Go, Our Little Gopher!

Yesterday was officially Decision Day, the traditional day when high school seniors announce their post-high school plans.  If they had been in school, there would have been some sort of fuss, with kids in gear and holding signs and who knows what-all.  Even with distance learning, there were lots and lots of social media posts.  Amanda was featured in several of those, due to her leadership positions at the high school and across state organizations, but she chose not to create and share her own.  She said she didn't like to put out photos of herself (and she really doesn't like this photo I took) and she didn't feel compelled to make a Decision Day post because she made her decision long ago.  I said I could respect that, and I let her be; but the blog is mine!

Amanda had a lengthy exploratory process for choosing an institution of higher learning.  She began her search several years back, asking lots of questions and touring lots of universities with friends who are older than she.  During her junior year, when it was really time to start considering, Amanda didn't have much of an idea yet what she planned to study, but she did have a set of criteria she wanted to use in choosing a college:

• large, with lots of opportunities
• somewhat urban
• in the Upper Midwest
• public

Her top three contenders got visits, with official tours, plenty more questions, and surveys of older friends and acquaintances who were already students.  These were: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Iowa State University, and the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.  Amanda applied and had been accepted early to all of these schools, along with several others she eliminated from consideration.  She (and we) found wonderful things to love about each school.  In the end, as you can see, Amanda chose the University of Minnesota.  She loves the crowds and the busy-ness and is excited about the plethora of opportunities.  I suspect it also factored in that many of her friends have also chosen, or are already attending, the U.  While we did not decide for her-- in fact, tried to not pressure her in any way-- Todd and I are thrilled she will be close to home.

She made her decision months ago, carefully and quietly and without a lot of fanfare.  Amanda is still working toward scholarships and grants; indeed, we are all looking at ways to fund and support this next phase in her life, especially in such an economically unstable time.  As her parents, of course we will help her in any way we can; we are also firm in our belief that we are raising our children to support themselves, and we have confidence Amanda will figure things out, making her own way and, yes, paying for it (with help, is our plan.)

Today, the day after Decision Day, Amanda is spending this beautiful Saturday holed up in a room, in front of her laptop, taking college placement exams.  I don't know if this is the way it's always done, or if it's a pandemic practice... she will be our first kid to go to college, and I sure don't remember what it was like when I went... but it's an exciting and nerve-wracking time.  Already with some college-in-schools classes and credits under her belt, we know Amanda will do well.  With so much that is bizarre and unpredictable at this time, this announcement and these steps feel firm and well directed.

Amanda wants to go to college and we want her to go.  That didn't come out right...  I am excited for Amanda to go away to college because I know she is ready to go.  I pray we will continue to evolve and adapt in the coronavirus crisis and find our way for "normal" life to go on, for Amanda to be able to attend her university in the fall.  We will be cheering her every step.  In the meantime, we celebrate her decision and rejoice in how far Amanda has already come.  Ski-U-Mah!  Row the boat!  Go Gophers!