Why College Students Need to Go Back in the Fall

Obviously, if it isn't safe, the college students should ablsolutely stay home and continue remote learning. With four college students in this family beginning this fall, I am prepared for each school to have a different plan, which will have it own complications. We can continue our set-up in this house for quite awhile, and we will. None of that changes the fact that I really hope they go back to campus. Because . . . Finals.

I have discovered this week that college students need to be on campus for finals week. There is clearly a reason why I have encouraged them to go so far away for college. Finals week. The stress levels among the three college students are off the charts. They are so wound up that even I had a stress dream about taking a final in solidarity!

Linnea waffles between being convinced that she failed the finals she has already taken, and being certain there is no possible way she can pass the test coming up. It appears that she has tests only, and no papers, and I can't figure out which would be better. I am quite certain, however, that if she had to call me to worry about her finals, I would hear a lot fewer things like, "Do you think I failed?" or "What if I failed?" and "I'm sure I probably failed." Only because I would actually have the opportunity to not answer the phone, not because she wouldn't be calling! She would be far better served by being surrounded by her cohort of worriers than being here with us. Although, we will still love her in the end, even though she is driving us crazy . . .

Caroline appears to have mostly papers and some tests. As usual, we can't figure out when she actually does her work. Mostly, we hear, "Ugh! I don't want to write this paper!" and "I know I should be doing that paper." or "Maybe I'll wait and work on that paper later." When asked later how her paper is coming, we inevitably get this response, "That paper? Oh! That's finished, I turned it in!" I'm pretty sure she is a vampire, working diligently at night as the rest of us are sleeping. Which leads to high levels of cranky fatigue during the day . . .

Tim has been the biggest surprise. He seems very organized and scheduled -- which would come as quite the shock to his first grade teacher, who despaired of him ever having a tidy desk. It is comforting to realize that study skills and habits can be learned over time. However, he is exhibiting anxiety that is very unexpected. For some reason, he cleans the kitchen when he's anxious. More than once, he has been found muttering over the dishwasher as he reloads it, "Why would you put the bowls there?" and "Who loaded it this way?" He has also been seen loading the dishwasher on days other than his, because he can't stand looking at the mess in the kitchen. Even his sisters are noticing, Caroline just asked him if today was his dish day -- to which he responded immediately, "Yes!! This is why the kitchen looks fabulous!"

Hmm . . . maybe only Linnea and Caroline need to be on campus for finals week. Tim can stay here.