Sarah and I arrived in Syracuse, NY and spent the first night in a motel. Bright and early the next morning, we and her three tightly packed suitcases made our way to Bed, Bath & Beyond to pick up dorm supplies. We had placed our order in Portland, and they were holding our merchandise for pick up in Syracuse. Pretty sweet deal! Target - conveniently located just across the parking lot - was our next stop.
In the parking lot, we got our first glimpse into how much snow this area gets in the winter...
Car fully loaded, we headed to campus. Good thing we got that full-size rental car!
Sarah scored early move-in because she was enrolled in a freshmen pre-orientation program. We realized as we arrived for our assigned time slot what a good idea that turned out to be. She was able to move in with relative ease, avoiding crazy lines and hours-long wait times often experienced during regular move-in. Sweet!
Sarah was assigned a room in Ernie Davis Hall, named for Syracuse football player and Heisman trophy winner, Ernie Davis. One of the newer dorms on campus, it's only three years old, and is the only dorm with air conditioning. It's also centrally located on the main street through campus, just down the road from the Schine Student Center, the library, and the Quad. She really lucked out! We found out that this dorm has the lowest number of freshman of any dorm this year - good and bad, I suppose. Still, that is more students than her entire graduating class at ACMA! Just a little perspective...
When we entered the building to check in, a mom was standing in the lobby asking questions of the student at the reception desk. Turns out it was Sarah's roommates's mother, who immediately offered to help us bring in our things. Her roommate, Emily (yes, can you believe it?!), had just arrived and was getting her side of the room in order. Her dad came out to help us, too (so kind of them!), so we made quick work of moving in that car-load of stuff. Of course, the big gray rolling bins were the biggest help!
Sarah also lucked out in being assigned a "split double" room. It's shared with another student, but has a wall down the middle, so each has some privacy - and another wall to arrange furniture against. Furniture arranged, we set about putting together organizers, unpacking, and putting things away.
Three hours later, Voila! Her new home away from home!
Pre-orientation activities began that evening, so I headed off on my own adventures while she got down to the business of doing community service. During the next few days, her group volunteered at Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity, Boys and Girls Club, Gospel Mission, a food bank, and other non-profits in the mostly west-side area of Syracuse. Evenings were spent getting to know each other while ice skating (there's a rink on campus), watching movies, bowling, and such.
Three days later, we did some more shopping (there's always something else you need!), bought books, and began to become oriented with campus. Two important buildings we found right away were the Schine Student Center, housing the Bookstore, and the Library.
We found the buildings where she'll have her classes...
... and generally appreciated the architecture of so many beautiful buildings on this very,very hilly campus.
I must admit, I don't remember the names or colleges within most of these buildings. I do, however, remember the Hendricks Chapel, right on the Quad...
... and the old Library.
And, of course, the centerpiece of them all, the Crouse building, perched high up on a hill.
That, naturally, was the building where I attended a parent meeting for Visual and Performing Arts students. My poor knees quaked at the sight of all the steps required to get to the front doors, but climb I did. Sarah said she's heard this building referred to as the Hogwarts Building, and I can see why.
Inside, the staircases (yes, more steps!) were intricately carved, and stained glass windows lined the auditorium which featured a huge pipe organ. This is primarily the music building, and concerts and recitals are held here.
We both had Orientation activities and meetings to attend, but in between, we found more surprises as we continued our amble about campus. More evidence surfaced of expected snow: another fire hydrant, this one raised...
... and a covered walkway on a steep hillside. This one leads to three dorms in a location known as "The Mount", requiring close to 300 steps to get down to campus each day.
I was doing fine until I attended the Parent's Convocation that evening. I started to get misty when the talk turned to saying good-bye and letting go. I should have skipped that event... Night fell and I made my way back to the motel.
Today's event, however, the Chancellor's Convocation for students and families, was a must-do. Sarah and I arrived at the Carrier Dome in plenty of time to get good seats.
Afterward, we were treated to "lunch on the turf", after which we were strongly encouraged to say our good-byes and leave our precious cargo in the school's capable hands. Yes, tears were shed - by both of us - but it was much more graceful than I'd feared.
I'm so glad I had this special time with Sarah and wish her all the best in this year ahead.
One last thing: I noticed yesterday that this is what lies across the street from her dorm. Should I be worried?
