This might be a dumb question but… is there anyone who doesn’t get a mattress topper?! Are all dorm beds really that uncomfortable?
BTDT… For crying out loud. Now I feel ancient for having to google it.
@SJ2727 D19 just finished another residential program without one,and had no complaints. I might get a basic inexpensive fluff topper. At home, she upgraded to a memory foam mattress a couple years ago that is super comfy, so I figure she has comparison points.
@momzilla2D I bought myself a new 3" mattress topper two weeks ago from Costco.com, a king size. There was no odor, to me, and DH and I did the switch around 5pm, and we slept on it that night. No problems, and it’s twice the size of a twin XL. It was pretty much ready to go after I unleashed it from its wrapping. If there is any further decompression after it’s put onto the mattress, it is very unnoticeable.
I bought my D19 a 3" Serta topper from Kohl’s, since I had a lot of store credit to use. I had it shipped to my friend’s house in Phoenix a few weeks ago, so that purchase is done!
Yeah, I saw the mattresses at my D’s dorms, and it did not look or feel soft at all. My D has some scoliosis, so I don’t want to worry about it causing her any pain.
Not sure if copying this link will work, but let me try. This is the exact one we got:
https://www.overstock.com/Bedding-Bath/LUCID-Comfort-Collection-3-inch-SureCool-Gel-Infused-Memory-Foam-Mattress-Topper/21015414/product.html
If the link doesn’t work, it’s on Overstock and called LUCID® Comfort Collection 3-inch SureCool™ Gel Infused Memory Foam Mattress Topper
This was the first time I have ever bought anything for OS and it was a good experience. I’m so grateful my friend helped me pull the trigger on one because there are JUST SO MANY TO CHOOSE FROM, lol. If only all our problems were like picking a mattress topper ; )
@SJ2727 my daughter’s friend who will be a 2nd year at UCLA did not get one and it sounds like she was fine, but my daughter, who isn’t high maintenance, said that the mattress she slept on at UCLA would not make for a fun year of sleep. I guess everyone has different tolerances for dorm mattresses.
@JeJeJe I think it’s personal preference. Thicker may be more comfortable, but then you have to consider cost, height of the bed, whether your sheets will fit. I’m planning to do the 2” with a thick mattress cover.
@JeJeJe We are planning to order the 2 inch Lucid topper today, but my D19 doesn’t like things to be “too soft”.
I love this thread - I know objectively that it’s nuts to spend so much time thinking about mattress toppers, etc. , so it’s nice to have company! S19 will be flying internationally to school so I’m trying really, really hard to keep it all under control. I did purchase a compact fan today, as our S will be spending a couple of nights in the dorm before pre-orientation and the idea of trying to sleep in the heat with jetlag and no fan is just too much. Otherwise, he will be carrying just the basics - sheets, towels, toiletries and a week’s worth of clothes - and I will bring some more a week later for the regular orientation and then we can bring the rest in September when H and I and D21 visit for Parents’ Weekend. Reading the thread, at least from a packing perspective, I am grateful that our first out the door is an S.
Still no packing on our end. S19 doesn’t leave until end of August however.
In other news, he was stressing a bit because he needs to earn money for college. He’s supposed to come up with $2000 from summer earnings (per fin aid package). He was about 1/2 way there from savings but was not able to get a summer job due to athletic travel and trainings (2 a day) during the summer. In fact, he’s never had a regular job due to his year-round athletic schedule and travel. This summer he had short windows of time (2-5 day windows) with 2-4 hrs a day available at varying times. He had no idea how he could get some work for such varied and small windows of time. He’s done refereeing during the year, but couldn’t do summer tournaments. I suggested that he post on our neighborhood facebook page and offer himself up for odd jobs. Wow, in one-day he filled up with 10 days of 2-4 hr odd jobs. He’ll easily make the $1000 he needs before the end of the summer.
@liska21 What a great idea - so glad he is making the money he needs!
We are back from our visit to see family and friends. My mom was nice enough to host a big party the day after we got there so we got to see tons of family all at once which was nice. Got home last night around midnight and D19 is already unpacked, repacked and gone with BFF1 to drive across the state to visit BFF2 on their family vacation for the rest of the week. D said no at first because she knew how exhausted she would be but then changed her mind last night. One of the BFFs is going to Tulane with her but the other will be at Boulder so she wanted to spend as much time all together as possible.
We haven’t made any progress on dorm shopping. Not sure what she will do about a topper because she doesn’t like her bed to be too soft. I am excited because we got the college shipping information and as long as we send our stuff by Aug. 12th they will deliver her boxes straight to her dorm room -so easy as long as we can get organized by then.
I’m very grateful to hear about the Amazon Hub option! I don’t know why I am daunted by Bed Bath and Beyond. (FYI, there are size limitations for Amazon Locker. Large items can only go to a staffed hub with Amazon Locker+ which is not quite as conveniently located as the Lockers.) I found a Locker+ that is an actual Amazon store, whereas the Lockers are literal lockers at 7-Eleven. Still figuring out the mattress pad options lol, but I went to checkout and found that the Locker**+** will work, whereas the regular locker would not. We will be there in three weeks - I will need to mark my calendar about what day to order Prime (3 days to pick up).
Reading the rules more carefully, it appears that locations (both lockers and counter ones) can fill up. Eek… it’s literally in the middle of a certain large urban university campus. I wonder if the hotel will accept packages.
(and yeah, no way this stuff is flying home next May)
DD was emailed a sheet to fill out for preferred times and locations to work dorm front desk. Wondering if that means she has a job or not! Probably not for sure yet.
@liska21 that’s great he was successful in finding work!
All I know is, after staying overnight in the dorms at Mississippi State during orientation last month, I can vouch for anyone going there and using those beds needing a mattress topper!?
This is the topper (3-inch) I bought for S19 and I can vouch for it being comfortable and not smelling as I have been “testing it out” for the past few nights on my side of the bed 
. I wanted to see about getting one for our king-sized bed but wanted to try this first and, now I don’t want to give it up. I got it for less on Prime day a few weeks ago but now it’s $60. It will be a pain to roll up and pack but I did get some of those vacuum sealing bags.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MY1YW3Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
@elena13 Was the packaged topper a size reasonable to carry up a few flights of stairs?
@peachActuary73 It is bulky but light so easy to carry up the stairs if it is rolled up and tied up properly or stuffed in a large nylon/plastic bag.
I have one stuffed in this bag.
https://www.amazon.com/Samsonite-Tote-ton-Duffle-Luggage/dp/B003KR1K54
Oh, and the memory foam mattress topper gets hot because it conforms to your body (so I read on the reviews) so I got a separate mattress pad for S17.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CICW2YA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
or something like that.
@payn4ward Thanks. Solidifies my decision to put this in her hands and walk away. She can order one during Orientation week if she wants… Already owns a sanitary cover/protector. D19 is in Asia for another week, and has a short amount of time home before move-in day. Things are in stacks in her room, I have a Target list, BBB list, and Home Depot order list. It’d be really great to have a chill week before getting on the plane. Wish Target held onto stuff longer than 7 days, but oh well.
Ok, my curiosity is stoked- what are you getting from Home Depot?
@peachActuary73, yes it would be easy enough for her to carry up stairs if she ends up wanting to order one. They pack those things pretty tightly.