<p>The double comforterr is fine because IF the bed is made, it can hang low enough to cover whatever is shoved under the bed.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>That’s what I’m thinking. It would only be awkward of the bed is bunked/lofted, but then he can just fold it over or more likely, crumple it up up there 
The rooms are pretty tight, so they might want to loft them, dunno…</p>
<p>They can tuck it under on the wall side if the beds are bunked.</p>
<p>So glad this thread exists. Makes it easier to honor sons request not to take so much and not to have a top sheet. I just thought he was “different” but apparently he isn’t…Thanks!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>For the kid we drove to college…we used LARGE black trash bags…then threw them out. They could be stuffed into the car in odd places. Also we didn’t take ANYTHING empty. The fridge, for example, was filled with clothing.</p>
<p>For the kid we flew across country…we took four suitcases (thank you SW airlines…two of us traveled). Two were mine and came back with me. One was DD’s and stayed with her. The last one was the oldest one we had (with duct tape covering one rip) and it went in the trash…took only a one way trip.</p>
<p>thumper1 - great info. We are all flying (first trip for H to Penn) so we are taking 5 suitcases and a box (or bag?) for backpacking backpack for PennQuest (he will mail back later I think). Plan to use nesting suitcases so after he unpacks, we take most of luggage back with us. At least one will be collapsible for him to use.</p>
<p>We are flying Frontier and upgraded to get stretch seats and luggage. Figured it’s our one chance to splurge on a college trip…S is our only.</p>
<p>I am trying to discourage D from lofting bed. 1. for safety-- kids do fall out of their beds ( friends S fell out hit his head on desk & cracked his jaw - likely he didn’t kill himself - no not drinking either) 2. Having your bed at above eye level is nasty looking. I think it makes the room feel very crowded & messy. </p>
<p>Less is more</p>
<p>I have seen kids bring those toddler “bed rails” and put them on the side of their lofted bed for safety reasons. Others grab an extra cross-rail/support bar and use it as a bed rail.</p>
<p>“Last year S1’s roommate brought a futon and did NOT loft his bed. S1 didn’t want to make a big deal about it, but this meant the only way for him to access his desk was to have his dresser in the closet. He survived the entire year on about 8” of hanging space. Roommate only used the futon to store laundry and old pizza boxes. "</p>
<p>I’d have made them loft the bed or ditch the futon. How incredibly selfish. 
I know, I know…you have to let the kids figure this out on their own.</p>
<p>I’m glad my son is rooming with a friend - they’ve already discussed the room layout and understand that they need to make the most of the small space. They are both lofting their beds for that reason.</p>
<p>His flute. He played flute from when he was 9 until the day he started college. It was his main EC along with stage crew.</p>
<p>He didn’t want to practice in his dorm where anyone could hear him. He didn’t want to go to any practice rooms “where there were real music students.”</p>
<p>He basically said, “I kept playing so I could write about it on my college applications. I’m in college – I don’t have to play anymore.”</p>
<p>Serious parental fail!</p>
<p>Paper plates and plastic silverware. We bought him some so that he would have it for use as needed as the kitchen facilities were in the basement. Just noticed this summer that they remain in their packages and he has dutifully moved them from him dorm to 2 different apts that he has lived in this summer.</p>
<p>I’m going to be going to college this fall, but I’ve spent two years living away from home in a building that used to be a college dorm until my HS took it over in 1989 to use as “our” dorm. </p>
<p>Things I brought but didn’t use:
Traveling DVD player. (In my defense, I got it for free from MathCounts.)
“Fun” books.
Style manual. Used the internet instead.
Third towel. Meant to swim occasionally, but pool opening time was too late for me to fit a swim session before class.</p>
<p>I actually used my second sheet set, but that was probably because I was still close enough to home to go home every Sunday, so I just did my laundry at home as the school’s washers and dryers were not that great. At home, I used two drying racks instead of the dryer, so it was helpful to have the second sheet set for the days that my sheets didn’t dry in time for me to take back to school. Top sheet used because comforter was dry-clean-only and I wanted to be able to clean the surface I slept under. I’m considering sewing little snaps down both sides of my fitted sheet and also my top sheet. That way, I could snap the two sheets together on the side that was by the wall and hopefully they’d stay a little better. Also considering doing something similar for my pillow, so it doesn’t end up on the ground in the middle of the night. (Highly annoying when your bed is lofted)</p>
<p>I had a small electric broom instead of a vac, and I think I prefer it, if only because it’s more nimble and also because it was much quieter.</p>
<p>Used some plastic dishes, but I don’t think I’ll be taking them again. I’d rather have ceramics. </p>
<p>Things I didn’t bring but are high on my list to bring to college:
Shower caddy.
Sewing kit. Actually ended up picking one up from a nearby store for $1 and kept it in an empty take-out container.
Electric kettle. School does not allow microwaves. What the ****?</p>
<p>I never had a printer and never needed one, and I doubt I’ll need one in the future. About the walking-across-campus-in-the-middle-of-the-night to print: I just printed right before my class started if I wrote the essay the night before ^^. It should be able to wait till morning.</p>
<p>Never did pajama sets either - I just wore workout clothing so I didn’t have to change when I peeled myself out of bed to work out at 6AM. No laptop lock either. No safe (I’ve always found “portable” safes funny. Defeats the purpose, IMHO). Just kept my important/expensive stuff well hidden. </p>
<p>Both me and my roommate had our beds lofted over our desks - the room was not functional otherwise, as we found out when we tried to de-loft at the end of the year. There was literally no way to get through that room without climbing on something or another, and most of the drawers had to be placed so the drawers couldn’t actually be opened. With the beds lofted, the desks fit underneath, and the dressers fit neatly next to the desks. Since the dresser and the desk were exactly the same height, I used my dresser as an extension of my desk. Blasted room actually felt somewhat spacious.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Not awkward. At my school, no one made their bed if they had their bed lofted. Too dangerous. Not worth the risk of falling off the bed.</p>
<p>I started this thread on 5/11/10. I had just moved my son home from school. He took a leave of absence and didn’t return. Fast forward to now and we’re getting ready to take D off to school for the first time. Yesterday and this morning I dug out the bins that had been frozen in time, exactly as we moved them home. The boxes of zip lock bags in two sizes are unopened. The bottle opener and can opener are shiny and obviously never used. I’m going to pack them up and send them off again, because I still think those items could come in handy!</p>
<p>Apparently, my D did not take anything that she did not use first year because we just shipped her off for her 2nd year with even MORE stuff! Had to replace shower caddy, shower shoes, hamper (had to pitch it at the end of first year cause it didn’t fit in storage box), pillow and toiletries. She took more formal clothes this year (for dances, receptions, etc), as well as more “clubbing” clothes. Don’t know where she’s going to put it all as her room this year is even smaller than last year!</p>
<p>For the record, D did not take any cooking supplies either year. While she would have loved to cook in the dorm, she did not have anywhere to store items and, if you leave them in the kitchen, they walk. She has learned to make do with a microwave. Also no TV (uses Netflix and Hulu on laptop), no bike, no car, no stereo, etc. Mostly just clothes and bedding.</p>
<p>Best of luck to your daughter, Missypie! Glad you started this thread… It has been helpful!</p>
<p>Any of you people who are sending boys to school with laundry detergent that comes in little packs, be sure to tell them they have to take the tablet out of the plastic before they throw it in the washer!</p>
<p>When I went to my 25th reunion at an Ivy, it was also Commencement week. And the Univ had put dumpsters on the grass in the quads for all the not-used & hardly-used stuff the students were throwing out.</p>
<p>We “old” people shocked the graduating seniors. The 25th reunion class was dumpster diving–to get free stuff to send their own kids to school with!</p>
<p>@JRZMom- That is hilarious! I can totally picture it!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Love it. </p>
<p>I was thinking this morning that Twin XL sheets should be passed down, like people do with baby clothes. It seems like only dorms use twin XL sheets and if the student lives in the dorm for only a year, the sheets should still be in great condition.</p>
<p>When our friends bought a new house right before son went off to college, they bought him a Twin XL size bed for his new bedroom. They are quite thrifty and did not want those college sheets to go to waste.</p>
<p>We actually have to replace the twin mattresses and frames in son’s old bedroom, and I’m strongly considering putting Twin XL in there as well!</p>
<p>I am rotating the stock on the second set of sheets. I just space bagged them with the comforter, that will be the set we put on the bed at move in next week. The sheets from last year will be put in the bin under the bed, where I’m sure they’ll remain all year.</p>