I have seen mentioned a dorm room list and I am looking for some information on this?
My daughter if all goes to plan will be going to USA for study in 2018,
the luggage in airplane is her clothes, some toiletries and some small items.
Things like some of her books I will send as packages by mail to her dorm address.
This thread should be helpful:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-life/82285-a-to-z-what-to-bring-to-college.html#latest
Way to early to worry about dorm things. Packages with sheets, towels, blankets, pillows can be purchased through a company that will send them all to the school to be there on Day 1, or if it is an urban school you can purchase them at local Target, Walmart, BB&B stores.
Students don’t NEED all the stuff on the lists. Even the basics like a desk lamp and alarm clock were never used by my daughter. The first year she had about 8 big duffel bags full of clothes and bedding and shoes and more clothes. Now she’s down to about 1 bag of clothing and one bag of extra things. She lives in a sorority so much like a dorm. More stuff is just more stuff. To her the most important thing is her foam mattress pad. Everything else she can live without.
Agree, it is way too early to think about this. If your D attends college in the US, one way or another you will handle getting her stuff there. How you decide to go about things may depend on part of where the school is located (ex. if stores are accessible nearby to buy things close to campus), if you travel to the US with her, and other details that have yet to be determined.
Most college residence halls provide: a bed with mattress; a desk, a bookcase, a lamp, a dresser, and some closet space. In the kitchenette, she may have access to a communal fridge, a sink for washing up, and a cooktop. There is usually a tea kettle. Many res halls also have a communal iron and ironing board (never used by anyone), a vacuum cleaner (usually broken and or disgusting!), and a broom.
What your daughter will need depends on what she actually uses at home. Have her figure out how many times she does her laundry per week, and make sure she has enough clothes to accommodate her schedule. The suggested list is ridiculous in most cases. Depending on her uni, her room will likely be very small and shared, and there will be strict rules (which most people will break) about plug in appliances, such as coffee makers, hot pots, and electric kettles.
Whatever you do, get her a thick mattress pad! Dorm mattresses are plastic covered and very thin. Everyone hates them, but with a mattress pad, they can be quite comfortable.
Also, have her get an Amazon prime account once she is here. She’ll get free shipping for her books (and better prices than in the school bookstore!). She can also buy her toiletries, etc. that way.
Some things that are typically provided in hotels are not provided in dorms. They include pillows, pillowcases, sheets, blankets, towels, and soap. All of these are items she would need the very first night. So she will need to make arrangements for those things to be shipped to her dorm room so they will be there when she arrives.
Pretty much everything else can be bought in local stores or online within the first few days after arrival. But she won’t want to sleep on a bare mattress and be unable to take a shower the first night.
Completely agree that most kids (girls in particular) arrive in college with way too much stuff – because kids AND THEIR MOMS (guilty as charged) get very excited and convince themselves they “need” it all. (We are a very capitalistic society and buy too much.)
@Marian is right: your daughter needs to bring only stuff she needs right away. She can buy everything else in the US when the time comes.
And remember, American beds are different in size than those in Europe, and college dorm beds are often even MORE different. Don’t buy/order until you know exactly what is needed.
The international student office will have a list, and also can put her in contact with other international students for advice.
Ditto the above. When the time comes the international students office will have good ideas. Each college will vary slightly in what is provided/needed. Students travelling by plane across the US usually pack lighter than those whose parents drive. There are many sales during the summer at eh above mentioned stores and some will do a delivery or a convenient pickup. Some schools even have buses to the stores at the beginning of the year. Remember that electric outlets are different here. It may be easiest to buy a hairdryer (cheap not the luxury models) as well as any lamps and other stuff permitted. Most dorms seem to have Twin XL (extra long- same length as a queen bed) mattresses (look up US sizes at stores). Sheets need to be XL to fit the bed but regular comforters and blankets are used.
Ditto on way too soon now. So much depends on where she goes. When the time comes places like Penneys, Bed Bath and Beyond, Target and Walmart, Macys, Sears are main stores to research online. I have heard mixed reviews about the companies that sell bedding packages- quality/durability.
btw- she will not need winter stuff until later/after first semester so there is no need to worry about cold weather gear initially. Better to buy locally if needed so it works for the climate, and to catch seasonal sales.
^^Oh, I think you have been out of Wisconsin too long. My daughter goes to school in Wyoming, and the first weekend she was there it was all sunshine and shorts and t-shirts at the football game. By the end of September, it was 29 degrees and snowing. Kids at some schools, including most of New England, need warm clothes before winter break.