From my experience… just because you get two free checked bags (e.g. Southwest) does not mean you should do it.
I have transported 35 lbs x 6 large bags and a few carry-ons while traveling with the family of 3 big guys and mom, me.
Very very hard to maneuver them and fit them into one Van or Full-size SUV.
I would not do it.
Ship some boxes ahead and Fly lighter.
@Momzilla @momtogkc Ours is actually one of the “circle game” high schools, since we also do not have senior quotes. At least with senior quotes it was a real problem, not a perceived issue, based on an Alt-Right hoax.
At least now, (knock of wood, spit three times, toss salt of my shoulder, etc), the weather seems to be cooperating.
We will be driving D to college, through Toronto, where my wife’s cousin, who has a kid D’s age (almost exactly) lives. We’ve both driven long distances fairly often, and have done some pretty long family road trips, so, while we wouldn’t drive to VT on a regular basis, a road trip with D’s stuff is not a problem.
My D starts a day early because of the scholarship, and we will be participating in the “parent activities”, because it is so strange and different for us. To quote my wife: “I think that I’m ready to have a kid attending Midd, but I don’t know how ready I am to be a ‘Middlebury Parent’”.
I already reserved rooms at an air B&B for those days, and for “parent’s weekend” later in Sep. One of the main reasons we decided on doing that, is that D19’s 18th birthday is a couple of weeks after the semester starts, so we want to be able to celebrate with her.
She’ll be 18. When did that happen?
Drive/Fly Story: my nephew went to Denison (he went to HS in Boston). My sister overbought (he was her oldest) and shipped it all UPS. (This is years ago before you were able to pick up at the local Target.) So she is on the elevator and the UPS guy says to her “some crazy mom from Boston sent 13 boxes to her kid! It’ll never fit!” She looks down and, yup, its the boxes she sent. She went to the next floor and hid out until all the boxes were delivered so the UPS guy wouldn’t know she was the crazy mom. Fifteen years later we still laugh about it!
@SwimmingDad 
That was me with my 1st–our amazon order involved 8 large boxes! We are from MA and he is at Ohio University (will be a senior this year). The RA said they were waiting to see who had shipped all that stuff, so my DS was “famous” before he even arrived.
@payn4ward really! I was just on SW website yesterday and the latest dates available were the first week of Nov. Maybe I looked at it wrong. Yikes!
Southwest only opened Thanksgiving dates yesterday according to my info. The originally scheduled date for doing so was 5/29 but they were a day late. But homerdog, you should have seen them yesterday?
@homerdog @SJ2727 Oh, my bad, it must have opened yesterday then, and I happened to look at it today.
Still many lowest fares for Saturday or Sunday return were sold out. 
S19 wants to return Friday anyway. Not a big shopper on Black Friday.
I remember previous students at Hopkins having exams or projects due immediately after the break so he may want to return sooner than later anyway.
@SwimmingDad I was working pretty long hours when I was expecting S17. It was the beginning of on-line shopping and delivery with Baby’s R US etc. I ordered everything on-line. Diapers, tub and squeaky toys, bottles, formulas, onesies, bassinet, multiple car seats, high chairs, everything. My mom came and stayed with us. She became good friends with the UPS guy.
Thanks everyone!! Super cheap flights still available if he flies in and out of Boston so we will do that!
Aaaaand I spoke too soon. I was rushing and had the wrong dates and, indeed, getting back and forth for Thanksgiving will not be easy. I feel like I’d better book his trip home for winter break but how can we do that when we don’t exactly know when they’ll be done? I mean, I know when classes are over but he may be done earlier. I guess I could book that one-way on SW and hopefully change it if he’s done early.
@homerdog I agree with your thought–go ahead and book one way on Southwest for winter break using the end of finals date, and re-check and maybe re-book once kiddo knows the finals schedule. I stalked Southwest from 5:00am yesterday until the new flight schedule finally loaded, and was able to get the flight home for Thanksgiving on SW, and great prices on flights home and back to Stanford for Winter Break (they start back on Jan 6th), but wowza the price for the flight back to school after Thansgiving was immediately sky high. I finally ended up finding a $350ish flight on American to San Francisco and it was the cheapest so I booked it. One thing I usually do on SW is to book one way legs–to me it seems to make it easier if the price goes down and I rebook for credit or want to change the date of a leg.
@SwimmingDad my son’s going to Denison, and I was really happy to learn there is now a Target just ten minutes away. Still need to exercise control (keep reminding self!). Although boys are pretty easy - when I suggested he’d need to buy new sheets, he just asked me “what’s wrong with the ones I have?” (Actually, they probably won’t fit because of the dreaded XLong Twin.) We are feeling a little giddy here now - prom was last night and graduation next Saturday. S will be assisting with the two-week summer school program, which is nice, and he’ll make a little money as well. His high school, an international IB school in Asia, did a neat thing for the senior class - they all went off together last week for a three-night retreat in the mountains, with the guidance counselors and a few other teachers. It seems it was partly serious, with everyone talking about what it means to be going off to college, and also lots of fun, with outdoor hikes and kayaking, cookoffs, etc. and a great final bonding opportunity before they all scatter like the wind. They structured it so it still counted as “school” for accreditation purposes, etc. The IB program was so tough and so hard to understand at times that I wasn’t really sure about the school for the first few years, but in the end I am grateful.
I look forward to learning more from this group as we move towards the fall. It’s a total mystery to me having lived outside the US for more than twenty years.
@momtogkc and @momzilla2D D19 and D21 will be at the Gov Ball tomorrow. Fun! Glad they aren’t predicting thunderstorms.
Congrats to all whose kids have graduated. It has been a hectic two weeks. IB exams were completed last week, and although they won’t mean much for placement, D seemed to put decent effort into it. We had a bump in the road over the weekend when she got off the Vandy waitlist and had to consider the pros and cons of a closer, better priced option, but in the end she stuck with Rice (thanks @elena13 and @Trixy34). Graduation was incredibly beautiful and incredibly hot. I’ve since attended two other local ceremonies (we were all pregnant together, so cool comparison kiddie pics), and it’s funny how differently schools in the same region organize the ceremony and program. I didn’t experience this “cord” thing myself, so it was kind of funny to me.
In the midst of this, unfortunately work went crazy, and I’d procrastinated making cinch backpacks for the graduation trip. Finally, slept 10 hours last night. Exhausting couple weeks, but fun. D and her girls are on their trip and posting cool pictures along the way. One of the moms made adorable black T-shirts with a popular former sitcom font. When I saw that pic, I was glad I hadn’t completely dropped my ball.
Now onto more logistics, but maybe in a few days. D is travelling multiple times, working, driver’s ed’ing this summer, so it seems overwhelming, but thanks for the Thanksgiving heads up. Might jump on that tomorrow. And never finalized the wisdom teeth removal. Definitely, flying versus driving in August. I’m actually struggling with how much she really needs before Parents’ weekend. Ambitiously thinking we can do this in 4 suitcases, plus one or two store pick-ups when we arrive.
Was informed today that the Container Store will be having 20% off for signups on its loyalty program in summer and they also deliver /do pickup at a store closest to the college the kid will attend. Might be useful for some stuff. Logistically - we are on the opposite coast to college - we will be doing the BBB or Target pickup thing.
Just booked our Labor Day weekend away and it felt strange to again be booking for 3 rather than 4. Sigh…
I have had two start college. One girl and one boy. Girl was involved in picking out bedding and decor. Boy was not.
What they needed and used.
Ethernet cable (room had Ethernet port by their bed/desk, more reliable and faster than campus WiFi), backrest pillow, over door hook for closet door to hang up towel, lamp for desk or bedside, alarm clock in addition to phone, surge protector, long charging cable for phone, two bath towels and wash cloths, twin comforter and twin XL sheets, foam topper and mattress pad, fleece throw, small hamper or laundry basket, OTC medicine kit.
But I agree, start with the basics especially if they are traveling by plane, and Amazon Student Prime (free for 6 months) or Target can provide the rest once there.
Another thing that my D16 (and us too) found useful when she went off to college was a small toolbox with basic tools like a tape measure, hammer, screwdrivers, box cutter, pliers, etc…
I definitely agree on the alarm clock. My D16 used her cell phone as an alarm clock. During their junior year, her iPhone, for whatever reason, stopped working in the middle of the night. She didn’t wake up until 11ish and missed an exam. She was able to make up the exam but had to take a penalty for taking it later than everyone else. After that, she bought an alarm clock (with battery power as backup) so she wasn’t reliant on her iPhone to wake her up. She had to take the iPhone to get repaired. The techs had no idea why it crashed.
Thanks to the person who brought up booking Thanksgiving flights. Wasn’t on my radar, but they’re now booked. Luckily there were still some cheap direct flights available. Now looking at Winter Break. Can book Southwest thru Jan 5, which is perfect for us. (So glad to be on the Southwest route. Appreciating the no change fees and 2 free bags now more than ever.)
@momzilla2D I’m booking SW even though United has direct flights. I’m not 100 percent certain on some of the dates of travel and they have to be changed. Plus, we generally travel on SW so have points. At this point, though, th account has been drained for drop off flights and family weekend flights. Had to pay for Thanksgiving one of the ways!
We usually fly Jet Blue and they fly direct to NO so it worked out nicely. I did just book D on SW for Thanksgiving though (only the way back to school so far) - I couldn’t pass up the almost $200 difference for a one way ticket! Jet Blue was $426 one way for a 2 hour flight.
@3SailAway Hope your kids have fun today! D’s roommate could only go Friday for some reason so D is flying home tonight.