She did not want to go back to school. Now starts the hard part. The junior year when things get real. Her major kicks it up, coupled with a promotion at her job equaled a college kid not keen on returning. Because she works on campus, she had to go back early for training. A win for moving into the dorm, but a bummer that summer ends sooner.
She didn't start packing until the last minute. I didn't worry. This is my organized, get-it-done kid. She opted not to visit the storage unit that her father paid to store her stuff instead of relying on the man and her sister. When they returned with her things, she began packing. By the end of the night, she was missing some stuff.
Darcy: "I think it's in the storage unit. I remember putting stuff into a large bin that mother had."
Madison: "There was nothing there but my stuff and the Barbies. We got everything."
Darcy: "You didn't because I'm missing stuff."
Tom: "We got everything of yours out of the unit."
Me: "I think she knows what she's talking about. We should check."
Tom: "It's late. They close soon. I don't want to drive all the way there to have to turn around and come back. I'll be annoyed."
He did it anyway. After more of the above where Madison and Tom insisted there was nothing more of Darcy's left in the storage unit. The three set off to check, and when they arrived, a beaming Darcy walked into the house first with a giant container of her belongings.
Me: "I take it, you found it?"
Darcy: "I went right inside and lifted the first container, and underneath that one was this one. A container that literally has scrawled across the top in black Sharpie, Darcy's Crap. How hard was that?"
Much laughter. She finished packing. We headed out the next morning on time in two cars packed to the ceiling. Darcy and I got her keys and met the other two at her dorm. She's in the same dorm as last year as it is a specific dorm where her floor is only ASL students. Those residents only communicate via sign language when outside their rooms. Last year there were only five kids on the entire floor. This year it is full.
At this point, we are experts in moving in and out of dorms. We now own the equipment needed, and we each know our jobs. This year we had the addition of Madison and the boy-man to help, which was a blessing seeing as I'm only one-armed.
I supervised from the desk chair. The first order of business was lofting the bed. Madison rolled her eyes at what this school calls lofting, seeing as her bed was twice as high, but we ignored her side commentary and lofted the bed. Darcy moved the same items she'd had under her bed last year; chest of drawers, refrigerator, and shelf. This year she purchased a little cart for kitchen items not going into the kitchen, and she gave the job of building that to Madison and the boy-man.
While she and I unloaded suitcases and put away clothes, Tom hooked up all of the appliances, took out the trash, and carried the empty boxes, containers, bags, and suitcases back to the van for the return home.
We met the RA and one other early move-in resident. We speculated on Darcy's roommate and whether or not she would really show the following week when the rest of the school moves in. Darcy has had odd roommate experiences, but this year will have a roommate and two suitemates on the other side of a joined bathroom. Her room is a few doors down from last year's place, closer to the kitchen, with the same set-up.
Madison was put in charge of decorating above the bed, a fete she perfected in her four years of college dorm life. I organized the desk. Darcy decorated above the desk. Tom wandered around, looking for things to do. The boy-man entertained us with stories and suggestions on picture selections, etc.
In no time at all, we had the messy room turned into a clean, organized place. We had dinner together, shopped for the essentials needed, and then we kissed her good-bye and drove the hour back home. Happy Junior Year, kiddo!
Oh, wait. Not so fast. Darcy forgot her pillows. Not an item that we need more of, so instead of purchasing more pillows, Madison and I drove back to the dorm the following day. While we were at it, we brought the other things she forgot, like laundry detergent, pictures, and ice trays.
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