A New Chapter

Why do baby birds leave the nest before they can fly? 

So that they can learn to fly. 

The dust is now settling on the whirlwind of action of the last few weeks. We've shopped for college, packed for college, taken care of last doctor visits, paper work, financial details, hair and nail appointments, hanging out saying goodbyes, driven 10 hours to university town, set up a daughter in the dorm room of her university, explored the university town (within COVID guidelines) and then driven back home. 

College shopping was kind of fun, I have to admit. 

Car was packed to the gills driving down on I-95. 

Our first visit on the campus was a day before move-in. We had heard that the Wake Forest University campus is beautiful, and as we toured the grounds in the evening sunlight that colored the whole campus  golden, it looked like a scene from a movie. The WFU campus is scrupulously clean and maintained with plants and trees that add to the beauty. I was overwhelmed with emotion to see how beautiful the campus is. If I had to leave my baby to be on her own, at least I was leaving her in gorgeous surroundings. 

While we were in Winston-Salem, we heard about another North Carolina University (UNC) that sent all the students back home because of wide-spread (read hundreds) COVID cases. The students were in campus only for a few days. It was unsettling news, obviously. Wake Forest is being strict about their COVID guidelines, but we are not taking anything for granted at this point. One party could lead to an outbreak of high numbers. I'm just hoping and praying that my daughter stays healthy and safe, and will be able to study, whether in campus or from home if they end up sending everyone back home. 

So, a new chapter has begun in our lives. The first baby has flown out of the nest, and that impacts the whole family. I've been feeling a bit blue, but at the same time happy that she has this opportunity to study at a great school. I feel for her too. It's not easy for new college students to leave home amid all this uncertainty, and make new friends when you're supposed to socially distance, and study on mostly online classes (how do you create relationships with professors?), and be on your own in a strange place for the first time. But kids are more resilient that we know, and stronger than they think they are, and they rise up to the challenge. Sending my college student love and light and positive thinking.