Talking about dorms - DS won’t have his final room assignment (or even know if it’s a single or a double) until two weeks AFTER he arrives 
@homerdog Re keeping the hiking stuff separate. Definitely that will get packed separately in a backpack. I may send him ahead with just that and a small bag to drop in his dorm with a change of clothes and I come later with the big duffels. We haven’t decided.
I am chuckling reading about others helping their DS’s with dorm outfitting. S19 won’t even show me his packing lists. If I were suggest a robe versus a towel, I would be given the long stare and then a comment along the lines of “please don’t tell me you are worrying about what I am going to wear to take a shower.” D16 was so much more fun in this regard. We worked together on packing and she asked my opinion on everything.
@liska21 everything points to packing up D21 for college will be so much more fun.
S19 just flat out told me that he’s living in the moment and enjoying his friends. Doesn’t want to do anything about college shopping…or really talk about college at all. We are leaving for vacation this Sunday and will be gone for a week. When we get back, D21 has one week and then goes back to school. After that, I have S19 to myself for two weeks. Hopefully, he’ll be ready to get a few things decided during that time. He will know his roommates by then and will hopefully be more ready.
@yucca10 , how does that work? Where will he stay in those two weeks.?
@SJ2727 He’ll stay in a randomly assigned dorm room. Caltech has a house system, and the first two weeks is a “rotation” period, where freshmen visit a different house every day and then submit a list of houses in order of preference. Then kids are assigned to houses and move with all their stuff. I think almost all kids get one of their top 3 choices. Sounds like fun, but also a very intense process.
Ah, so a kind of try before you buy system? I can see the attraction.
@yucca10 when we toured CalTech the different houses seemed like such a great component to Cal Tech–super unique, fun and supportive. We definitely got a modern Hogwarts feel about it. Can’t wait to hear which one your son lands in. CalTech is such a great place! So exciting…
Fun to read all your dorm shopping comments! My son has no interest at all either and likes to make fun of me if I mention a laundry basket or shower caddy. Maybe he will care more when he gets his roommate assignment- or will want me to make it an emergency from 5000 miles away when he can’t wear his favorite shirt for the 10th time without a wash( because he had no way to get stuff to the laundry room). Hard to cut the cord?
We have taken break from dorm shopping this week while we are on vacation visiting friends and family in New England. Well, we did go to a cute gift shop yesterday and I pointed out an adorable flag with the town name on it and I mentioned it would look good in D’s dorm room, got a quick no. I thought maybe she would like it to remind her of summer since we come here every year but it was a preppy looking burgee, so not her style at all, but I tried!
She still hasn’t decided on her final bedding. Will wear just a towel to and from bathroom, got a mesh caddy and a mesh laundry basket. She got tall rain boots and will bring an umbrella and a waterproof laptop cover and backpack cover. Not things she would have ever wanted to bring but from he stories we have read about kids getting all of their stuff ruined in the first few weeks (in surprise New Orleans downpours) she agreed!
We are leaving MA today to head up to NH to visit our best friends from college. Luckily they had kids at the same time we did and they are all BFFs. We will drop the kids off there and the adults head to RI tomorrow to go to the Newport Folk Fest for the weekend before heading back to get the kids and go home. School starts for my other kids August 12th 
then I have a little time with D19 before she starts school.
DD is trying to get all her socializing in before she goes and it’s tough with everyone’s work and vacation schedules. Plus we live a distance from everyone. She really hasn’t gotten to do that much with friends and now it’s crunch time with just over 3 weeks to go and one of those being spent at camp. I really hope she can get to see everyone at least once more.
Meanwhile, we’re stalking the campus jobs board. She applied to two last night. Sitting at the dorm front desk I presume she could get some homework done at the same time. Really hoping she gets something and also doesn’t have to work every weekend!
Ah @momsquared33 we are in the same boat! My S might be working on this on his own but just not telling me. I think it would be fun to discuss laundry baskets, shower caddies and robes and weigh the pros and cons of different types and color schemes but S would find this excruciating (and the thought that his mother picked out his shower caddy or robe would be mortifying).
On the positive side, Mr. Independent’s (S19) desire to do adulting things has been helpful. For example, making his own doctor appointments. I’m bad about this (keep procrastinating) and finally just said ‘You know what. You’re 18, you do it.’ I was surprised but S19 replied ‘Yes, thanks. I’d like to make my own appointments. What’s the name of the dr?’ and that was that. D16 hated doing that and still likes me to make her dental appointments.
My son Han’t really done any college shopping, he’s too busy having a good time with his friends, working a part time job, and training again. He took a trip to NYC with his friends and came home with some back to school clothes., that’s about it. We live close to college so if he forgets anything it’s not a huge deal. There’s plenty of shopping nearby for him to utilize as well. We’re not really stressed about the whole thing. My wife ordered him some bedding stuff online. At least he has a place to sleep.
Well that is fantastic on the doctors appointments! Mine is not there yet, although he does like to go alone now and manage it. He has assumed a lot of responsibility over financial stuff, and has taken the responsibility to get a medical and financial power of attorney done before he leaves. Robes, laundry, shower caddies are not interesting ( until he becomes uncomfortable for some reason after he gets there;) They are amusing for sure!
my girl mom friends are lamenting the excessive talk about décor, supplies etc so I probably should not complain! We are heading to New England from Texas so plan to just pick up bedding and any large items etc. at this point when we get there. I went a little crazy buying him warm clothes on sale this spring so I can perseverate about getting that stuff there at least!
My D16 had so much fun with dorm shopping and deciding what she wanted. My son is not nearly as much fun but it is much easier.
Like others have reported, my son does not want a raincoat, umbrella, anything for his desk, etc, etc. So much that we “needed” for her, he has no interest in. I’m not even going to mention a robe as I know he’ll just look at me like I’m nuts. As for bedding, he is using what D16 used for three years. She is moving into an apartment with a queen size bed, so all her twin xl bedding is now available. The sheets are off-white and the comforter is dark blue so the colors are fine. I asked S if he was OK with that and he said sure. This kid is easy.
Since S17 is local, I did not do much shopping other than bedding. He definitely did not use shower caddie/bag (based on the dirt it collected.) I saw shoe racks for girls and some boys, but S17 had 2 shoes: the sneakers he had on and a pair of flipflops. that is it. no need for a rack. He was able to move out of his dorm room in one elevator trip and carrying everything by himself. He found a need for a laundry basket (because the dorm room floor was dirty/dusty) and went down to a thrifty store and bought one for a dollar.
Robes were met with the greatest resistance. They must be in Do Not Pack list in boys dorm or summer program etc.
Boys stroll to the shower bare feet, shirtless with a towel around the waist. I do not recommend moms staying in the dorm hallway too long 
Send them with the largest bath towels (2) you can find
@payn4ward awesome. Thx. No robe! I’m trying to decide what other things are like this. I feel myself paring down the initial list and just thinking I’ll send him stuff as he determines if he needs it!
So true. No way is S19 getting near a robe. Oddly this must be an age thing since my H and my adult male friends happily where robes and it does not seem the least bit “unmanly”. In fact not wearing one would seem a bit gauche.