First time college visit - facing Reality with Dad!

So, today we took Madison on her first college visit.  Over the next month we have a couple more scheduled and this particular university, Texas Lutheran, is located about 70 miles away.  Madi is interested in going to a small campus.  Keep in mind her graduating class has 50 students.

First, we went on a campus tour with a student ambassador.  Her name was Jacqui and she is a junior. It was a PARTICULARLY warm day, close to 100 (who's counting humidity) and because my lower back has been acting up, I was wearing one of those nifty heating wraps that direct heat right into the sore area (for 8 hours).   I was in Hour 5!   It probably looked liked I was going through hot flashes...because I WAS.  On a positive note, this walking tour racked up about 5,000 steps towards my goal today.  I didn't leave before I hit 15k.

This makes it REAL!

Next we met with the admissions counselor.  Madi talked with her first.  Then Terry and I were invited in.  Apparently Madi was all talked out because once we got in there, you might have thought I was the potential student.  I asked about the different majors, types of classes, how the school applied scholarships to test scores; all the normal things a student would (should) be interested in.  For the most part, Terry was busy on his phone (spoiler alert - subject of an upcoming blog) so I thought we were winding down.

Not so fast there, Missy.

When the counselor asked if we had any last questions, Terry put down his phone like an interrogator puts down his weapon (think Law and Order).  The next series of questions came out like the staccato of a rapid fire machine gun.....barely giving the poor counselor time to think, let alone compose an answer.

"Can you tell me the crime statistics on campus?  Violent crimes?  Are the dorms segregated - male from female?  NO???  Are the floors secured?  What about the bathrooms then?  Is there adequate lighting outside?  Where are the security cameras?  YOU DO HAVE SECURITY CAMERAS??"

By this point, Madi and I have picked up OUR PHONES, and are "making busy" when we aren't giving the admissions counselor encouraging (albeit empathic) looks and making sounds in the back of our throats that sound somewhere between trapped, embarrassed, and/or pained.

The counselor assured us, with a shaky smile, that her dad was the same way.  SURE HE WAS.....

The rest of the visit was somewhat of a blur.  There was a meeting with the softball coach and a trip to the bookstore but I was too busy looking for security patrols, cameras and any other type of assistance that I should have been looking for all along.  Where were the police dogs????

I don't know a lot but this much I know for sure.  Daddy is going to have a hard time relinquishing responsibility of his baby girl come next year.

Until next time,
#livingindenial
#70milesistoofar

Your pal,
Kari