This year my daughter is going to University at Albany NY State school. Ranked #108 by Money Magazine

This Albany school is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system and, as the name suggests, is located in New York’s capital city. It’s a relatively large school, with about 13,000 undergraduates and an array of opportunities to match. It boasts more than 150 undergraduate programs, some 250 student organizations and over 1,000 study abroad options. UAlbany’s proximity to the seat of state government and Tech Valley, a big tech hub that also features educational facilities, provides for plentiful internship and eventual career opportunities. The university consists of three unique campuses: Uptown, Downtown, and Health Sciences. Uptown holds the school’s headquarters and includes an art museum, a writer’s institute, and a National Weather Service lab. When it’s not freezing outside, people can take advantage of the sun by hanging with friends near the fountain. Want even more nature? The UAlbany student association also runs Dippikill, a wilderness retreat in Thurman, where students, alumni, faculty, and staff can enjoy the outdoors.

First I have to say how proud I was that she was accepted into this school. It is not an easy school to get into. With an average student acceptance grade of 3.2 and ACT of 24 she fell just shy of this mark. Yet she was accepted immediately. She will have her work cut out for her but I think she is up for the challenge. Actually, I think she is ready for the challenge.

I’ve been divorced since she was 7 years old. It’s been me and her for a long time. We’ve never really been separated for more than a week. This will be very different for both of us. I’ll be living alone for most of the year for the first time in my life. I will have to really balance my time when my aid is here against when she isn’t because I can’t ask my daughter to “do me a favor” or “just run and get”. I won’t have her to just grab from the kitchen for me or help me with the dogs. I have to manage my MS more when I’m alone than when I’m not. I have to be more careful because someone isn’t coming home every night checking in me as I check on them. I am very fortunate to have my aunt and uncle close by as well as my mom and step dad. I’m sure everyone will check in often.

As far as my daughter goes, I hope she gets what she was missing at her first college, John Jay, the college campus experience. I hope she has a great time. Learns responsibility while enjoying her independence. I hope she makes great friends and has tons of laughs. I hope she works hard to achieve her goals. I hope she gains confidence in herself and realizes how amazing she is and how much she has accomplished already. I want her to know she can do anything, be anything and conquer anything. Mostly I want her to have the years that one day she’ll look back on and say, those were really great years. Without any doubt she is my world and now I want her to get her world. ❤️❤️❤️❤️