BulgingButtons

Not bad for a fat girl

Category Archives: Family


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And Then There Was One

And it’s the one that makes the most sense, of course. Yes, folks, he’s going to the hometown University – Arizona State!

FIMOpvK7_400x400You see, Arizona State University did this really cool thing. While he was weighing pros and cons they gave him a call. By they, I mean a super chill guy named Luis from the financial aid office. Luis wanted my son to know that Arizona State University decided they wanted him badly enough to pay for his full tuition and fees, for four years. Yeah, baby!

That bit of information made his decision so much easier, and it opened me up to admitting that deep down I dreaded the idea of him being all the way in Indiana, no matter how terrific Purdue University is (and I truly believe that it is terrific). He’ll be close by, he can still see his grandparents regularly, and several of his close friends are going there as well. Who knows, maybe they’ll rent a house together after freshman year? I suppose it’s possible.

My greatest fear, the university’s sheer size, has also been calmed. He was invited to apply to a particular engineering program that puts together a cohort of students who have similar educational goals. He was accepted right away. I suppose that fact that they invited him to apply meant that they wanted him in the program. I’m not sure about that one. It doesn’t matter though, I think it will be a good fit for him, sort of a school within a school approach. In fact, it seems similar to the International Baccalaureate program from which he’s graduating high school (only on a much more difficult scale, of course).

Anyway, I suppose it was inevitable. From birth this guy has been surrounded by ASU “stuff.” He had Sparky onesies and he attended Sundevil football games in diapers. His bedroom was painted gold with maroon accents, and his clock sported Sparky pointing to the hour and minute. His golf towel is embroidered with the pitchfork, and the plastic cups in our kitchen bear the ASU logo. Yes, this boy is a Sundevil, and this mom is a proud ASU mom.


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And Then There Were Two (Universities, That Is)

The whole process of selecting and applying to colleges and universities has been a daunting one for my son. There was so much information to wade through, and so many factors to consider. There were applications to complete, essays to write, recommendations to request, and more. It was a strenuous process, to say the least.

The tallies are in, and there are two universities in the running for my son’s heart, mind, and tuition. Today is April 5, and decisions have to be made by May 1. You might think it would be easy, but you would be wrong.

In-state vs. Out of State

It would be nice to have him nearby, at the local university, but I think he might miss out of something by not striking out on his own, away from his high school comfort zone, both in terms of geography and friends.

On the other hand, the other university is SO far away! I would see him far less, and each visit would cost hundreds of dollars. Still, there’s something to be said for striking out on your own.

Cost

Both universities have offered him scholarships and financial aid packages. They’re fairly comparable, but the in-state university has the added bonus of being, well, in-state. They’re both public universities, so they offer reduced tuition rates to residents of their respective states. Obviously our in-state university has a huge advantage here. Between the aid package and the savings we’ve managed to cobble together over the years, he could earn his bachelor’s degree there without any significant (or possibly ANY at all) debt. Wouldn’t that be something in this day and age?! The other university would require some loans from all three of us (him, me, and his father).

Climate

Okay, maybe it’s just the mom in me, but baby it’s COLD out there! Out in the midwest, that is. Yesterday when I looked up the temperature it was 36 degrees! It was 89 at our house, with bright sunshine.

Now I grew up in the Great Lakes region, so cold and gloom are nothing new for me, but my boy is a sunshine kid. He claims not to mind, though. And he DID visit the campus in December. Still, brrr!

Campus

By this I mean the feel of the campus. Does is seem like a place you might like to spend the next four years of your life? Only he can tell that one. Sometimes a place just feels right, you know?

Energy

This is similar to the campus one. What does the energy of the place feel like? Do you get excited thinking about it? Or is it just a place to punch in and punch out? It was clear to me after his December visit that the out of state school had a great energy for him. His eyes lit up talking about all he had seen there. For me that was enough. Ultimately, though, he’s the one who has to make the decision.

Making the Call

Time is ticking and he has to reserve his spot at one of those universities soon. I know he’s torn, but either way he’ll get an excellent education. I support either decision. I just hope he chooses for the reasons that make the most sense for him and his future.

 


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Road Trip!

hollywood-1600x1200My boy and I took off over spring break. Just the two of us. We hit the road, and stayed in a posh “old” Hollywood Hotel that stretched the limits of my budget, but you know what? I didn’t care.

On the way there, we stopped at the Patton Museum out in the California desert. It’s a cool little museum with a massive topographical map of the region and an impressive display of tanks and other military vehicles. My son loved it as much as his father does. I sent his dad some pictures, and he was thrilled that I took him. I’m glad we stopped there. It was informative, and a nice break along the way.

Once in Los Angeles, we spent a day at Universal Studios. We were surprised when we got a sneak peek at the whole Harry Potter section, which isn’t scheduled to open until next month. Boy was it fun! Hogwarts Castle is fantastic, and even though I was too fat to actually ride the roller coaster (yes, it’s true) I still LOVED going through the castle (designed to accommodate a long line, but we zipped through it – in fact we zipped through all the lines).

I felt bad for my son about the fat thing, but he didn’t want to ride without me so he missed a few rides (two in Harry Potter land and the Mummy). We had a blast on just about everything else though, even if I did feel a little squished in most of them. Lucky for me he’s a good sport, and didn’t make me feel bad at all about my fatness. He’s a keeper.

We also did the tourist thing at Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, and had a ball posing with the wax figures. It was fun to be with him and let our hair down. Superheroes? Got ’em. Pop stars? Yep. Sports figures? Politicians? Actors? They’re all there. AudreyHepburnAtMadameTussaudsHollywoodI had breakfast with Audrey Hepburn and he putted with Tiger Woods. We sent home photos of Forrest Gump and Lawrence of Arabia. I even shelled out for the silly green screen photos they took of us escaping a dinosaur attack.

We also ate on our trip. Boy did we eat. I had a voucher for the hotel, and we ate one “fancy” meal there. Striped bass with vegetables and fried stuffed squash blossoms. Delish. We also had the most delicious burgers at a place that was so good we went twice. And then there was the sundae. Oh. My. Gawd. The Ghiardelli chocolate people have an ice cream parlor right on Hollywood Boulevard, and they have the most heavenly concoctions imaginable. The ingredients are top notch, and the whole experience is a lot of fun. Just thinking about it has me craving another sea salt caramel hot fudge sundae.

doheny-memorial-library-uscThe good news is that we got some exercise too. We hoofed it around the LaBrea Tar Pits, the LA Farmer’s Market, and USC’s campus, not to mention all the miles at Universal Studio and along the Walk of Fame. I even swam laps in the post hotel pool (sight of a Marilyn Monroe photo shoot long ago, I’m told).

I don’t know if it’s the last trip my son and I will get to take together as he prepares to fly the nest, but it was certainly a good one. I’m so glad we splurged and spent a few days living the high life. In the end I won’t remember the cost, just the time spent with my son enjoying each other’s company.