I have envisioned experiences so many times in my life and then those experiences didn't happen or end up at all the way I thought they would. Growing up, I can honestly say I never imagined adopting and raising a child who was born in China. Though I look back at my life and see that I was always drawn to Asian culture/Asian people in small ways. I gravitated toward Asian dolls and Asian art. I had Asian friends. The first boy I ever had a big crush on was Asian (I was in preschool - no joke). I never knew that my interest was a precursor - or possibly a sign - of things to come.
And if you had told me that my daughter would be going to college at a campus smack in the middle of a busy city, I would have thought you were crazy. I always figured my child would end up at a quiet, traditional campus somewhere. That wasn't the plan I guess. She is a midtown Atlanta girl now.
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Doug, Bri and I woke up the morning of move in very nervous and excited for what the day would bring. Briana's move-in time was at 1pm. She never heard from her actual roommate all summer - only the two other girls in the other dorm room in her suite - so Bri was going in blind as to what to expect. Freshman were moving in first, so Briana had the dorm room to herself for the first two days (since her roommate is a sophomore) which was wonderful.
* Just a quick aside...Briana's sophomore roommate came in on that Thursday like a hurricane (which I am not surprised about with the fact she never contacted/connected with any of the roommates all summer) and Briana had to have a conversation with her pretty quickly about how they would be able to coexist the entire school year in their room together. My introverted, only child Bri had to confront a complete stranger. She did it and the girls coexist just fine now. They aren't besties which is fine (the roommate has no real interest in getting close to any girls in the suite), but Bri is very close to the other freshman girl in her suite. So it is all good.
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The car was all packed up. We ate some lunch at home and then headed down to midtown Atlanta...
I think I was in shock it was actually happening. We had talked about it for SO long, and now the time had finally arrived. I was so grateful in that moment that Bri would only be about 45 minutes to an hour away from home (if traffic cooperates).
We got to the campus a little before 1pm, and the SCAD student volunteers were eagerly awaiting all the new student arrivals. We loaded Bri's things into two roller bins and Doug went to park the car. We had two volunteers bring us up to B's suite. The move in was a well-oiled machine. Seriously, we had no hiccups...
As soon as we got to the room, we got to work. The microwave/refrigerator combo we rented was already there in the suite and waiting to be plugged in. We had never seen the room before and we weren't sure who would show up that day. Bri's suite mate in the other room (who she is very good friends with now) did show up about halfway through us putting together Bri's room. We met her mom and grandfather too and they are so very nice.
Here was the final product...
The rest of the suite...
We did bring a TV to Briana a few days later to put in the living area. It has actually been great. Her friends like to come to her suite and watch TV. And they sometimes have movie nights.
Briana's view...
She is on the top floor (14th) and she looks out at Atlanta.
When we got done putting her room together, we looked around the rest of the building.
The hall and lobby of Bri's floor...
SCADfit in Bri's building (Briana has worked out here quite a bit)...
We got a little tour of SCADfit...
The pool (which is part of SCADfit)...
The laundry room in Bri's building...
Around SCAD (school store, mailboxes, etc)...
After spending several hours getting Bri settled, it was time for me and Doug to leave. It was difficult...
I got a little teary when I got in the car, but I didn't sob. I felt like she was going to be ok.
It was hard to wrap my mind around that she was living here now...
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We came back a few days later with the TV and Bri's car...
This was a welcome orientation for freshman...
They had a block party during welcome week...
She really likes her professors - especially her design professor. Her professor has kept two of her assignments for display...
Bri went to a SCAD Halloween party (she didn't dress up, she had a big project she had been working on and just stopped by)...
Briana has had some ups and some downs since starting school, but it is mainly freshman year growing pains. She is making friends, taking care of herself (laundry, cleaning the dorm, driving to get supplies when needed) and keeping up with her studies.
Her friends...
She is so sweet and sends us "proof of life" selfies...
She came home to visit one weekend and it felt so good to hug her...
I think I am still in a bit of denial that this has all happened. Having my surgery has kept me pretty preoccupied, so once I am better, I will have to really learn to adjust to Bri not living here full time.
Bri will be home for Thanksgiving/Christmas break on November 15th. She is on the quarter system, so she won't go back until after the new year and I am so happy about that. I miss her so much.
She is doing amazing. She really is. I am SO proud of her. She went from living a pretty quiet life to a very busy different one...
