The Sunday of the weekend orientation for my oldest son was pleasant, and started off with me in my hotel room watching World Cup while Kyle slept in his dorm room. After the game I went over to Gonzaga and picked him up and we then went out to get a couple more items that were needed (like a cooling fan for his laptop). The actual orientation meetings and paperwork fillout sessions, along with an opportunity to turn in the tuition check (uh, yay?) started at noon, and went on for several hours.
In a way, this was the longest and most uneventful day of the trip. Much of the time was spent on the campus, waiting or going from one station to another. There was a reception for the parents afterwards, and I talked with a couple of other fathers about our boys and music and history and whatever else parents with nothing in common talk about in those situations.
Unfortunately, there was plenty of time for me to sit and stew with my own anxieties and I left the day more worried than at the beginning. Kyle, fortunately had plenty of things to occupy his time, so while he was a little nervous and excited, he wasn’t nearly as on edge about the coming six weeks as I am.
I returned to my motel room and contacted my cousin about meeting up for dinner. I didn’t hear from him initially, so I had even more time to sit with my feelings and be anxious. I also started watching a really bad DVD for review, and that didn’t help matters any. Fortunately, he did reply, and I did go meet him and his family for dinner.
An hour and a half later, and we leave the restaurant. It’s too late for me to see a movie (the times just don’t work) and to early to go to bed. Here I am back at my motel room, watching a lousy DVD for review. It was a great day, though, in the long run, as Kyle is getting set to begin his college journey, and I did get to spend a bit more time with Sean. Any way you slice it, that’s good stuff.