<p>I could really use your experience/advise from your purchases for your 2014 students.
I’m starting to research a few things that my student, 2011/2015, will be needing next year and the choices can be overwhelming.<br>
I am looking at noise reduction earphones. The JVC-HANC250 (circa $105 on Amazon) seem to be pretty good. Thoughts?
The other item I’m trying to get out of the way are sheets. I know I want to get something a bit nicer than 200ct. Does anyone have experience with Pottery Barn Teen bedding? I’m looking for navy (wash with jeans & towels) and it’s one of the only places I’ve seen them.
Thanks for your input!</p>
<p>I would post your question in the College Class of 2013 thread in the parents forum. We 2010/2014 parents don’t yet know what we bought our kids that was a waste of money. ;)</p>
<p>Sheets are much easier to buy at the end of the summer when every company sells Tween XL sheets for students (no one else ever buys them, so the rest of the year they are hard to find).</p>
<p>I would not buy the noise reduction ear phones until (unless?) you are sure that your student needs them. It really is an expensive luxury item… Out of our 3 kids, one “had to have” them, the other two never even thought about it. Bose are the best (but very expensive)</p>
<p>Navy sheets at bb&b–the t-shirt type. about $40</p>
<p>Son really wanted/needed the Bose earphones during freshman year.</p>
<p>Noise reduction headphones work pretty well on constant sounds like airplane engines. They are not designed to reduce the random noises of your roommate shouting out the window, they guy across the hall practicing his electric guitar, etc. Many kids (my 3 anyway) find it hard to study in their dorm rooms (too may distractions, I suppose) and did/do most of their studying in the library or other areas on campus. Bottom line, while I like my noise reduction headphones (they are JVC) for travel on the train or the plane, I think they are far from a college necessity and, depending on the kid, may not get used at all.</p>
<p>Thanks for the thoughts. I will wait on the earphones as they are not inexpensive.
I’d seen the t’shirt sheets but didn’t know how well they would wear. I had some many years ago…very comfortable but didn’t last long. Thanks for the recommendation!</p>
<p>My D (college class of 2013) has the Pure Beech Jersey Knit sheets from Bed Bath and Beyond. They have them in navy (she has white). She loves them and thinks they were one of her best purchases. She worked in the home department of a major department store and currently works in a custom linen boutique in the village next to her college campus and is very particular about her bedding. So far they’ve held up fine.</p>
<p>She also purchased an inexpensive mattress topper from Target that she loves. It was only $15 and I think it was a full size which she cut down. She saw lots of them that were much more expensive but this one has been fine.</p>
<p>Garnett Hill Catalog has wonderful jersey sheets in XL. Just make sure you need XL. Some schools we are looking at, including the dorm at D’s #1 choice take regular sheets.</p>
<p>I agree that it might be too soon to purchase bedding. I bought XL sheets and had to return them when I learned my son’s dorm had regular twin size beds. As far as headphones, you may want to consider headphones that also have a microphone for skyping (or gaming 
). </p>
<p>If you’re looking for gift suggestions, we gave my son a nice clock/music system (Sony) with an ipod dock last year for Christmas. It wasn’t too large, but the sound quality was very good. He brought it with him and it’s perfect for the dorm room.</p>
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<p>Besides, they don’t put all the really cool college dorm stuff out until the week after July 4th. You don’t want to buy something now, only to find out there was something that would have been better but it’s too late to return your first purchase.</p>
<p>Son has the Pure Beech Jersey Knit sheets from Bed Bath and Beyond in gray and really likes them. As far as I know, they are holding up.</p>
<p>I ordered jersey sheets online from The Company Store for my son when he left for college. They held up very well, but they are a bit more expensive than you can find in Target and elsewhere.</p>
<p>Not to be a damper, but there will be plenty of time to shop for this stuff next summer. At that point your son will know where he’s going, probably what dorm he’s living in and what it is equipped with, and who his roommate will be. And that’s when the stores put all their stuff out (Target, BB&B, etc) and you’ll have a nice selection to choose from.</p>
<p>Don’t rush senior year. It will be over before you know it.</p>
<p>(Parent of 2010/14 and 2007/11)</p>
<p>Thanks for the additional thoughts. He’s not my oldest, but my '09 grad took a different path so this is new to me.</p>
<p>There is no rush to buy the dorm things. But it was a timely question because things like headphones might make a nice Christmas gift.</p>