Today, yesterday and tomorrow, parents are streaming onto Notre Dame and Saint Mary's campuses, dorms, classrooms, dining halls and anywhere else they can go. Every hotel room within a 10-mile radius is most likely booked solid for this weekend. There are probably no more reservations available in any restaurant in town, and the waits will be ridiculously long. It's pretty sweet to think about, though. Mom and Dad are coming here to see what their baby girl/boy is doing all the way out here in (very) snowy South Bend.My own parents came in from central New Jersey around 11 last night complete with bulky luggage, various items I left at home when I came back from Christmas Break and hopefully some quarters so I can do more laundry. Between the rushing to clean and vacuum my double-turned-single room, trying to get all my homework done for Thursday and Friday before they got here, and actually going to my classes, I'm about ready to collapse. Too bad the festivities start tonight. There is a pretty easy solution to that. I'll gulp down an energy drink (or two, or three), throw on my best stiletto heels (hope I don't fall), and prepare myself to spend the entire weekend with my mom and dad. I'm not going to lie I'm excited, despite the always-imminent snowfall. Being from Jersey, my parents don't really get to come visit me often. It really is a pretty rare thing to have them out here for a whole weekend, especially one that isn't during football season. I don't even really know what activities there are planned, other than the dinner that I still don't know what I'm supposed to wear to. That's okay though, we'll improvise. The point is getting to spend time together, whatever we're doing. It should really be a fun weekend. So, Mom and Dad, strap on some snow boots, grab some gloves and a warm hat and bundle up. It's cold out there (not that it isn't probably cold inside too). This weekend is going to be interesting for the three of us. Get ready for horrible dining hall food, some messy dorm rooms, strange but somewhat intriguing activities and a tiny glimpse into what being out here is like for us. Mom, Dad, welcome to Saint Mary's!
