It’s been just two weeks, but already, my son is enjoying his new life away from his parents, totally involved in college life.
I’ve written about Dash in this space before as the kid who beat dyslexia and earned a spot at UC Berkeley. I had all the faith in his ability to succeed, but I just wasn’t sure how he’d take to the bigness of Cal and the newness of life without his family. I presume it’s the fear of any parent who is letting their 18-year-old free to be the freshman they ought to be.
And my son? He loves it.
While I constantly ask my wife if Dash has texted, or called, or e-mailed, or maybe put something on Facebook about us, my son has done none of those things. He knows we will just happen to be in the area to communicate with him or to bring him anything he needs. Parents are very creative with excuses. When we see him, he’s positively overflowing with praise for college in general, and Cal, specifically.
He loves it all—his classes, all his new friends, the good roommate, the coed dorm floor. He loves the ad hoc Panini parties he and his roommate throw because someone brought a Panini maker to school. He enjoys hearing groups like Fun for cheap since his dorm is just up the hill from the Greek Theatre. He loves the old movies at the Pacific Film Archive and the wrap joint that puts Indian food in tortilla.
I had been concerned the family’s solid anti-math biases would show up in his choice of classes. But, there’s no shortage of STEM-y type course work in Dash’s schedule. He’s doing Astronomy and Calculus. He’s also studying Chaucer and a new computer language. Talk about a 21st Century hybrid. An English and Computer Science major?
Frankly, I had suggested the Asian American Studies department within the world-class Ethnic Studies unit. But, there was no time this semester. “Maybe in the spring, Dad,” my son said.
