@jerseygirl67 - all students need a little tool kit. It doesn’t have to come as a set, could just be a box with a few essentials. And scissors. And that gummy stuff to hang posters without making holes. Make it the last thing you put in the car and the first thing you unpack (along with extension cords).
I gave college freshment a multi-tool that had a scissors and screwdrivers. I believe they all found it handy. Not all Us allow you to use the gummy stuff to hang posters, etc. on the walls without making holes. It can leave stains that you are responsible for, especially if it is left on the walls for many months. I’d be sure to check with the U before using that stuff if you want to pay minimal damages.
@twoinanddone My D had 3 great roommate experiences and one AWFUL one. The awful one? She was on D’s team. We were so happy for the girls to share, but honestly it was just too much. I predict next year will be much better for your D. When team stuff gets to be too much, she can run away to her safe place to vent. Critical to be able to separate!
Ditto on the drying rack…saved my D a bundle as the dryers in the dorm ran super hot. Espresso machine, not so much.
Don’t have anything new to add to the original post but regarding on the “gummy stuff” for hanging — I find the 3M command strips work great and remove cleanly. And they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes for just about anything.
Regarding the couch and stuff. D goes to a private school where the dorm consists of 2 small bedrooms with 4 girls that share a nice large private living room that also has their study desks, And private bathroom. Kind of like an apartment without a kitchen. That is why the decorating aspect was fun. But they did talk amongst themselves and decide on who was bringing the printer, small refrigerator, TV, microwave, etc.
They all got along fine freshman year and signed up for sophomore year. Sophomore year has been drama, meltdowns, you name it. One girl moved out within 3 weeks and took the refrigerator. Then my D quickly decided to apply for study abroad for 2nd semester to get out of the messy situation where 2 girls were putting her in the middle of their nastiness. We had to move her stuff out. Now the living room is completely empty in their suite, only 2 girls left
shellz, the coach really pushed the teammates to live together in the 4 person suites (for freshmen only). I thought it wasn’t a good idea, but as I said, no one listened to me. It was supposed to be one suite of 4, one of 3, one of 2, but the change was screwed up so it was 4, 4, and 1 solo. DD’s suite is still together, but of course have no toast. The other room of 4 had some big fight and one was forced out in Feb. The solo (my daughter was supposed to be switched to be with her) is not returning to the team although she’s expected to be back at the school (i doubt it). Way too much drama.
My other daughter was matched randomly to a traditional double dorm room. She and her roommate are great friends, no troubles at all. She didn’t want to be in a freshman interest group (FIG) because they all live on the same floor, take the same classes, are with the same people day in and day out. She was right as most of the FIG people are sick of seeing the same people all day long.
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I think the mother is a little jealous, a little frustrated about how much money she can’t provide, but correct that the boys don’t need all this stuff and she just doesn’t want to hear about it anymore.
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That was my thought.
Shows you what THAT coach knows…lol I was nervous about D not even knowing her roommates name prior to move in day freshman year, but the survey really did place two complimentary girls together. Not alike…but happily complimentary!
Our S was also placed with a stranger via the survey. They got along pretty well, except his roomie was an early bird and S is a night owl. They worked things out but didn’t room together after freshman year. I’m not sure whether they kept in touch after college but was glad they were friends at least thru college and as far as I know he had no drama or other significant issues with roommate.
My D had the opposite experience as shellz D. Her Coach last summer offered to pair her up with another incoming freshman on the team but my D thought she would rather go blind and have a roommate that was not on the team, broaden her experience. That didn’t end up working mainly because of the night owl, early bird thing but also some other issues. The roommate of one of her friends on the team had moved out so my D moved into her room and they are getting along great! Will be sharing a room again next year. It’s so hard to predict what is going to work until you know the personalities involved.
Well I took all of your advice and apologized, and it turns out it was a misunderstanding on both ends. It’s all good now. With the school being in the south, hopefully they will spend some time outdoors anyway. Apparently there’s also a good chance they will end up in a very large quad room. Communicating what we’re not doing was never necessary, except for the fact that we know each other, it seemed like the polite thing to do. S is in the driver’s seat now, for better or worse. Thanks for setting me straight.
I haven’t read the whole thread. The deer head doesnt sound like something an 18 yr old would buy.
Poster can be ok, depending…are they “art” or typical male?
We were in Wildwood NJ (beach boardwalk, tons of teens) they had a shop with posters so I texted a few to my son, they were all funny or sexy, girls, and stuff like that. He told me if he wanted any. I didn’t set out to decorate, but I had known he would like some posters. I think he took his HS footballl that had his name on it.
I think the rooms usually have an overhead light and you bring a desk or pole light. Not so much a lamp with a shade.
Is his room at home decorated by mom? I have always loved that my kids rooms are a reflection of them. What’s on their walls is what is/was important to them. Baltimore ravens poster (s2 might have taken that to college) awards, first grade class photo, something they made in art in middle school. Great photo of his deceased leopard gecko. Older son has a girl poster or two. Their rooms are not stylish, but they are “them”. My room was that way growing up, pink paint and then whatever I wanted on the walls.
Wait, we did decorate a little, when they started having a favorite team. Hubby painted the logo of Denver broncos on s1 wall. I am having a brain fart and can’t remember what s2 got…I have to see if it is still there…
Re: post 110. Glad that all got sorted out!
Hope the other two kids in the quad like the deer antlers 
I was curious and actually googled “wire deer antlers” to find out what they are. I think they’re cool looking and would hang them in our ski lodge-- hey, maybe I’m gay 
http://bespokebug.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/metal-wire-deer-mount-antlers-394x575.jpg
But I think my sons would rather be waterboarded than have other boys watch their mom hang that up in their dorm room.
I can remember with D1 and S (the ones who have already gone and graduated from college) that two very favorite phone calls of mine were one from each of them - when they called and told me the story of going to Walmart with their roommates to pick out “stuff” for the room - a rug, posters, glowy lights, etc. It was clear this was a bonding experience and they were so proud of themselves and happy to have made these grown up choices on their own.
Over the year, if you visited you would see the room transform. D’s room would get seasonal changes - the girls liked to do that. S’s room might have been a mess at times but it was fun to see the space evolve - as the roommates evolved - my favorite was a post it note wall created junior year - every time something significant/funny happened they wrote it on a post it note and put it on the wall. Someone says something weird - put it on a post it note. Leave a note for someone? Once read, add it to the post it note wall - it turned out to be a really cool “journal” of the year - not planned, but just naturally happened in the midst of 4 buds living together for a year.
I did find an art piece (created by an alum) that portrayed D’s college, that I bought her and she put up in her room. But, at the risk of being sexist, I think it’s a little different with a girl.
I’m the mom of 5 girls and not one of them took a vacuum when they went off to college! I’d be willing to bet that these boys may be the only ones in their dorm with a vacuum.
The boys should be making these decisions as to what each is contributing to the room, not the moms.
Glad it worked out, OP.
OP, my boys would have loved the deer head! Glad you worked everything out.
We did send DS1 with a swiffer for the floor. I wish he had used it. When we picked him up at the end of freshman year, the floor was so filthy, there was change permanently stuck to it. We thought it was a joke but, nope.It’s probably still there.
The best $50 we ever spent was on forfeiting the cleaning deposit that year.
@alwaysamom - I doubt that they will be the only one with a vacuum assuming the floor has carpet… Think about their girlfriends. I’m pretty sure that’s why DS ended buying one. How many guys are going to want their GF seeing their dorm room floor looking really yucky? Some mess is ok but there is a point…