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This week I was talking with a friend whose son graduated this last year and is planning on going to Fort Hays College to study paleontology this coming school year. When I was talking with her you could see the sparkle in her eyes and the wide smile on her face that showed just how proud she was of her son and his accomplishments. I saw no tears or heard no tremble in her voice as she was telling me of all the exciting new things he will be doing. You could truly tell how happy she was for him to start this next chapter of his life. I am hoping to be in her shoes this time next year telling everyone just how proud I am of Adam and to NOT be crying when I am doing it.

Adam happened to be there with me when we were visiting and she asked about his plans for college and if we had visited any schools yet. He replied that he is looking at Engineering and that he will be looking at Kansas University and UNL. He said he is leaning more towards UNL but it will determine on our college visit to KU to check out the Aero-Space department, professors and campus. That made me so happy! See until recently he really hadn’t said very much about college, except for what we had pried out of him, so for him to be talking about it on his own just made my day.

Later when Adam and I were driving home he asked if I made the appointment yet to visit KU. I said no but will first thing tomorrow morning. Our appointment is now scheduled for July 25th to go and check out KU.

So this week’s question is: What questions do I need to ask? Do I ask them or do I make Adam ask them? I am assuming that they will tell us all about financial aid, scholarships available and what credits will transfer if he decides to start at UNL and then transfer over to KU. But what are some of the other questions I need to ask: intramural sports, campus life ministries? Do I ask about the crime rate or do I just goggle that so they don’t think I am one of those mom’s?

It’s funny as I sit here writing this my husband Jason is telling Adam to watch out for Jalyn tomorrow as she starts her first day of detasseling. Daddy is worried about his little girl going to work in the fields for the first time, but he always seems so calm when we talk about sending our oldest away to a college that is 5 hours away from home. That must be why they call them Daddy’s Girl and Mama’s Boy.

 

 

About the author: Mikki Shafer

Mikki moved to Hastings in 1993 to attend Central Community College where she received her associate’s degree in Hotel/Motel Restaurant Management. While in college she met Jason Shafer and they were married in 1995. Mikki works for the Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce as the Membership Coordinator. Mikki is the mother of three children Adam -17, Kaleb - 15 and Jalyn - 12.