They arrived on time but the first class (transition to college, ironically, which had in its handouts "Don't be late, don't miss class" warnings) had been canceled.
R- coached M- through how to ask the math prof for help on two things (that neither of them had figured out with the online homework) and then M- went alone and did the actual asking (YAY!!!) and got answers (YAY!!!) and was able to convey them to R- (YAY!!!) M- had also been able to take notes in class (YAY!!!) M's remedial reading teacher had told R- Tuesday she thought M- might even test out of the class (but she hasn't run into his comprehension problems yet) and again today told R- that M-l was reading very well.
The transfers down to Northcross went well; I got there about 30 minutes after they did; I didn't get to see or talk to M- until I picked him up after skating (R- and I visited DRW and then went to Freebird for burritos.) So I heard R-'s version first. He was delighted that M- was able (with the coaching) to ask the math prof for some time and then ask the questions for information he needed.
On the way home, I heard some of M's experience directly. The best part of the classes, to him, was taking notes in math class. The worst part was the class being canceled. I asked him, when R- wasn't in the car, if it had been scary or not to talk to the prof and ask questions (The questions concerned how to get the online system to do certain things it wasn't doing, but according to the syllabus was supposed to do.) He said yes, it had been scary, but it would have been scarier if he hadn't asked. And my heart just soared. The other stuff was good...the taking notes, etc...but that amazing jump of comprehension that it would've been worse not to ask the questions and get the answers he needed to do something else...that's *major.*
Nor was it all. R- asked him if he thought he could ride the buses alone from ACC to Northcross (requires catching the right bus at the campus, making the transfer at the right place to the right other bus), and M- said yes...and then, as R- was saying, that he'd be riding with him for another week or so, M- said it would be more fun when he could do it by himself. And when I asked (after R- had picked up his car in Leander and M- and I were alone in the car) if he felt better about college or the same as Tuesday, he said "Better!" in a very confident voice.
And he looks it. Tuesday the arrival mood (and yesterday's) seemed to be more "Survived" than anything else, with a good dose of worry about making mistakes, worry about how angry someone would be if, etc. Today was much more confident, much more eagerness to grapple with the changes. Of course, he'd also had three hours on the ice, which he loves, just skating around and around. Time in which no intrusive parent (or anyone else) is asking questions, time to process the day. He wants to ask a lot about my experience in college, and what my mother said to me, and so on and so on, but he's also noticing how other people in his classes, and on campus, behave. Especially the people in his classes that show up late for class.
I dare not say this little airplane is ready for takeoff, let alone off the ground, but it's definitely gotten to the end of the runway and started revving some motors.