2020 (63)
2021 (118)
2022 (197)
2023 (88)
光阴似箭, 日月如梭. 转眼老大就离家自立了. 今天一早七点不到, 戴着口罩和自家做的豆沙包,把他的车装的满满的开走了. 中午一点一刻,发短信告之: 平安到达, 去定好的公寓,办好手续,然后搬卸他的东西.
在他发的视频里,看见公寓后面就是湖水,有座小桥, 风吹的头发飞扬. 我们原计划是一起送他去,再度假一周左右. 结果计划赶不上变化. 瘟疫大流行, 那也去不了.
回顾他四年的大学生活, 成熟了不少, 许多事情都自己搞定.头一年和他高中同学合租住学校公寓, 大一去印地安拉州做了三月暑期工。巧的是和他一起去的学长，和他同名。爱好也差不多。他们一起买菜做饭。大二那年，和同学Tony每周日在Instagram发一个钢琴小提琴合奏曲。我成了他们的粉丝. 每周末等他们的视频. 大三只在学校上了四个月的课, 新年一过,就去公司做为期半年的实习（co-op）。对这个工作比较喜欢，要做许多软件设计。不过想去大点的城市。大四开学不久就来电告知有一个工作的offer了. 没想到COVID-19在短短几个月席卷全球,人心惶惶.还好回家后,一边上网课, 一边把他的公寓租好了. 中间给我们做了几次饭, 和弟弟一起跑了几次步, 我们一起去附近的公园走走. 好几次提及他的工作,有点迫不及待的感觉.
想当年我照着<<父母>>杂志上的育儿指南,记录着吃喝拉撒睡, 量着身高体重, 数着牙齿.那时我们住的公寓有好几家朋友, 我记得那时有一位八岁左右的男孩, 对我说:“你怎么总抱着孩子呀”. 我回答, “他小, 当然要抱了, 等大了,就不要抱了.” 他又问, “多大不用抱”, 我反问他,“你要你妈妈抱吗?” 他一下笑了.
如今我是想抱也抱不动了.当年小小婴儿如今成了自食其力的男子汉. 吾心甚慰!
Time flies by, Alex completed his first year at college. It seemed like yesterday, but lots of things happened.
August 12, 2016, we drove to his school. After parked the car, he went to the housing office to pick up the dorm key, then we carried his suitcase and box of supplies to his dorm. There was a welcome card attached to the door. The room was clean and neatly organized with a study desk and a three-drawer chest and a shelf. He shared the dorm with Chris, his high-school friend from the cross country team. Chris was there already and we saw several of his high school friends too. We left after he set up his bed.
Two weeks later, I sent him an email to tell him what going on at home. He replied my email with “thanks, it means a lot.” I texted him often to make sure everything were ok. He responded with “k” most of time, sometime, he did not reply at all. Then one day, I texted him “we booked the vacation package to Hawaii”. He immediate texted back and asked when. I texted back him with “in year 2020”. He replied with laughing face. I knew he read my message?
Labor Day weekend, he got a ride home. We were excited to see each other. He went to walk around the neighborhood for about an hour with his little brother. He shared lots of stories with us. He said teachers and students were cool. Study was not hard at all. He talked more about the new friends he made. There are lots of students at his floor who share the same interests; for example, everyone at his floor knows how to play ruby cubic; how to ride the Rip-stick. Several of students have music talent and they were hanging out at the lodge often and soon attracted more students from other floor, even other building. They become popular dudes and had great time. He returned to school with his violin, ukulele, and the keyboard.
October 15, we went to school to attend the parent meeting. Alex gave us a quick tour while leading us to the meeting place. I learned more about the school. After the meeting, I checked with him with the meeting notes. There was nothing to worry about because he had answered all my questions. We went for the lunch at a local restaurant. He introduced us to the restaurant owner. He said he’d been here couple times with other friends and it’s the best restaurant around the town. He shared his thought about taking music as minor and asked us for an opinion. I said, maybe he should check out details, such as how long and what kind of music, etc.
During one of phone conversation, I learned that he attended a school career fair and started to work on his resume.
Thanksgiving, he got a ride home. This time, he hung out with his high-school friends several times. He told us that Andy and he wanted to visit Josh during spring break and together they would go skiing. He asked for permission and support. He also told us that he changed his mind about the music minor because it will take too much of his time. He talked about the clubs he went, there were lots of meeting and gathering for new students. After interviewed with lots of group, he wanted to join the fraternity next month because this group has lots of students who share the same value and same principle like him. He showed me some paperwork about the fraternity group he was about to join. Its mission is “Better man, Better life”. He joined the fraternity along with other 16 freshmen before the winter break and would move into a fraternity house to share the room with 2 other brothers right after the winter break.
December 13, his dad came to school to pick him up. the fraternity house is a 3 storied building with about 20 rooms there. his room was 314. he shared with xx and xx. the house was very clean and have a large living area at the first floor. the kitchen was in the lower floor. all the people there were very friendly and everyone we met was stopped and chatted with us for few seconds. I really felt like a home there.
There are total 75 brothers in his fraternity group. all the member’s name and picture are hanging at the entrance wall. As a new member, he will schedule a 30 minutes session with each of them. he showed me his full-scheduled calendar and he loved it so he felt that he is fulfill lots of good deeds and not get bored.
He said that study at college was easier than high school. so I told him to work on his soft skill, engage with other students to become better communicator, better leader and make the people surround you feel welcomed and have positive energy to influence people.
In no time, spring is here. Andy and he drove to the airport from school and then flew to Utah to meet with Josh. together, they went skiing and had wonderful time.
After spring break, he told us that he plan to have a summer job and already been to school career fair twice. he also asked us which engineer branch should he be emphasis on: manufacturing, management and design. I told him to check out three of them via internship to get hands on experience.
April 18, he phoned us that he got an engineer intern job offer starts from May 22 at Columbus, Indiana. He will share an apartment with another friend who also get internship job there. They both will shop for their living items and then share the cost.
May 13, 2017, he came home after the final. He stayed home for a short week and packed everything he needed and drove his car to Indiana. It’s about 310 miles.
I was little worried because this is first time he drove that far all by himself to a totally new place. he left at 11 am and I waited around 7:30 pm to text him. and lucky, he replied that he unpacked stuff. I was relieved and called him and learned that he already ate and he almost done un-packing and another friend already there and everything was ok.
Later on, he sent a short video with his apartment as well as the view nearby. the 2-bedroom apartment looks very clean. the patio faces a lake and there is water foundation spring the water.
I called him on Monday and he packed his sandwich lunch to work. he woke up at 5:45 am, then arrived at work at 7:00 am. he and his roommate share the food and cook together, and he sent us several meals and looks very heathy and yummy.
he drove home on Father’s day weekend and we all excited to see him and he told us all the new machines he learned to use and he enjoyed working there. he comments all the people he works with are very nice and fun to hang out. he worked in the factory for first 4 weeks and now he worked closed with his boss to do more like sales assistant role. he still liked the work and he got up at 5:45 am and started work at 7 and left at 3.
he drove home again on 4th of July weekend because he wanted to participant the recruiting event for fraternity at City Museum.
Time really flies by. He completed his internship at August 4 and came home safely. He showed us his apartment lease and the recommendation letter from his intern company to invite him back for next year.
Now another year is started. we are looking forward to a new year.
Kitchen
? Rice, Flour, noodles, peanuts, Cooking Oils, Soy sauce, Spices
? Tofu, Veg, Fruits, napkins
? Cooking pan, plate, bowl, fork, spoon, Ziplock bag, lunch bag,
Medicine
? Face masks, gloves, Tylenol
? Location, shampoo, condition, soap, body wash, toothpaste, Toilet paper, face tissue
? Shower curtain
? Dish washer, soap, dryer sheet, washer detergent
Living room
? Table, chair, computer, pen, paper, notepad
? Sports, fun stuff, family photo
Bedroom
? Bed
? Bedding, sheet, comforter, quilt
? Cloth
? Shoes, hats, belts, ties
Car
? Jumping kits?
? Oil?