This year for Thanksgiving we decided to take Clare around to a few colleges in North Carolina and Tennessee, while also visiting Grandma and Granddaddy Poole in NC. What a wild trip!! We ended up driving for many hours. It's good that we all get along and can handle long distance driving - especially since we drove the Accord. I didn't feel the van, which currently has 212,000+ miles on it, was the most reliable mode of transportation.
First, we went to Boone, NC, to visit Appalachian State University. We got there late on Tuesday night. The next morning we woke up to snow - and lots of it! We were able to visit the admissions office and pick up some information. Clare is interested in studying speech therapy and ASU has this program. We drove around a bit, took a few pics, and walked around the student center. It's a nice place, but I really want to see it in the Spring or Summer! I think Clare would do very well here (and so far it's at the top of her list.)
The view of Boone from our hotel window when we woke up.
ASU Mountaineers! (We're okay with that as long as it doesn't have WVU in the name!)
We left Boone as soon as we could - the weather wasn't getting any better - and headed for Hickory, NC, where Lenoir-Rhyne University is located. LR is a small Lutheran college where my great granddad Brent Schaeffer once president. It's small - only about 2000 students - which doesn't excite Clare much. I have a lot of friends who have graduated from here and done very well. I won't be able to convince her, though.
Clare with the L-R bear.
After Hickory, we drove to Swannanoa, NC, to drive around Warren Wilson College. This is another very small college (about 1000 students), but it has a pretty good reputation as a good (very liberal) liberal arts college. Although it is definitely an interesting place with a creative curriculum (they call it the Triad - academics, work, and service), Clare felt it was too small. I didn't get any pictures.
We then went to wander around downtown Asheville. What a neat city! I would definitely be able to live here!
Thanksgiving day and the day after were spent with Grandma and Granddaddy Poole. We had a very nice time relaxing and doing a little shopping.
On Friday evening, we left for Knoxville, TN, to visit the University of Tennessee. We were also able to meet up with a couple of my high school buddies for lunch. UT is about as big as Virginia Tech (27,000), but it seems so much larger - I think because it's a city and there isn't a central "field" like at Tech. VT is very contained, while UT is spread out with no visible central meeting place. I think Clare felt this disconnect as well. Still, it was pretty impressive.
Clare with the recently erected Pat Summitt statue. What an impressive lady!
We found a way to sneak into the stadium!
Candy, me, and Sarah - love these ladies!!
After driving around and searching for the perfect T-shirt for Clare, we drove to Nashville - about 2 1/2 hours from Knoxville. I drove and Clare sat up front. I swear we talked the entire time - probably my favorite part of the whole trip. I love watching Clare grow up and talking to her about life. She is an impressive young lady.
Once we got to Nashville, Tom wasn't feeling the best and needed to rest. Clare and I walked over to Vanderbilt. This is what a university is supposed to feel like! Clare fell in love with the campus. I know it would be a stretch for her, but I still think she should apply.
Clare with one of the Vanderbilt statues.
Another Vanderbilt statue.
On Sunday, we drove 10 hours home. YUCK! The traffic was bad in a few areas making it take much longer than it should normally. No one slept and everyone was grumpy when we got home. However, the trip as a whole was a success. We were able to talk a lot about college and what Clare will be facing during the next year or so. So exciting!!
