In this heartfelt and incredibly helpful episode, Rebecca welcomes her dear friend Laura Brann to tackle one of the most emotional and logistical challenges for parents—sending your child off to college. Laura, a seasoned mom of three and an expert event organizer, shares her wisdom on everything from packing the right dorm supplies to navigating the emotional rollercoaster of drop-off day.

With warmth, humor, and hard-earned insight, Laura opens up about what she learned from sending two of her children off to school—and what she’ll do differently with her third.

🧠 What You'll Learn:

How to build a college packing list (and how to actually get it done).

Tips to organize the move-in process efficiently.

How to emotionally prepare yourself (and your child) for college drop-off.

What happens after drop-off: first-month transitions and staying connected.

The surprising ways your marriage and family dynamic can shift.

Mistakes Laura made that she wants YOU to avoid (hello, three fans in one room!).

How to support your college kid without solving their problems for them.

💬 Top Quotes from Laura:

"You don’t realize how hot those dorm rooms are. Bring a fan. Bring THREE fans!”

“I realized I can’t check their location 24/7—it only made me more anxious.”“Trust that they’re going to be okay, even if they don’t call you every day.”

“We’ve actually grown closer as a family because we’ve learned to make the most of our time together.”

🛠 Key Topics:

College preparation & packing lists

Roommate dynamics

Emotional support for parents

Staying connected without smothering

The evolving parent-child relationship

Marriage and empty nesting

Navigating homesickness and student independence

Transitioning into new routines and finding "you time" again

👩‍👧‍👦 About the Guest:

Laura Brann is the Assistant Director of Development at the Summit Center, and a mom of three amazing kids ages 22, 19, and 16. She’s a powerhouse event organizer with 25+ years of experience and a go-to mom when it comes to college prep advice. Her wisdom, warmth, and experience shine through in every moment of this conversation.

🛎 Don’t Forget:

🎁 Grab Laura’s college packing list—it’s a game-changer!

🎙 Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast—it helps us reach more amazing parents like you!

💌 Share this episode with a friend who’s about to send their baby to college. You’re not alone.

Connect with Rebecca: https://linktr.ee/whinypaluzamom

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