"My daughter’s school has enough trouble getting packages to actual students in a timely manner, never mind packages to potential students without a mail box. I wouldn’t send anything to a school and expect it to actually be found when visiting. Most visits are on weekends when the mailroom might be closed. There are often changes made to the schedule or who is hosting the student. People get sick and hand you off to someone else at the last minute.
Don’t mail packages."
I agree. You’re just asking for trouble, for your kid to have to track down a package, probably on the weekend. My kid’s college has a mailroom that has limited hours, and I couldn’t imagine asking someone to be inconvenienced to pick it up for them, because they don’t want to stuff it in a suitcase. The reality is, your kid’s suitcase will probably have very little in it, for just a short visit. That $20 one you mentioned might come in handy for other times, so it might not be wasted.
There are ways around paying for checking baggage at Delta. If your daughter or anyone she’s traveling with has a Delta Amex, sitting first class, has status with Delta or a partner airline, or in the military, the baggage fees are waived. Otherwise she gets to bring on a suitcase and one other small item, maybe that sleeping bag you mentioned would easily fit?
And as far as bringing bedding to use in a sleeping bag the college provides, while it may sound disgusting, oh you just wait until next year! Some of those kids are living in such filth, you are wondering where the rats are! And girls can be just as bad or worse than boys. Sanitary, what’s that?
Forget “sleeping bag”. Think, “what can she take so she can sleep on the floor in a dorm room?” A blanket, perhaps with the sides temporarily basted or pinned together (or not even that) would be fine. She can sleep in sweats.
I will definitely be checking out those $25 Amazon and Walmart sleeping bags! The poor old dog had an ‘episode’ the other day on my son’s regular “sleepover” bag. It’s ruined. I wasn’t relishing the idea of him dragging his heavy duty “real camping” bag with him to college overnights.
You need a stuff sack. REI sells good ones. Academy probably sells ones that are fine.
This should make the sleeping bag small enough to fit in her luggage unless your DD owns one of those huge old fashioned ones. If that is the case then go buy a new sleeping bag and a stuff sack.
if she is only going for one night, maybe she could roll up a change of clothing in the sleeping bag ? We sometimes use Spirit Airlines ( agents of Satan ) and I refuse to bow down to their extra fees. I have been known to carry the most basic of things I need for such a short trip , just to thumb my nose at that airline.
I’d buy the one you can pack small. D took one with her to school for her orientation canoeing/camping trip and has used it for friends who visit (and can use it to go visit others if needed). It’s a nice thing to have.
Would not recommend mailing a sleeping bag c/o student who is doing the hosting, or the school itself for that matter. Some schools have centralized mail rooms that are difficult to access or limited hours at dorm mail room sites. The student hosts are already doing the HS student a favor by agreeing to host them overnight - would not give them more work by expecting them to retrieve a package. Also agree with previous poster that I wouldn’t borrow a sleeping bag that might have been stored under sketchy conditions.
Best recommendation - buy the small cheap one and donate to host’s dorm when done.
@txstella The bag she already had is great – it’s from LL Bean and already has a stuff sack. It’s just a heavy duty one that I can’t make much smaller, even when I sit on it, etc.
I ended up buying a $20 one from Amazon and it arrived this morning. It is LITERALLY the size of a large grapefruit when compressed by its sack straps, and it’s very light. It wouldn’t work for cold weather, but she’s going to be inside anyway. I am so happy to have one thing not to worry about now.
BTW - a pillow does not count as one of your bags on the airlines so she can carry a small regular pillow. There are some toddler size ones we use for travel.
@pheebers If the over night is where I think it is, the other girls will figure something out. Not to worry. Very exiting for your girl!
My daughter flew in for overnights and did not bring a sleeping bag. She won’t be the first girl to arrive with only a small carry on.
Your D will find the small seeping bag useful when folks come to visit for the weekend, too! Both my kids put up friends/prospies, etc. in college and extra sleeping gear was much appreciated.
) and I refuse to bow down to their extra fees. I have been known to carry the most basic of things I need for such a short trip , just to thumb my nose at that airline.