Items for college that most parents overlook...

[darius]

Okay, we're two weeks away from sending our oldest child out of state to college. We've started to make a checklist of items to pack. What would be most helpful is a list of items that freshmen and their parents commonly overlook or forget about...likewise, anything that you wish someone had told you or your child to take to school. This would include items of clothing, particular items for the dorm room, etc.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

[weenie]

Funny you should ask - my son was just going through his stuff and here are a few things he listed:

Ear plugs
Batteries
Nail clippers
Flashlight
Poster putty
Command adhesive hooks
Scissors
Stapler
Surge strips
Extension cords
A few envelopes and stamps
Duct tape and scotch tape



(Those are just the items he didn't see already in the pile. )

[oldfort]

Our D is bringing her passport with her. Does that count?

[sunshadow]

Tin foil (for wrapping up unfinished food before it goes into dormroom fridge and turns green)

keychain for dormroom key

sunblock

[blucroo]

sewing kit

[midmo]

A few envelopes and stamps

For a male???

Every year I sent my son off to boy scout summer camp with envelopes and stamps; grandmas and parents rarely saw evidence of that.

The other suggestions are useful, thanks. Especially the duct tape, but he will probably think of that one on his own.

[A.S.A.P.]

Bring some type of extra speakers for the laptop, as kids use this for their primary music venue. And headphones, to be polite to the roomie

Most things he will need, but may forget, can be easily obtained at college. I think kids tend to take too much rather than too little.

[sunshadow]

True, but they often don't feel like trecking to the campus store at the exact time when they need the stuff, so they end up "borrowing" from roomates all the time. I told my d not to get into the habit of borrowing from everyone, but to provide for herself.

[JHS]

Ipecac syrup. Bandaids.

[weenie]

Actually, son #1 used that envelope and stamp to mail back a jury summons...

[curiouser]

Fan
Light bulbs
Paper towels
Febreze
Mirror for dorm room (girls)
All cables for computer (ethernet)

Neither of my kids had cars the 1st year and the closest place to buy stuff (the bookstore) was running out of alot of items within the 1st couple of days.

Plus I'd rather buy things at discount prices than have the kids buy them at marked-up rates. In the end, it all comes out of our pocket.

[Marian]

Bandaids are one item that my son complained that he had not thought to bring with him or buy. Somehow, you don't feel like going to the campus store when you're dripping blood on the floor from a cut.

A water bottle with a tight lid (it's going to end up on the same desk as the laptop, and spilling water on a laptop is not a good idea)

Power strips. Extension cords.

All of the chargers and cables that go with all of the electronic stuff that young people cannot live without.

A battery-operated alarm clock (this is a backup for the electric one, which is useless if the power goes off).

Ipecac, JHS? At this age? Why?

[JHS]

I don't know. It's one of those things we always have around in case it's a good idea to induce vomiting. As I remember, there were a number of times in college when it was a good idea to induce vomiting.

[Marian]

One thing you should NOT bring: Your high school yearbook.

It is irreplaceable. One of my college roommates had hers with her at college. Somehow, it got wet. It was irreparably damaged. She was heartbroken.

[marny1]

If they are planning to get a campus job ( or any other type), I believe they need to have 2 forms of ID- like SS card, passport, drivers license etc. Please check- but I really think they need multiple ID's to procure employment.