Positively Tuesday-Empty Nesters Again

     We got the youngest moved back to campus yesterday. It was pretty uneventful, in a good way. Also, the day had a very different feel from the  freshmen move in day last year, where cars pulled up a dit was all hands on deck with the fall sports teams helping to unload and carry. Instead, we had multiple trips up to her third floor room in the oldest dorm on campus, but one with a lot more character, and room size than she had last year. Part of the low key move in  was she moved in on the day after the freshman launch and upperclassmen could pick checkin times Sunday-Tuesday. They also had  drop and go days, for anyone that lived close enough that wanted avoid move in day hassle and bring stuff early to avoid congestion in halls and stairs. The dorm section she is in she is neighbors to three groups of friends, or hopefully soon to be friend as her roommate from last year has a transfer student as a roommate. It's a long story  why they are not rooming together this year.  but it all worked out, probably better and they are very good friends. She has another couple friends the floor below. 

     She has a packed schedule, with only one class being  completely on-line, bu that lab being in-person. She has another that is a hybrid because of the size of the class, and the other three are in-person. Her choir section will be in smaller groups and they will wear masks. Her voice lessons most likely be in person but I'm not sure how that will be done. She has the full 18 credit load, and this semester she officially completes the outstanding required classes. Everything else and the next two years are part of her majors and graduation requirements. Classes start Thursday, and I am hopeful with the small environment,  it stays as case free or low case as  any other part of life. 

     Anyway, as the post titles says, we are empty nesters again. If all things go well, she won't be home until Thanksgiving week, and we are discouraged from  visiting and being on campus as they try and  create a small bubble, realistic or not, of their campus community. After Thanksgiving, all classes move entirely on-line, but they can come back for those two and 1/2 weeks if they want for study groups and to access campus resources. She'll make a decision much closer to that time. If she chooses to stay home, she would be back on campus until January 11th. I am guessing there will be a similar model of hybrid and in person, but perhaps some of the social distancing will be less restrictive?

     With her gone and my husband working until 7:00 and Saturdays, my routine stays pretty much the the same. While I'm not homebound, I'm pretty much at home all day every day and most evenings. I don't have the book club any more. I had suggested we meet in a park spread out, and only had one response, so I think it has folded. Trivia nights have not resumed since the brewery's all have the limited seating inside, and can't really do it when  some are outside and some inside. I have my friends to meet for walks though, and the parks and nature centers to explore. I got Penny to tool around town on as I build up my bike peddling endurance. I have my sweet little pup to take for walks. My older daughter, though so busy herself with work, friends, and side projects, hopefully will join me for dinner-cooking up some new vegan recipes together. And while I'm not comfortable in the large groups, I have my extended family to connect with in smaller gatherings, like around a fire. I've got my YouTube "friends" to watch, and am trying to read more and listen to interesting pod casts more. 

     I don't know who the organizational management expert  claimed the  four stages of a group as forming, storming, norming, and performing, but it seems like  this might apply to my personal situation as well. I won't call this phase developing my new normal or norming, as life is anything but. Perhaps for the time being, this current stage of empty nest life is just a loop of forming and storming, trying to just balance the changes and the unknown, with living a positive life.