Poster Booboojr. brought a smile to my face when she said that, to vanquish her tears after dropping her son off for his freshman year the other day, she opened her pocketbook and cleared the shelves of paraphernalia at the college bookstore. It got me thinking that the topic deserved its own thread.
Yes, I am guilty too. At the end of freshman orientation I headed to the campus bookstore and looked for anything wearable, emblazoned with the school name, in BIG block letters if I could find it, including an apron. Hee hee. Even purchased a tee-shirt for Granny. What did you all buy at the campus bookstore on orientation day? Did you embarrass your student, or your spouse? LOL
I walked past the University Store (Pitt is very concerned about letting everyone know that they are a UNIVERSITY, dammit) and wanted to buy at least a hoodie but it turns out that I can’t afford to buy anything from Pitt. LOL.
Didn’t visit the bookstore during move in day, but did visit it during mid-summer orientation day. I visited it because it was so dang cold in our orientation sessions I was freezing!! Bought a lovely 1/4 zip fleece that I’m sure I’ll get much use of. D after orientation bought the same one as me.
I like to have a couple of items but don’t go overboard for myself. Did the car window cling (small) for the first 2 who went to college but haven’t bought one yet for #3 school. I DON’T do any “college mom” type stuff. I prefer “subtle”.
For my D we bought sweatshirts at “Admitted Students Day” when she decided to commit. For my S we visited campus only a week after his acceptance and bought t-shirts, sweatshirts and car window cling (bought one for both schools). LOL!
But the one thing we brought home, NOT from the bookstore was the photo we took of my S and D by a sign that listed all the Claremont Colleges and had them pose pointed to their respective school. Priceless!
I was at my Alma Mater, so had fun at the bookstore. Bought a summer sleeveless top that was longer in the back…so cute! And a zipped hooded fleeced sweatshirt for tailgating.
I never bought anything for myself at the campus bookstore until parent’s weekend and then broke down and bought a nice hoodie with the school colors and embroidered, USoCal Mom. Our kids bought us more logo items over the holidays over the years. We now have license plate holders on 4 of our 5 vehicles with the U’s name (fortunately both attended the same you).
Along with sweatshirts…lanyard, travel mug, insulated cold drink cup for spouse and self. Over the years bought mug, book bag, umbrella, socks for gifts.
Received key rings, book bag and car window cling for parent orientation.
I’m with @HRSMom. When I dropped off D last week, I bought her a water bottle emblazoned with the school name ($17.99!) and a bookmark and small car decal for me.
My son got a free metal water bottle when he went to some early program in 2012. He finally used it just this summer. I have purchased HIM a T-shirt and a sweatshirt, but he has worn neither, ever. I have nothing else. My younger son started at my school last year. I do have a key ring from them, that I received for donating. I use it to keep track of all my store discount cards, library card, etc.
While we are still completing college tours with DS16, I use the bookstore as a litmus test for interest. If he wants a t shirt, we’re interested and could see himself at this college. No shirt , no interest . My theory worked well until he was offered provisional acceptance for 2016 , and all of a sudden , we had to get a Tshirt because of sudden interest.
That’s funny @carolinamom2boys! But I imagine that gets expensive! We didn’t buy any t-shirts, sweatshirts etc. until we had committed to a college. And what do you do with all those other t-shirts later?
He only has a list of 5 schools he’s really interested in. We just get t shirts , nothing too expensive . He usually wears them to school or with sleep pants. I think he’s made his choice though. He asked for a Christmas ornament at one of the schools we visited( I’ve been buying DS16 and DS19 ornaments every year since they were born )
My husband is so conscious of even Steven support for the two kids school. He hangs out at home in basketball shorts and tshirts and never mixes schools. If he wears one school one day he wears the other the next. However our daughter goes to a big football school that’s on TV most fall weekends, so it really tugs at his 50 50 heart. Until tuition time when the $ goes to the other school.
I have car stickers and zip up sweatshirts.
Oh gosh, I’m a sitting duck in a college bookstore. I bought 5 or 6 t-shirts during D’s orientation. And this past April I was in Seattle and of course couldn’t resist the UW bookstore. I came home with 4 t-shirts, a car decal, a couple of fridge magnets, and (my favorite) a UDUB coffee mug.
Luckily, I bought very little my first time in a bookstore. My Christmas presents for the next six years came from Goskid 1 & 2’s bookstores. Plus…my birthday is right near finals/around Xmas…so, yep, I got six years of birthday presents from the college bookstores.
I don’t buy anything at the bookstores either. D1 scours the clearance racks at the bookstore and gathers any free swag she can find for gifts. I’m sure that now that D2 is in college she’ll be doing the same. I wouldn’t want to steal their thunder by buying anything for myself
