Phase one, the University lauch

Youngest's off to University. Classes start Monday, so he's going down early to get adjusted.

Just like the airlines, University over-booked, and because the freshman dorms were all full earlier in the summer, Youngest had been assigned to Special Interest Dorm dedicated to groups like Engineering students, Band, ROTC, etc.

University placed him in a suite with 2 rooms with a private bath between them (the room is a little bigger than the rooms in the freshman dorm).

He was to have one roommate and one other suite-mate, but the floor is filled with upper classmen involved in the Air Force ROTC program at the University (not that there is anything wrong with that, just that he's not in ROTC). AND, the students were on their own for cleanup etc in the bathroom (imagine how that could look after a semester).

Yesterday University called to say there was an opening at Freshman Dorm in a room with two other students. The room has a sink, but no bathroom. There is a common bathroom for the wing down the hall (so he's sure to be sharing it with at least one person who is unsanitary!). But University keeps it clean.

He likes Freshman Dorm because its not interest oriented, its filled with freshmen and its more centrally located on campus. So, after some discussion he took it and is pleased. He shares a room with two others he doesn't yet know, but he has already been in pretty constant touch with several people he met at camp earlier this summer, and is enthusiastic about making friends with like-minded people. Hopefully, his room is more than one room away from the bathroom.

He took off this morning for Welcome Week, several days of university-planned activities designed to get everyone into the swing of things. He meets professors, has game time and lectures over the weekend to immerse him into the "bubble" that is University. The activities are designed to get the students up early keep them busy all day and up late to wear them out. It is a little cult-like in a good way. As a result, I already sense he will have a real community and a real connection that I've learned can be a good part of the college experience

Anyway, Youngest's launch was successful and he is excited and well-prepared.