I have to face the facts, my first born is growing up. She's through drivers ed, she's in 10th grade, marching band, girl scouts, has a boyfriend, she is really growing up. It is a true bittersweet feeling that I write this post. I promise I really am happy.
I have looked over at her 100 times tonight in disbelief that she is so grown up. We took a 5-hour trip today to Charlotte, NC. Our destination, Johnson & Wales University, to go on a campus tour tomorrow.
We are at the motel now, I still can't wrap my head around that she is old enough to start touring colleges and planning for her adult life. Not for planning for next month's new game coming out but planning for her whole life.
Planning for the day she gets to take her teenager to a college to tour and check out all the grounds. AWE~ silently crying right now~ even though she isn't a baby anymore, she will always be my baby. This has been an amazing adventure, and it's just beginning!!
I am so excited inside. I am a bundle of nerves. Tomorrow is going to be an amazing day. I will let you know just how it goes. So, goodnight. I will tell you all about it tomorrow afternoon :)
Good morning. We're up and getting ready for our adventure. Just to mention, we stayed at Sleep Inn on Tryon St. It's amazing. The beds are comfortable, wifi is fast without interruption (I would have slept on concrete for that), the breakfast was more than amazing. Not just for being a motel breakfast either. We had so many options. Bread, bagels, muffins, fresh press waffles, eggs, sausage, seasoned potato wedges, cereal, oatmeal, fresh fruit, juice, coffee, milk, and more!!
I could write a whole post just about our stay. We reserved our room with points we've been saving from previous stays so we were able to get the room for free. When we checked in last night, we even got a gift bag of goodies with chocolates and snacks. A very nice personal touch.
We're stopping by a salon in a bit and heading out to our destination. Johnson & Wales Univeristy to take the Friday Culinary Experience Tour.
I'll be back in awhile to update more and tell you all about it.
So the trip is over and we made it home. Surviving, rush hour in the city was so much better than I thought it would be. We had so much to talk about. This was an all around amazing tour and I am so impressed to say the very least. I am almost at a loss for words. You know me, I am going to find a way to share every bit of it with you. So just to get it out of my system now, IT WAS AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!!
For starters, everything on campus is so high quality. I mean everything from the labs all the way to the faculty. I have so many fun facts to share.
So, we started the tour at admissions. We had a nice sized group of families there with their prospective students. We walked over to one of their "labs" to get some amazing information and participate in a demonstration. Guess whose kitchen we were in.
Emeril's Kitchen! Yes, the Emeril, if you're not familiar with him, he's a food network star.
We talked about the admissions process and what to expect. What I really liked most is how thoroughly it was covered.
When he was done with the super tasty presentation, one of the students came in and explained what schedules would be like.
We thought it was really cool it's only 4 days a week and there are optional morning and afternoon classes. I like that because working around the schedule for things like work, coming home to visit mom, studying, and everything else is so manageable.
The labs are 9-day labs and look like so much fun. Have you heard of Experiential learning? Everything is so hands on. It's not just learning from a desk. JWU owns restaurants, Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Charlotte, and has so many amazing intern opportunities.
There are labs for mixology, wine tasting, and beverage everything! Marketing classes include things like wedding planning, event planning, fashion, managing sports teams and Its players, it is just so awesome to see all of the careers that can come from the degrees the students will earn.
I wasn't sure exactly what that means until our tour. Basically what that means is whatever the major is, the student will have hands-on learning before graduation.I think that's amazing. Instead of getting a degree and having to spend years learning your place, your student will be able to leave the school with experience. Real experience. It is a great opportunity.
The majors and degrees JWU offers include the following:
- Baking & Pastry Arts (AS)
- Baking & Pastry Arts and Food Service Management (BS)
- Business Administration (BS)
- Business Studies (BS)
- Corporate Accounting and Financial Analysis (BS)
- Culinary Arts and Food Service Management (BS)
- Culinary Arts (AS)
- Fashion Merchandising & Retailing (BS)
- Food & Beverage Entrepreneurship (BS)
- Hotel & Lodging Management (BS)
- Liberal Studies (BS)
- Management (BS)
- Marketing (BS)
- Restaurant, Food & Beverage Management (BS)
- Sports/Entertainment/Event Management (BS)
There are so many options to choose from and in a four-year program at JWU, your student will have two degrees. There are so many opportunities that come along with being a student at JWU.
The gym was so impressive. They have a whole display of different balls and certificates. The gym is all up to date with great fitness options and Alumni can come work out when ever they want.
Dorm living is So Cool. We got to see one of the double dorms and I love how it's set up. Every dorm room comes with two beds, two closets, two desks, and a mini fridge and microwave. One of the most genius ideas in the history of ideas, the shower, and the toilet are in 2 separate areas.
If you have ever experienced community living (I have two sisters), you know with certainty, someone will not be ready on time. Because of the shower and toilet being is separate areas and the big mirror and sink in the middle, Getting ready, even with the same schedule, everyone can be on time.
Students are also allowed sleepovers as long as they are over 16 or have written permission. I thought that was very cool because my daughters would miss each other and could still spend time together on their breaks.
There are residence halls for the freshmen and sophomores and then for the juniors and seniors there are apartment options. Every floor is set up the same. There is one full kitchen in both buildings.
Security is another awesome factor on the JWU Campus. There are stations with phones to call the help desk 24/7/365. I love that. If my child were attending and had any issues, they would be safe. Each floor in both buildings has three RA's and can be there for anything that may come up.
I am so impressed with the Johnson & Wales University Charlotte Campus, NC. Everything is top of the line. We read up on so much before we made the trip out and it was so much better in person. The entire campus and all of the programs.
Find Johnson & Wales University on social media. JWU Facebook, JWU Twitter, JWU Charlotte Twitter , JWU Admissions Instagram, JWU Charlotte Instagram, JWU Youtube, JWU Charlotte Youtube.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Johnson & Wales University. The opinions and text are all mine.
The gym was so impressive. They have a whole display of different balls and certificates. The gym is all up to date with great fitness options and Alumni can come work out when ever they want.
Dorm living is So Cool. We got to see one of the double dorms and I love how it's set up. Every dorm room comes with two beds, two closets, two desks, and a mini fridge and microwave. One of the most genius ideas in the history of ideas, the shower, and the toilet are in 2 separate areas.
If you have ever experienced community living (I have two sisters), you know with certainty, someone will not be ready on time. Because of the shower and toilet being is separate areas and the big mirror and sink in the middle, Getting ready, even with the same schedule, everyone can be on time.
Students are also allowed sleepovers as long as they are over 16 or have written permission. I thought that was very cool because my daughters would miss each other and could still spend time together on their breaks.
There are residence halls for the freshmen and sophomores and then for the juniors and seniors there are apartment options. Every floor is set up the same. There is one full kitchen in both buildings.
Security is another awesome factor on the JWU Campus. There are stations with phones to call the help desk 24/7/365. I love that. If my child were attending and had any issues, they would be safe. Each floor in both buildings has three RA's and can be there for anything that may come up.
I am so impressed with the Johnson & Wales University Charlotte Campus, NC. Everything is top of the line. We read up on so much before we made the trip out and it was so much better in person. The entire campus and all of the programs.
Find Johnson & Wales University on social media. JWU Facebook, JWU Twitter, JWU Charlotte Twitter , JWU Admissions Instagram, JWU Charlotte Instagram, JWU Youtube, JWU Charlotte Youtube.
I totally understand how you feel about the college tour. My two oldest are in college, and I remember how hard it was when we first started going on tours. They grow up so fast! That college sounds like a really neat place to study at. It would be nice to only have school for 4 days a week.
ReplyDeleteI don't think anyone is really ready for their child to leave home. I know I never will be.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a really nice, safe college. I can remember doing this a couple of times and it was fun and tiring at the same time.
ReplyDeleteMine is almost old enough to start checking out colleges. I am not ready!
ReplyDeleteJohnson & Wales University sounds like a nice college.
ReplyDeleteOy I can't even begin to think about this yet!
ReplyDeleteReading your post brought me way back to when my eldest daughter left for college. I knew this day would come, but one is never truly prepared!! It was hard to look into her bedroom and not see her sleeping in her bed! I lost count on how many times I used to look in on her just to see if she was still breathing! I too took the whole tour of the campus - making sure that I wasn't just leaving my baby in a wolves den 😋 After I was satisfied, I hugged my baby, who was now a woman, with tears in my eyes and a heavy heart. But I had to trust that we raised her right and installed in her the difference between right and wrong!
ReplyDeleteJust don't send them off with a gigantic trunk packed. Several smaller bags. They'll thank you.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a great college! Starting college is always so exciting!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a wonderful institution with so many great programs! I have a niece and nephew who will be starting college tours soon. I'm going to tell them about Johnson & Wales!
ReplyDeleteI love this visit and I'm super-impressed with the courses offered by them. I wish my college had an introductory class like they do. It would have been very helpful!
ReplyDeleteLooks like they have a great campus! I'm sure glad that's a ways off for my children yet!
ReplyDeleteCongrats. Time does seem to fly by when you are raising children and so happy yours decided to go to college. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteMy son checked out some top culinary schools but decided against it when we discovered that lots of trained chefs work grueling schedules for little more than minimum wage. It's sad but true.
ReplyDeleteChecking out colleges is a grueling,but fun time. Children griw up way too fast.
ReplyDeleteOur daughter is a junior in high school and she is already talking about going to collage and moving out. How fast they grow up.
ReplyDeleteOur daughter is a junior in high school and she is already talking about going to collage and moving out. How fast they grow up.
ReplyDeleteI'm past the days of the kids growing up and moving out, but this article reminded me of going to Fort Jackson, SC for my daughters graduation from basic training.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is only almost 11 and I feel like my current debate of sending her to a stand alone middle school would be better OR keep her in the K-8 school I graduated from. I feel this is a hard decision, I can't imagine her possibly wanting to go to school out of state for college, I don't care if she'll be an adult! lol
ReplyDeleteWe sent off all four of our kids to college and toured each one...All four went to school in state, graduated and moved away...lol
ReplyDeleteI was lucky, my daughter went to college in a nearby town and was able to stay at home a little longer. I do remember feeling great relief when she decided to live at home and go to school where she did.
ReplyDeleteis your daughter going to apply and try for scholor ship if so go and apply now and it wont kill her to have them when she head out then find out what she need alot of time the kids leave stuff ask if they have that so she wont have to pay like micro fridge small one or smll dressers
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a great college! Also, how awesome that your room was free!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a safe, wonderful college. I just don't think I will ever be ready for this!
ReplyDeleteCooking in Emeril's Kitchen?!?! That would be amazing!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a fun time, my oldest just turned 15,,,, where does the time go
ReplyDeleteI always love hearing stories from parents about the excitement and anxiety of sending their kids off to college. I was especially impressed with the one from actor John Malkovich because it was so heartwarming. He usually scares me!
ReplyDeleteI went through withdrawals when my daughter went off to college
ReplyDeleteI can definitely understand on feeling that your little one is all grown up, I still keep them in my pocket ,sort of LOL, I like that this College has so much to offer .
ReplyDelete@tisonlyme143
Looks like an awesome campus and great time!
ReplyDeletemia2009(at)comcast(dot)net
They grow way too fast... it's definitely bittersweet! But, what an awesome campus with so much to offer!!
ReplyDeleteI remember dropping my son off at school. It's tough.
ReplyDeleteI remember my daughter joining the army, now I have a Grand daughter that just signed up and left in October. At least I get to see it all online since I'm thousands of miles away.
ReplyDeleteI went through some of these emotions again, but this time not as bad. I did feel for my daughter though. A couple of years ago her daughter started going to college and in April, she'll be turning 21. I wish we could stop or bottle up time! It is still so hard to let go!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a really nice, safe college.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great choice. the college journey is so fascinating and exciting, good for your family!
ReplyDeleteIt's good that you can visit ahead of time and check out colleges. Yes, they do grow up too fast.
ReplyDeleteslehan at juno dot com
It is hard to let them go, but they all leave the nest eventually. Good luck with all that.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like only yesterday when we visited the college with our daughter. Now she is close to graduating. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteI like the Carolina's. My brother lives in Winston Salem. I visited Charlotte before...hey, they have an Ikea there for shopping I believe!
ReplyDeletemake sure take a dvantage of the thing around her and then she work while in college make sure she injoy it and have fun
ReplyDeleteHope she likes the school. It is so pretty up there. Make sure to tell her not to get distracted while in school.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard when they move out, but believe or not you get use to them not being home.
ReplyDeleteSounds like an impressive school. A lot of degree choices too.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a really nice college, great review.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great trip and a great experience. Our children do grow up so fast. I am so happy the two of you got to share this experience. I wish you the best in choosing a college
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great time with your daughter. I am so happy you got to do this together
ReplyDeleteHope you really enjoyed your time with your daughter. Sounds like fun
ReplyDelete