After a week of frenzied shopping on Amazon — desk lamp, window fan, desk organizer, storage bins, extra long dorm sheets — Ian and I settled into the serious business of packing him up for a five-week summer program at college. 

We made stacks of shorts and t-shirts. We collected quarters for the washing machine. He made piles of devices, chargers, and Switch games. By Friday night, we had everything shoved into two large duffle bags and several boxes. It would all fit in the back of the Subaru with a little space for everyone’s overnight bags. 

The next day, we headed north up to Putney, Vermont, so Ian could attend a five-week college bridge program at Landmark College. Landmark is one of two colleges in the country that are specifically for students with autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities. Going to college for the first time is a big deal for any kid. But for Ian, this college program is even more momentous, because it’s his first time away from home without us.

Read more at Apt. 11D, the newsletter