There are 2 times each year that I always think about college students. One is May - also known as chapter camp at Rockbridge (or Windy Gap) for InterVarsity folk. The other is mid August when school begins and freshmen enter into a whole new life. To be honest, I also think of the campus ministers who meet a zillion freshmen in 1 week, but that's another story. However, this mid August is different with back to school. Now it's about our cute redheaded 5 year old starting Kindergarten.
Facebook folk caused me to think that going to college for the first time might not be all that different than going to Kindergarten. Here's what I came up with...
1. Someone will cry. For Kindergarten, it might be the child. Or the parent and the child. For college, it will likely be the parent. Any doubt? It is impossible to watch Toy Story 3 and not cry.
2. Neither age listens very well to their parents. As Phil Ashley said, college freshmen probably listen less than Kindergartners.
3. The student is scared and nervous. A 5 year old will be more obvious, but the 18 year old is just as nervous and wants to do the right thing and get to the right place and not have people laugh at them.
4. Cafeteria food is not so good.
5. You need to know where the bathrooms are.
6. Back to School clothes are important.
7. School Supplies are always cool.
8. You have to make new friends and that is really daunting.
9. Your family adjusts to a new normal: a newly empty spot at the dinner table, waking up early, hearing about the new friends that they don't know and that makes a mother really nervous, and wondering what they do at school all that time.
10. Prayers by parents greatly increase around this time.
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