Oh man, you nailed it for the college experience we folk of a certain age got to enjoy -- especially when your parents are so frugal that the idea of them spending their hard-earned money on a long-distance phone call is stone-cold bananas! So yeah, free long distance is regrettable, but I can't for a moment imagine the youth of today CALLING their parents after the big test or a pop quiz...isn't that why texts exist!?!?
We’ve put our 3 kids through undergrad (last one still has 1.5 years to go) without ever once contacting a professor. Unthinkable really. Those parents who actually do this are doing their kids a great disservice. The only scenario I can imagine would be some kind of emergency or illness that wouldn’t allow the kid to do it themselves.
Many times with the youngest we’ve encouraged them to talk to the professor during office hours. That’s about it.
No real comment to make or question to ask about this weeks newsletter Wil, just want to say thankyou for your weekly dose of….i don’t even really know what the word is I’m looking for…. Just a weekly dose of ‘niceness’ I guess is the closest word to what I’m trying to say
You seem to have a good life and you’re living it well and even though I can’t say the same (nothing terrible at this end, just not great either) and it’s really nice to peak through a window at a normal life (not super rich or exciting, just a normal middle class life we should all desire and be happy with if we achieve it) and it always makes me feel good to read it (if just a tiny teeny tad jealous, but I force those feelings down as it defeats the purpose)
Hope that makes sense and you take it the right way
I graduated college in 1990 and had a similar experience. My parents never knew I got a D in one class because the grades came fo my PO Box on campus!
My daughter graduated in 2022. We tried to mirror that experience as much as possible. She was close so (COVID notwithstanding) we did pop by for brunch a few times a year.
But we were super involved in high school so backed off in college. We didn't meet a professor until her final semester. We never intervened, but she graduated with honors so that helped. And one day we will hopefully find out what weird stuff happened that we didn't know about.
I wish more people did that for their kids, but I often heard parents micromanaging majors and course selection because "I'm paying for it," which is just sad.
Congrats to Illinois on their tournament run - my Jayhawks made an expected early exit. But, your friend's son will enjoy his KU experience, as I did forty years ago - as you did, I enjoyed a relatively hands-off journey back then - that's the way it should be.
I-L-L!! I was thinking of you both as our Illini were imploding, and then coming back, throughout the weekend. How amazing that Sushi Train is still there!
Will, I'm glad you got to enjoy your fourth visit to my hometown. I was at Target Center twice last weekend covering games for the AP. Sat right behind the CBS announcers on Saturday and was flooded with texts from people saying "I saw you on TV!" Still a weird feeling!
One nit to pick on your essay -- First Ave booked all those shows you listed, but they book for multiple venues around the Twin Cities. So the Isbell and Lewis shows (saw the former, kicked myself for missing the latter) were at the Palace in St. Paul, another cool venue you should check out on your fifth visit. Any book signings in the future? Otherwise, the Cardinals are here for a weekend visit in late August. That series also falls on the opening weekend of the Minnesota State Fair, which is something everyone who enjoys observing humanity needs to experience at least once. Give it some thought. I'll buy your first local craft beer if you make it. Cheers!
Enjoyed your column. I had a very similar experience in college. And at UofI. ILL-
Oh man, you nailed it for the college experience we folk of a certain age got to enjoy -- especially when your parents are so frugal that the idea of them spending their hard-earned money on a long-distance phone call is stone-cold bananas! So yeah, free long distance is regrettable, but I can't for a moment imagine the youth of today CALLING their parents after the big test or a pop quiz...isn't that why texts exist!?!?
We’ve put our 3 kids through undergrad (last one still has 1.5 years to go) without ever once contacting a professor. Unthinkable really. Those parents who actually do this are doing their kids a great disservice. The only scenario I can imagine would be some kind of emergency or illness that wouldn’t allow the kid to do it themselves.
Many times with the youngest we’ve encouraged them to talk to the professor during office hours. That’s about it.
No real comment to make or question to ask about this weeks newsletter Wil, just want to say thankyou for your weekly dose of….i don’t even really know what the word is I’m looking for…. Just a weekly dose of ‘niceness’ I guess is the closest word to what I’m trying to say
You seem to have a good life and you’re living it well and even though I can’t say the same (nothing terrible at this end, just not great either) and it’s really nice to peak through a window at a normal life (not super rich or exciting, just a normal middle class life we should all desire and be happy with if we achieve it) and it always makes me feel good to read it (if just a tiny teeny tad jealous, but I force those feelings down as it defeats the purpose)
Hope that makes sense and you take it the right way
Fantastic you found the Sushi Train. A trip your son will never forget.
I went to college in 1991 - didn't call him for the first three months - fun times!
I graduated college in 1990 and had a similar experience. My parents never knew I got a D in one class because the grades came fo my PO Box on campus!
My daughter graduated in 2022. We tried to mirror that experience as much as possible. She was close so (COVID notwithstanding) we did pop by for brunch a few times a year.
But we were super involved in high school so backed off in college. We didn't meet a professor until her final semester. We never intervened, but she graduated with honors so that helped. And one day we will hopefully find out what weird stuff happened that we didn't know about.
I wish more people did that for their kids, but I often heard parents micromanaging majors and course selection because "I'm paying for it," which is just sad.
Congrats to Illinois on their tournament run - my Jayhawks made an expected early exit. But, your friend's son will enjoy his KU experience, as I did forty years ago - as you did, I enjoyed a relatively hands-off journey back then - that's the way it should be.
I-L-L!! I was thinking of you both as our Illini were imploding, and then coming back, throughout the weekend. How amazing that Sushi Train is still there!
Go Illini!!!!!
Will, I'm glad you got to enjoy your fourth visit to my hometown. I was at Target Center twice last weekend covering games for the AP. Sat right behind the CBS announcers on Saturday and was flooded with texts from people saying "I saw you on TV!" Still a weird feeling!
One nit to pick on your essay -- First Ave booked all those shows you listed, but they book for multiple venues around the Twin Cities. So the Isbell and Lewis shows (saw the former, kicked myself for missing the latter) were at the Palace in St. Paul, another cool venue you should check out on your fifth visit. Any book signings in the future? Otherwise, the Cardinals are here for a weekend visit in late August. That series also falls on the opening weekend of the Minnesota State Fair, which is something everyone who enjoys observing humanity needs to experience at least once. Give it some thought. I'll buy your first local craft beer if you make it. Cheers!