It's Started...

Students are coming back. School doesn't start for two weeks. Freshman are walking in, towed by their parents, who bomb up to my desk and demand information about textbooks. I say that the textbook floor isn't open until the 20th, and get irrationally annoyed.

Okay.
First of all, since when do people's parents pick out their textbooks for them? (Many times the kid isn't even along for the ride.)
When did people start getting textbooks before they've even attended a single college class?
And why the eff are people on campus WITH THEIR PARENTS two weeks before classes even start? (With the exception of people who already live here and just come to check out the store--I get that. That's okay.)

My parents are fairly over-protective and, if I whine enough, tend to help me with things that I don't really need help with.
HOWEVER...on my first day of college, they drove me there, unloaded my stuff, took a walk around campus, and LEFT. "Call us if you need anything/you have a card to buy books/don't forget your protein!"

Granted, those whole six years ago you couldn't look up your classes online and order your books in advance. But wouldn't that make them less paranoid, not more? What happened to going to class, getting a syllabus, looking at it and saying, "Sweet, I totally don't need to buy at least half these books." OR looking at the syllabus and thinking, "I'm totally not liking this class." These kids are tied down--they've gotten the books, started reading (or so many of them claim--who ARE these overachievers???), and before they've even moved to Boston they have their entire year set out.

It's just...I feel like there's a lot of babying going on. This one mother asked me at least 15 questions, took notes, nodded toward her son and said, "I need to do this because he won't understand what to do." (Notice that she doesn't acknowledge the fact that he just doesn't care. She thinks that it's because she needs to explain it, to do it before so he won't have to deal with it.) Well, if you'd stop coddling him, he'd have to grow the fuck up and get himself in gear instead of standing there with headphones on, fiddling with his ipod, looking bored.

Transitioning from high school to college is difficult--for both students and their (skittish) parents. I'm not saying they should chuck them out of the car while it's still moving, but camping out at a hotel for a few days to move your first-born into school is not necessary. Coming from a long distance? Obviously stay a night or two. But don't try to attend orientation activities. Don't butt in on roommate bonding. Throw some points on the college card and let Jr. find his books alone (or go along with him, but don't lead the way, hauling him along like one of those kids on leashes). And seriously? Let go. Because if I've witnessed anything, sonny-boy is going to be calling you within the day. He's just glimpsed the dorm washing machine and is unsure what this foreign object may be.