The One With the Umass Move In Year Two

 

 

Today was Bri's move in day at UMass. Having gone through it once before, we felt much better prepared for this year's sojourn (the best way to describe it) to UMass.

This year, was going to be a bit different for two reasons. First, Bri is a sophomore, so the crowds were not as large as when she was a freshmen. Also, she was moving into one of the towers, so it would involve her transcending 15 flights. 

 As we got closer, we realized, like last year, the signs were confusing. But Bri figured out if we went down Massachusetts Ave (just a little past the street we normally go down to get to the SW region), we would be fine. And, it turned out the wait was much better than last year doing it.

We checked in and quickly got to the tower. The crew that helped move in was AMAZING. They got everything unloaded in five minutes (I wish they could have helped us pack). I went to park, Emmie and Kiff were getting ready to meet us, and Bri went up with her stuff. She had to walk and literally texted us from the 9th floor saying we should not make the trip up. She - who goes to the gym regularly - was out of breath.

 So, we waited while she put together her room. We hear it looks great. And she came down and went to Hampshire to eat - the stir fry is delicious. Year 2 move in proved much smoother than Year 1.

The One Where Bri Makes Dean's List

 

We got a pleasant surprise this week. We found at that during her first semester, Bri made the Dean's List at college.

We were not surprised. She put in a ton of work and spent hours doing homework, as well as studying at the library. 

Congratulations Bri. Great work!!! 

 

 

 

The One Where Bri Gets Into College

 

 

Today was an amazing day. Bri found out that she not only got into one college, but two!!! How amazing was that.

 I first heard she got into one from Emmie on the phone. When I talked to her, she said Bri had good news. She encouraged me to call Bri. Lo and behold, I called and found out she got into Endicott College. Great job Bri. Not only that, but she also got an 80,000 scholarship over four years.

 However, that was not the only college she got into. She found out that she also got into Bridgewater State as well (my Dad and Uncle Chet would have been proud). They essentially gave her full tuition for four years.

 What an amazing day. It is great to know Bri has a place to go.

The One With the Boston College Tour

 

 

July 11, 2024 - 22 years to the day of Emmie and my first date, another epic first occurred. I got to go with Bri tour Boston College on a college visit. It was an amazing experience and very surreal. After all, I graduated there 40 years ago.

To be honest, there were a few things I found out. First, BC has changed a lot. The standards of who they let in has changed (and the number of admitted students has dropped a ton). One of the speakers, when asked about SAT scores, said that in some majors 1340 would be acceptable and others, they might expect 1500. 1500! Are you serious?

After the realizing that I would never be admitted to BC if I applied now settled in (fortunately Bri is a better student), we enjoyed touring a variety of places on Campus. We went to several of the halls, including Gasson Hall, and visited a few of the classrooms, as well as the Bookstore area - always fun.

When we were done, we went to the Bookstore and also got a quick snack in the dining hall. Lots of fond memories came flooding back during my time there, and I showed Bri a few of my favorite spots. I tried to show here her the School of Education, but most of that was being revamped.

It was a fun day and we had a blast! I was also happy to hear that Bri was sincerely interested in going there, particularly after the tour.

The One With the College Meeting

 

 

Tonight, Bri, Emmie, and I attended Junior College Night at DHS. The night was a one hour presentation about the college application process for juniors.

 

The night was interesting. There was a ton of information, as well as a QA session involving admissions employees from UMASS Boston, UMASS Lowell, UNH, Suffolk, and Endicott - colleges that students from DHS often apply to.

 

The night was informative, but also overwhelming. However, it marks another milestone as we begin to look at colleges.