UIUC registration

Andy, L, B and I drove to Champaign yesterday afternoon for B's registration orientation today. Here we are having a pizza dinner at Papa Del's.

Then we went to see the residence hall where he'll be living this fall, Snyder Hall.

This was our hotel room in downtown Champaign, the Hyatt Place. It was pretty new and the breakfast this morning was good. L tried to make a caramel coffee drink similar to Starbucks, but she didn't like it so the man who was bussing tables offered to make her a similar drink he called AJ's Special. That was much better.

This morning we started out in the Union for a welcome and student activity fair. From there, we walked here, to Lincoln Hall for the Liberal Arts and Sciences College talk. B was sitting a few rows in front of us with three boys he just met who are also incoming freshmen.

Since E has been at UIUC for two years, we figured we could skip all the parent informational meetings so we went shopping. We had to buy a political science for E's summer online course and I had to get an Illini mom sticker for my car. At one store I was inquiring about a sign that said you could get a free T-shirt for your incoming freshman so the cashier let L pick one out (I think he thought she was our freshman), and Andy and I got to pick out a T-shirt too. I love a free T-shirt, or two or three. It was so hot, we stopped at McDonald's for drinks before walking to Ikenberry dining hall for lunch. Ike will be B's dining hall this fall so it was nice to try out. E has constantly complained about the food there (it was her dining hall last year) but we all thought the food was pretty good ...

... and they let us take an ice cream cone to go!

B had an appointment to register for classes with his adviser at 1 p.m. so we met him in Altgeld Hall, the mathematics building. L and I were exhausted from the walk in 90-plus degree heat. After meeting up with B, we went to the bookstore where he got a sweatshirt and a free planner. Then it was back to the car for the ride home. B drove until we almost got into Cook County.

And here's his ID! He's ready for college!