<p>The college lists are so long that I have found them overwhelming. I just stumbled upon this list. It is nice and short. Hope this one helps to keep it simple! </p>
<p><a href=“http://www2.sewanee.edu/sewaneescene/whattobring[/url]”>http://www2.sewanee.edu/sewaneescene/whattobring</a></p>
<p>I like the idea of a short list. Even from that list, my S had zero interest in:
-plates
-cups and bowls
-utensils</p>
<p>And as to “stamps and stationery” ? I don’t know whether to say “Dream on” or LOL. Whatever. :D</p>
<p>Oh good, b/c I was going to keep all those items to minimum. I thought that one mug was enough (for cereal/soup/or beverage). That is all that I took to college in the way of dishes. A few plastic pcs. of plastic spoons, forks should do it (or inexpensive silverware-his choice). I don’t see a need for stationary either. S will call, but he won’t write, which is fine with me.</p>
<p>No bathrobe for him either :p. And I would wait on a lamp until you actually see the room. Locations of outlets, places to put/attach lamp can be challenging.</p>
<p>Okay, I thought I would buy a simple inexpensive desk lamp. Actually, the college bookstore sells some and they are inexpensive. It is not on the top of the list for that reason. As far as the bathrobe, he has a very light one. I was going to him pack it, whether he uses it or not is his choice. If he decides not to take it, also fine. At least it is not some thick robe, so it folds nicely.</p>
<p>My son uses his terrycloth robe all the time, he’s one of those who gets out of the shower and puts his robe on and barely uses a towel. I consider it an essential must-have for the dorm. As for a lamp, I got a really good one at Bed Bath and Beyond. My son has it on his desk. The kind to avoid is the floor lamp type. His roommate had one of those and it was always in the way. A good medium sized fan is also essential unless the dorms are air conditioned.</p>
<p>Thanks for the tips. As far as a fan, S will find out his dorm assignment during the first week of August. We will know if there is air conditioning at that time.</p>
<p>purchase a pack of 3 prong adaptors. They are relatively inexpensive if you don’t need them it’s not a big loss, if you need them and don’t have them it is a pain. </p>
<p>D’s is currently living in some of the older housing on campus where the electrical outlets does accomodate some her stuff so she is moving around the room swapping outlets because there are no adaptors in stock in Hanover.</p>
<p>Hehe, VCR.</p>
<p>DVD player is a serious necessity for S! It is built into his TV. I am sure he is taking it to college.</p>
<p>do I want to know what the bucket is used for? :rolleyes:</p>
<p>^^
Carrying the shampoo, soap, etc. to the hall bathrooms.</p>
<p>Also, no robe was used for my son. He just wanted towels big enough to wrap around to walk back to room. The plates, cups, etc that I sent came home on first visit–said they just took up room. Shower shoes definately, particularly if hall bath.</p>
<p>The plates cups etc are only useless until you spend time on campus while the dining hall is closed. Then they become useful very quickly. Of course, it’s easy enough just to buy them once you need them.</p>
<p>I had to mail some dishes and a few pots and pans to my son - half way through first semester he wanted to cook for himself in the dorm kitchen because he was so tired of the cafeteria.</p>
<p>Do not send any good lamps to the dorm.</p>
<p>My son was the only one on his floor with scissors.</p>
<p>He wanted a hand towel in addition to bath towel.</p>
<p>He really got good use out of the hanging shelf thing I bought at Target. It hangs from his closet rod (still leaves some rod left over) and is great extra storage space.</p>
<p>A laundry basket - he got a regular plastic one because it fit under his bed and acted as both a hamper and laundry basket.</p>
<p>A couple of those electric strip things like you use for computers.</p>
<p>Son’s roommate’s mom had a clever idea which I will share. She had a fly fishing cloth thingy that rolled, wrapped up and tied shut with plastic windows for flys/now niches for meds. A few advil, antibiotic cream, benadryll, a few bandaides, a few items of cold meds, and other personal items. My son had tiny set of plastic drawers on his shelf he had his “extras” of personal items in as he has no car and is not likely to get to run to a CVS or Target often. Re maximizing shelving and closet space…look at the room first. Simple stack plastic shelves to put on the One Shelf provided in the closet helps keep the closet from being a heap to being something that makes sense but every closet is totally different. At Bed Bath and Beyond, buy a couple of those netted Odor Eaters as the kids’ laundry bags are smelly and also stuck in closets in some cases. Consider a hanging towel rack off a dorm closet door as there is seldom enough towel dry space in these rooms. OK, I also bought an excellent but rebuilt and therefore cheaper desk lamp with that full spectrum light. I guess too many years of a buzzing and blazing hot $6.99 lamp on my college desks that hurt my eyes. Son’s desk was under lofted bed…which means his desk and laptop area is dim and DARK…and loft with desk under will be a configuration that many kids end up with…they had no choice but to loft really in the room they were assigned. A nice quiet full spectrum desk lamp that is very adjustable was purchased at Sharper Image online…I even got a deal on a rebuilt factory return version but worth every cent. Much more pleasant light for reading and writing. Son also has noise cancelling headphones used on airplanes…for listening to Ipod music at his desk when he works…no one else has to hear classical when he plays it and he can temporarily block out the fun on the hall when doing his late night homework.</p>
<p>thanks, mkm. But I gotta admit, after several stints in boy scout camp, dorms and frats, I never saw one guy carry a bucket, unless it was for a latrine. LOL</p>
<p>You’re right blue–don’t think he carried it. I think he just used his to store the stuff in so that wet things weren’t on the shelf. But my D. did use hers to carry, but I think girls drag more things into the bathroom :)</p>
<p>Shower shoes a definite must, agreed. Don’t know how they failed to make the short list in the OP. S also asked for a laundry basket after a few days there.</p>
<p>My son also asked for laundry basket as he said the hamper things I sent with him were not good for putting folded clothes back into.</p>