottle  ( the one with water filter is really good)
lanyard for keys (if they do not already have one)
pictures of home and family (nothing fancy and just stuck where he will find them later)
surge protectors/ power strips
collapsible laundry basket (not what you can get from college store)
Small desk lamp
small fan ( a must according to Sprat)
Extra cash to leave with your Son ( most appreciated )
Snacks to leave ( another must per  Sprat)

Moms your instinct is going to be to decorate, take it from me I wanted to do the same, your son does not want this.  On move in day take:  water, lysol wipes, a trash can, paper towels, and snacks.   Don't say good bye in the dorm, do it in the parking lot.  It will not feel quite as final and you will not embarrass yourself or your son.  I got a little teary when we said good bye but, I cried like a baby off and on all the way home, just so you know, home was 13 hours away.   I still cry when he comes home and when we send him back, just not as much. 

A Little Hiccup in the Plans We Make. . .

I have said many times that God puts us where we are suppose to be.  I especially felt this when Sprat was first talking about going to Boston to college.  We prayed a great deal about this move and we talked about it at length with each other.  There were those that thought we were crazy to let our son go off to Boston by himself not knowing anyone and not having any family near by.   The hubbs and I put our faith in God and His plan for our son and we were at peace with this decision.
We found out just after Christmas that the school will be closing due to financial reasons.  They are not in any academic trouble.  To add to the trouble they are not going to have enough kids coming back to have a lacrosse season.  This is very sad for the kids like Sprat that came a long way to play lacrosse.  Several of the kids are not coming back for the Spring semester due to the school closing.  Sprat is going back to finish his freshman year.  He wants to continue his education in Boston so, we are looking now at other small colleges in and around Boston that have a men's lacrosse team.  I am very proud of Sprat and his first semester away at school he finished strong and I have great confidence he will finish as strong if not stronger in the Spring.
The college has several other colleges in the area that are going to help the kids finish their education, one in particular has reached out to Sprat and he is going to tour their campus when he returns for Spring semester.  He knows some of the students that attend this other college through working with them at the Boston College football games. 
Sprat was very sad to learn his school was closing, he loved the small campus with big city atmosphere just a few minutes away.  He also really enjoyed his classes and his instructors. We know that God has a plan and that he would not have taken my sweet boy to Boston to leave him hanging so, we continue to pray for discernment in this process.  Stay tuned as we are on that college hunt once more due to unforeseen circumstances.

Missing my Kiddo. . .

I thought I had this being a mom of a college student all in hand, boy was I wrong.   I do not have anything together.  I have been blaming work for not sleeping well since I have been working more nights and the truth is it is plain old worry.  I guess being a mom the worry never stops, I will worry when they are 40.  Kids do not understand that until they are parents themselves.  LOL!!  I sure did not understand.  My sister was quick to point out the worry I must have caused our mom when I was in college, when I was crying on her shoulder last week.
I know the parenting job is suppose to prepare our kids not to need us but must they not need us so soon.  Mine has gone off, Mr. Independent, tooling around the big city like a pro.  He loves it, and is having the time of his life and the worst part for me is that he does not miss home at all.  I know, I know he is suppose to spread his wings and fly to new adventures, I just did not think he would be this good at it. 
I pray every night that he will be safe while he is out tooling around the city and I pray that he does not lose his focus.  Focus being school and studying hard and preparing for his future.  Lots of prayers for all the moms and dads of college students that have gone off to spread their wings to new adventures.  This parenting thing is so hard and painful. 

The Year of Adventure. . .2018

As we are approaching the end of another school year and one that will end with Sprat going off to College, this is a BIG end and a BIG start.   Very nervous as everything is changing and the new territory we prepare to dive in.  The hubbs and Sprat were invited to visit his college of choice and to visit the business school since that is his curricula of choice at this time.   They got a tour of the business school and dinner then off to a basketball game.  They got to sit in  the Presidents' box and visit with both the President of the College and the President of the school of business.  Fun fact the President of the school of business use to be the President of the school of business at my hubbs Alma Mater.   I am very excited that Sprat will be attending my Alma Mater, it does a mamas' heart good for her baby to follow in her footsteps.  It does not hurt that the University is a pretty good school too. 
Big T will be finishing his first year of High School in a few months and boy has he done a lot in this first year.  He has grown so much as a student and has had some interesting opportunities at his school.  I cannot remember if I mentioned this or not so I will mention it again anyway.  At Big T's school they are encouraged to choose a pathway, Big T has chosen emergency medicine as his pathway.  In this program he could go on to be a nurse, physical therapist, EMT, or an OR technician.  He is interested in either the nurse or OR technician right now.   Yes, this is the kid that is terrified of needles and I did point out all the needle things that are involved in each of these careers.  He tells me that needles only bother him if there are intended for him.  Got love this kid. 
Stay tuned, as you can tell 2018 is going to be one crazy ride. . . .

Coaches and Their Responsibility. . .

Please forgive my rant this morning.   I am so sick and tired of coaches that think it is ok to put a student down in front of other students or to the student themselves.  I really wish people would grow up and act like adults instead of middle school playground bullies.  I posted earlier this year that Sprat was not going to be playing football in his senior year due mostly to the coaches and how they acted to the players.  In my dear son's words "they sucked the fun out of football."  We have always told our kids when a sport becomes more of a job than a sport and they are no longer having fun participating, it is time to move on.  Sprat made this decision on his own and has moved on to Lacrosse.  He is absolutely loving lacrosse and loves his coaches.  He comes home every night with a smile on his face and bruised from head to toe, but he is loving this sport.  I am so thankful for the men and the other students that are helping to coach this team, they are wonderful!!  
Now as for football I am beyond done and so is Sprat.  The football coach had to open the locker room the other day for the lacrosse team to get in.  This coach saw Sprat and called him by name in front of his peers and asked if he was going to sit the bench in this sport too.  I cannot tell you the restraint that it took as a mom to not go and have a prayer meeting with this two bit you know what. My son being the amazing kid that he is replied in true fashion of our family,  "that is a real knee slapper coach."  I cannot tell you how proud of my son I am because he repeatedly deals with this two bit you know what and he repeatedly proves that he is the better person and more of an adult than this two bit you know what will ever be in his wildest dreams.    Yesterday one of Sprat's teammates told him what another football coach said to him about my son.  Why is this coach talking to another student about my kid when he is not even involved in lacrosse or involved in any fashion with my son.  Can we please grow up and quit acting like children and start setting a better example for our kids.  Why would a "teacher," and I use that term very loosely, talk to anther student like that?
Now I am going to rave over the coaches that are working with this lacrosse team.  They are wonderful and they are setting a great example on how to be a man.  Again, I cannot say enough how thankful I am for these men and Lacrosse.  This sport has come at a time when my child needed someone and something to shoot for.  He said the other night that how much he is loving this sport and he even said how much he likes his coaches and how supportive they have been of him.  He has never played this sport before and with their encouragement and support and help he is doing really well.  He has also taken on the very difficult position of goalie and usually nobody wants to play goalie because you get his with balls coming at you at 90+ miles an hour.   My poor baby has the bruises to prove it, but he is very proud of everyone of his bruises.
If you are reading this and you are a coach please take what I have said to heart.  No matter what you think of a player do not, I repeat, do not talk about them to another player or anyone else for that matter unless you are raving about how good they are.  It will get back to them and their parents and their mom may not have as much restraint as I.