<p>Extra long g sheets are sometimes iffy. My college advertised that their beds are extra long; however, extra long sheets are just TOO long! Regular fitted sheets worked out just fine. :-/ </p>
<p>@intparent…thanks for finding the list. LOL - that is one heck of a list! That’s a lot more than I would even consider packing. @-) </p>
<p>I think this New York Times article, “College Prep, This Time for Health” has some really important info. Most of our kids have never had to take responsibility for their own health.</p>
<p><a href=“College Prep, This Time for Health - The New York Times”>College Prep, This Time for Health - The New York Times;
<p>One thing that has changed since I went to school: the existence of the memory foam mattress topper! Makes a college bed much more comfortable.</p>
<p>I won’t get into all of the regular stuff. You can always consult the shopping thread, but be aware that there are some girls’ lists on it that are simply ludicrously long. </p>
<p>Take as little as possible. If your kid actually needs something, they can most likely buy it. If they don’t buy it, they don’t really need it. :)</p>
<p>Along the lines of health…make sure you kid knows where the college health center is and the hours. Also…where is the closest urgent care and closest ER. Map it out, drive them by. Kids usually need medical attention long after the college health center has closed for the day or the weekend…</p>
<p>also, there used to be a length thread on what NOT to bring to college or what your kid took to college and didn’t use…will search for it…</p>
<p>Funny about the TV’s. Older D used only her laptop to watch shows, when she bothered. As she moved in, thr boys in the room across from hers moved a ginormous flat screen TV in-had to be at least 50", arranged the beds to face it, and had the XBox hooked up and began playing while leaving their boxes and bags sitting unpacked. Clearly they had certain priorities… </p>
<p>sseamom…oh, was that your D across from my S and his roommate? ;)</p>
<p>I know it’s been said but I’m going to say it again . . . don’t overpack! My older D takes more and more junk each year and I think we’ll probably need two cars to bring all of it home this summer. She’s a pack rat. Also, they accumulate a lot of things throughout the year.</p>
<p>Neither of my kids have needed a printer. </p>
<p>My oldest bought a TV and XBox a few years ago so she takes those with her. My youngest is across the country and her roommate has a TV and they hook up one of their laptops to watch Netflix. </p>
<p>Since my youngest is going to school across the country, we ordered things from Bed, Bath and Beyond to pick up near her college. You don’t have to buy everything you order since you don’t purchase the items until you pick them up. We also stopped at a Target near her college and bought things a lot cheaper than they would have been at Bed, Bath and Beyond so we ended up not taking a lot of things that were waiting for us at Bed, Bath and Beyond (I felt a little bad about that but they are really overpriced). We had her memory foam mattress pad shipped from Costco (for free) and it was waiting for us when she moved into her dorm room.</p>
<p>Your child may need clothes for snow/ice/rain depending on the location.</p>
<p>Good luck!!!</p>
<p>My daughter has always been happy watching movies on her laptop. My son and his roommate have a big screen TV with subwoofer/blu-ray, etc. and people often gather in their room to watch movies or sports. I guess it’s a guy thing. </p>
<p>-Many desk lamps you find in stores are halogen, but halogen lamps are not allowed in most dorms. </p>
<p>-Although my kids generally use the campus printer/scanners, there have been times when they have needed one late at night and were glad to have their own. They each keep a printer in an under-the-bed storage bin with extra paper and ink. No need to waste desk space.</p>
<ul>
<li>Tall, skinny shelves are a lifesaver…the sturdy, metal kind (Target) you can put together on move-in day, and take apart at the end of the year. They will fit almost anywhere, and you can customize shelf height to accommodate books, appliances, etc. </li>
</ul>
<p>-We have found that packing in assorted sized rubbermaid bins is useful. Leave the ones that fit for under-the-bed storage. Take the extras back home with you. </p>
<p>-This may sound crazy, but politely ask for the roommate’s cell phone number or email address, and give them yours. You’ll probably never need it and neither will they…but good to have, just in case.</p>
<p>Practical Things…
- Debit Card
- Health insurance card
-AAA card for drivers
-2nd form of government ID (passport, for instance) least they lose their wallet 1 day before their flight home for Thanksgiving!</p>
<p>Again, do not overpack. My older son loves clothing, and he had us purchase lots of extra shorts and t-shirts because he attended school where the humidity is very high during the summer. The amount of clothing that we donated following graduation was ridiculous. Fortunately Son #2 is very different. I think he learned from his brother.</p>
<p>Make copies of the drivers license, insurance card and any other important papers. I bought my son a small safe for his copies, and I kept copies at home.</p>
<p>If your student does not have a car with him, call your insurance company and ask for the reduced rate. This is big. We saved hundreds when our son went to school. He never had a car in four years.</p>
<p>Send along a medical kit. In some states, your student is not an adult until 19 (this is in Alabama), so he may not be able to purchase certain medications. My son had older roommates, but he knew others who did not and that presented a problem.</p>
<p>Thank so much, everyone! This is incredibly helpful, and I hope others will benefit from it, as well. :)</p>
<p>We didn’t watch, TV, either. Heck, most of us were rarely in our rooms. </p>
<p>As for sheets…get this. D did a camp last summer at her current #1 choice. She has a LL, so very good chance that’s where she’ll wind up. We bought sheets, and I totally forgot if they were XL or regular, and she’ll need one more set. <em>face-palm</em> </p>
<p>Less is more. Find out if dorm room comes with micro fridge combo before purchasing. No TV- laptop with streaming should work fine- be social and watch in the lounge. Consider a laptop lock if leaving laptop unattended in library/ dining areas/ unlocked dorm room to use restroom, etc.
Don’t bother with ironing supplies,drying racks, etc- just a basket, detergent and dryer sheets.
Don’t bring cleaning supplies, vacuum etc. Just a tube of disinfectant wipes should work.
Unless flying to school, bring clothes in trash bags but keep a duffle at school to pack for trips home.
Only need a couple of towels and two sets of sheets (May never open second set!)
Don’t buy everything on the store list!
Pack from your house before you shop for new items.</p>
<p>A word for students who won’t have a car or live on an isolated campus…or (as in our daughter’s case) in an expensive city: Amazon often offers free ‘Amazon Prime’ memberships for college students. They get free 2-day shipping and can order almost anything they might need. My kids have ordered everything from rain boots to gluten-free snacks. Also, they get to stream Amazon Prime movies.</p>
<p>Have a conversation about signing a HIPAA waiver. If something happens it is nice to be able to talk to a doctor directly. Sometimes it isn’t even serious but our kids forget what was said when they leave the office. </p>
<p>Make sure your kid knows what you put in the first-aid kit and where the tool box is stashed. </p>
<p>My child doesn’t use 1/8th of the things on that list at home, so I can’t imagine going out and buying the A-Z list and trying to fit it into a 12x8 dorm room. I imagine that if you buy two sets of sheets, one will go on the bed immediately, the second a month later, and the second set will still be on the bed when he/she moves out, with the original set still in the laundry basket.</p>
<p>Less, then less of the less. Too much stuff!</p>
<p>A guide on things for parents to avoid doing on move in day. A fun read.</p>
<p><a href=“Parent Faux Pas at Move-In - Parents Forum - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1211804-parent-faux-pas-at-move-in.html</a></p>
<p>Don’t buy a shiny new bike. Bikes get taken regularly, especially if they are locked up with cheesey locks. Or left unlocked. The Kryptonite locks are awesome. Buy a reliable ugly bike :). Oh, and save those plastic grocery bags ( if your area hasn’t banned them!). They make good seat covers when it’s rainy.</p>
<p>Student perspective here. Most of my advice is based upon flying to/from campus. If you drive, you can modify slightly. Also, this is from a guy’s perspective.</p>
<p>As many people have said, less is more in terms of clothes. Jeans/tees/sweats will be the most common outfit.</p>
<p>The link that@intparent provided has a lot of good packing suggestions. One thing that I did not see was a laptop lock.</p>
<p>The first store that DC should shop at is the hall closet; you need new towels more than your kid does.</p>
<p>Things not to bring. Unless DC is taking music classes/performing in the symphony/busking on the corner for change, leave the musical instruments at home. He will not be playing them. Unless DC is a varsity athlete, leave the big athletic equipment at home; he will not use it. A baseball mitt is fine. Skis, golf clubs, ice skates, etc.are not. If needed, he can rent. Unless the campus is spread out, leave the bike at home. Even if the campus is spread out, it may be better to buy a cheap bike there; it will get stolen anyway. Do not bring ironing supplies; he will not use them. If he needs an iron, he can borrow one. It should almost go without saying, but don’t bring the HS varsity jacket.</p>
<p>Do not buy anything major for the dorm (bookshelves, fridge, etc.) until you actually see the space that you have. Do not bring the souped-up audio system; MP3 player is fine. Docking station with speakers is adequate for the Friday night “study breaks.”</p>
<p>Many schools will have student-run or charity-run yard sales at the beginning of the year. This is a cheaper alternative for furnishing the room.</p>
<p>Do look into summer storage options. If the school does not provide (most don’t), they will have preferred vendors, many of which will pick up in May and redeliver in September. It may be more economical to store winter clothes, bedding, etc., than shipping back and forth.</p>
<p>If DC does not know how to do laundry, teach him. More laundry detergent is not better. Crimson Tide tees and white undies together won’t end well. If DC does not cook, and the dorm has a common kitchen, teach him some basics. There may be a time when he is on campus and the dining hall is closed. Ramen noodles and Kraft Mac & Cheese only go so far. </p>
<p>When DC arrives on campus remind him not to be that kid. Wait for the roommate(s) to arrive before laying claim the a bed/closet/desk, rearranging furniture, dismantling bunk beds.</p>
<p>For drivers, I heartily endorse moving the clothes and bedding in in garbage bags, and leaving a duffle to pack for trips home or visits to other campuses or friends’ homes.</p>
<p>I also endorse the at-school move in sale for cheap fridges, etc.</p>
<p>And indeed, don’t be <em>that</em> kid! :)</p>