<p>Things I have not used this year (my first) at all or only very rarely:</p>
<p>Second pair of sheets. Seriously.
Most of my sweaters, as well as all the long underwear/wool leggings, even though I’m in MA. T-shirt + sweatshirt + jeans is good until you get to below freezing, I’ve found.
My second pair of boots, my second pair of dressy shoes.</p>
<p>Things I have found very useful:
The medicine box my mom and I made before I came. You will always need Band-Aids, stuff for twisted/sprained ankles, basic meds, etc.
My fan. For cooling purposes in August and May, but really just to make white noise so I can get to sleep when people are being loud.</p>
<p>I am almost finished my first year like teenage_cliche so I’ll add stuff:</p>
<p>microfridge/microwave (some people used them heavily; barely used mine)
the multiple pairs of shoes I brought (mostly wearing tennis shoes now)
books from home (never touched them; no time)
printer (library has free printing; will change next semester)
storage boxes (too many of them)</p>
<p>By all means, make sure your son has dress clothes! I currently have as my computer screen saver a photo of D and some fellow students with a famous person with whom they had just had a dinner talk. Standing right next to this neatly-dressed dignitary is a boy wearing blue jeans!! The rest of the students are dressed appropriately for the occasion. I sent the picture to family members, and the number one comment was “who’s the stupid boy wearing blue jeans?”</p>
<p>This has to be one of the most useful (and funny!) threads I’ve read on CC. Getting excited to pack my freshman son already! (After amending “the list”, of course!)</p>
<p>S is graduating in 2 weeks. He has used 2 towels and 1 set of sheets per year. I buy new and pitch the old. Like others said, the little medicine kit I made worked great, and was there when he needed it at 2 a.m. during cold Feb. nights. I bought a plastic tackle box and walked through the Walmart pharmacy aisles, buying the stuff he used at home.</p>
<p>Not worth the trouble–sending any cleaning stuff.</p>
<p>Safe–not used. At all. Lost the key. Had to pry it open to determine there was nothing in there. I like the idea of it as an organizational tool though.</p>
<p>Tool kit–used a lot at beginning of semesters to build furniture, etc.</p>
<p>D is an athlete and sometimes has to host recruits. She uses the second set of sheets and towels to quickly prepare for these guests. Her teammate had someone accidentally spill an entire water bottle on her bed, and that girl was glad she had an extra set. Also, drunk roommates can be very messy, and accidents do happen.</p>
<p>I may have said this already in an earlier post, but D (perhaps because she’s an athlete) actually needed more T-shirts than she had taken with her. We listened to the consensus in this thread which said don’t take many T-shirts because the student will get a lot of free ones once s/he gets to campus. I don’t know, maybe the economic downturn took it’s toll, but that didn’t happen in her case. Still, that’s not something I’d take too many of regardless, as they’re not terribly expensive to buy or hard to find if it turns out they’re needed (a general guideline to follow when deciding what to pack).</p>
<p>Find out what the school’s party dress code is. Even if your child isn’t a partier per se, there will likely be freshman activities and such that s/he will want to attend. At D’s school, the girls tend to wear tank tops a lot. That was one wardrobe item we never purchased much in high school, because tanks couldn’t be worn solo to school, and I preferred more modest clothing for her. So that was something I purchased for her later and shipped to college.</p>
<p>Not exactly a “packing” thing, but I’m surprised by how many times I’ve heard that some of my friends’ college kids don’t have a copy of their own health insurance cards. My sons have had their own cards since they got their own wallets…somewhere around the end of middle school.</p>
<p>Another item that has come in handy is a weekender sized duffle bag. Great for when they visit friends at other colleges, or come home for short breaks.</p>
<p>I doubt the printer will be returning to school. S2 took an entire trunk of kitchen gear to school hoping he could cook, but the communal kitchen in his dorm is small and cr*ppy, so that stuff came home after first semester and will wait for his first apartment or a better housing assignment. </p>
<p>RobD: the black flecks are from the charcoal in the Britta filter. S2 picked up a free pitcher in the “take me, I’m free” pile at school and had the same issue.</p>
<p>The printer seems very school-specific. The kids at my S’s school are saying to definitely bring a printer. I think my S will use the dryer sheets as well. Then his laundry will smell “right” :)</p>
<p>Although this isn’t what the OP asked about, I thought it worth mentioning…the care packages that parents receive emails about suggesting you send a Finals care package, or a Valentine’s package, etc., I sent one to my daughter early on. She told me her roomates mother never missed an occassion, but for me to save my money. She said the items were of poor quality. I tried once again with a fruit basket (same company only a different option) because she loves fruit. Same response. These were interspersed with my “homemade” versions during her first year. </p>
<p>I wonder how many of our kids who receive the company-ordered packages feel the same?</p>
<p>“Has anyone had a student use a college laundry service or linen service?”</p>
<p>First year: Laundry charged $450/year. The price was good for “x” number of pounds and we were billed for overages. They picked up and delivered laundry once a week. I have a daughter who probably responded differently than a son. She felt her clothing items were being done in too hot a water and dryer. So, sheets, towels, and a few random items were sent out. She washed the rest and asked me not to repurchase. </p>
<p>Ready to smile about the next year? Each trip home Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc., a suitcase full of dirty laundry and sheets collected air miles. I bet you can guess who washed on the correct temperature and smiled while she was doing it. Last trip 53 undies, but who was counting?</p>
<p>Count my children among the ones who never used their second set of sheets. With another child going off to college in Fall, 2012, I’ll know better next time. Save your money!</p>
<p>Towels?! (He washed the same ones over & over) Second set of sheets (washed them & put them back on the bed) , ziplock bags, tea bags & pitcher. </p>
<p>He did use his printer a lot & even said so when rearranging all the stuff once back home.</p>
<p>Would a kid normally take a sleeping bag with them? (To stay over in a friend’s room if their roommate was having company, for example?) Because I’d feel better about not sending that extra set of sheets if he’ll have a sleeping bag with him. I know he won’t change his sheets, but it does seem like occasionally there is a bedding “emergency” (someone spills or is sick in your bed) and it woudl be good to have some backup.</p>
<p>^LOL. I would add, any advice I gave him. I think it went out the other ear immediately.</p>
<p>Over winter break we got S waterproof shoes because he went everywhere on foot, in the rain, and his tennis shoes just didn’t cut it. When it snowed he wore boots, but when it was just raining and cold he needed good shoes. Of course, when it’s warmer they wear sandals in the rain, no problem. :)</p>
<p>Edit: I just realized I answered the wrong question, but never mind…</p>