Last Saturday Cole moved out of home and into his dorm room at UC Santa Cruz. It was a beautiful day – even a bit hot – but Monterey Bay was sparkling and the trees heavy with their summer fullness. When we arrived at campus, we could feel the activity and excitement as freshmen and families were piling out of loaded SUVs, looking for help, carts, new friends. Robert and I got Cole unpacked quickly into his dormroom – a triple on the second floor of Parkman House – which was no small feat as his room is tiny. Parkman House is surrounded by trees – lots of mature redwoods and colorful deciduous varieties that will be lovely in fall – with a grassy square out front. This is one of the lovely qualities of UCSC – nature is literally right outside the dorms and it’s impossible to avoid walking through redwoods to get anywhere on campus.

We had a short 10 minute headstart on his roommate Willis, but before too long this tiny triple was full of parents and kids. Cole chose his bunk – the solo top bunk with desk underneath and setup his wardrobe and desk. After a good amount of time conferring with Willis and his mom on various storage ideas, Elliot showed up from Southern California and that was the signal it was time to leave – not enough space in the tiny (and stuffy) room! Cole and his roommates quickly made some important decisions (where to put the very important fridge) and then made plans to head off together to eat lunch. Robert and I gave hugs aplenty and said our goodbyes – Cole smiling widely, Robert and I a bit more wistful – and he turned back to his dorm without hesitation or a glance back.

After a week of Santa Cruz living, things are going well for Cole. He’s met many new people, started classes, joined clubs, gone to the gym, and is overall liking his roommates and the school. It’s been such a proud moment for Robert and myself, full of many feelings, some complicated. We are so happy for Cole. He may be out of sight here in Oakland, but rarely out of mind.