Some things don’t change:

Keep plenty of tissues handy for the day you drop your student off at college

Editor’s note: This story originally ran in the 1982 Arbutus yearbook chronicling a mother dropping off her daughter at IU in 1981.

Donna left for school today. Although dried tears have to fight the college crowds in her career as a mother. She has packed up seven others who have made the trip, all to different schools. Now, Donna is the easiest to let go.

Drotha listened, un- daunted, to her daughter talk about the wonderfulness of life without curfews or stupid high school men. “She didn’t tell you guys,” Drotha interrupted, “but she thought she had too many mothers and fathers at home, with all those brothers and sisters wrapped a mothering arm around her daughter’s shoulder. “I have so many mixed emotions. I’ve gone through these motions of sending them off — why, we both know them well. I just know she’ll be okay.”

As for herself, with a new on her first day of college, 18-year-old Donna Bruno became the last of a family of eight children to break the apron strings and head for school. She wasn’t scared, though.

“I can’t wait to get to know all these super people from everywhere,” she said. “And the guys have to be better than high school. They were the worst.”

The guys, however, were not the only call Donna heard coming from the Big Ten. She’s going to join a sorority. She’s going to get good grades and season football and basketball tickets. But she isn’t going to miss home. “Not much, any-

Donna struggled to hold her tears, then borrowed another Kleenex from a friend.

But she’s not going to miss home. She is sure, and besides, there are more important things to think about right now, with a new roommate arriving any minute and the room to be decorated and new people to meet.

“I’ve gotta find my mailbox,” Donna said, for an ex-

Her mother handed her another Kleenex.