I’m going to UC San Diego, and will be living in a double room. The room is quite large for a dorm with separate desks for each person.
My high school gave me coupons for BB&B, but I’ve never shopped there. My parents haven’t either. I hear from friends that they are good, but I am not so sure. I’m thinking more IKEA stuff.
Please let me know of:
Where I can buy stuff (like two or three places)
Recommended essentials (regardless of major)
Things that would be particularly useful, but not mandatory for a reasonable life.
Your thoughts on BB&B and other places that you'd recommend.
Am looking forward to some parent responses as well, you guys know best
I generally don’t shop at BB&B because they tend to be more expensive even with their coupons. That’s why they mail you these endless coupons!
You can get most of your necessary items from a local WalMart or such places. Lots of Costco in SD, too. As for recommended essentials, just Google. It will give you more than what you need so pick and choose and make a list of what you need and want. Things that you don’t need right away, you might want to take an advantage of your student discount Amazon Prime rate and order things from them.
I do shop BB&B. You can order at one store and pick up at store closest to your school. Use their coupons. They will take expired coupons too! SIgn up online for their coupons now. If you shop in person, bring multiple coupons to the store, they will figure out how to use them. Their quality is pretty good.
Do not buy from the place that your residential life dept will recommend, their stuff is generally of poor quality.
You will probably need at least 2 bath towels, 2 hand towels, 2 sets of sheets, a pillow, a mattress pad, waste basket, storage container for toiletries you need to bring to the shower, maybe a reading lamp, etc. Your school probably provides a list too.
1.Stores: Target, Amazon, TJ Maxx, Bed Bath and Beyond , Walmart ,and Costco
2. Recommend:
Shower caddy, basket or bucket for all the shower stuff/toiletries,
“Backrest pillow” / reading pillow to sit up in bed and read
Towels -get great ones that hold up at Costco
Sheets-- if you need x-long at Marshalls/TJ Maxx
Microwave and fridge (can rent from some colleges, get at Target or Walmart if buying)
Command hooks for the walls if you cannot put nails in the walls
3. some people’s “necessities” are others " may be needed" so get the basics and if you need to later you can order other items you find you need
4. comparison shop for the best deals for the quality you like
Bed, Bath and Beyond has coupons and they have a college kids pass in the spring/summer with an additional
discount that you can use. Costco has great return policy if things get broken/defective.
Talk to your roommate ahead of moving in and split shared items to bring and coordinate bedding/decor if you like
Good luck!
Important essential (in my opinion)…get a surge protector power strip.
The Thumper family shopped first in our linen closet. Kids took our older towels to college. If anyone was going to get new towels, it was the parents!
Both of our kids also took the comforters off their beds.
Neither of our kids used a shower caddy of any kind…at all.
Yes to shopping at Target or BBB or Walmart. All will have “college back to school”stuff.
Target, Walmart, Ikea, don’t get anything expensive. After 2 years of eating, sleeping, and studying D’s bed linens are pretty grungy. I like the idea of shopping from the linen closet at home.
I would argue that the buildings for the most part that make up the campuses at UCSD are pretty nondescript at best, but the surrounding area is awesome.
I have bought things at local Walmart (mattress pad, Keurig, pillows), JCPenney (foam topper, comforter, towels on sale), and Target (washcloths, storage cubes, XL twin sheet sets).
Also bought duvet cover at PB teen and Bed Bath and Beyond when they had sales.
Ethernet cable and surge protector I got at Staples.
My D found most useful her backrest pillow, her Vera Bradley large duffle and ID/wallet lanyard, she also uses her rain jacket and rain boots.
You need a pillow, comforter, a fleece throw, sheets, towels, wash cloths, toiletries, laundry soap, over the counter medicines and first aid kit, a clothes hamper, alarm clock, possibly shower caddy, shower shoes and robe if shared hallway bath, surge protector and Ethernet cable.
See what else you may need/have room for once there.
There is a BBB, Ikea and a Target in Mission Valley about 12 miles from UCSD. If you don’t find all that you need there then there is a Walmart not far from these places in Clairemont. We live right by UCSD and walk through the campus at least 3 evenings a week. It’s a great school in a wonderful location. Enjoy!
Look online at Dormco.com for ideas, then shop at Target, Amazon, 99 cent stores for your stuff. I found that my kids did not like the cheapie bed sheets that were polyester.
We had to order online (using online coupons) from various vendors like Macy’s, Sears, JC Penney for cotton bedsheets with XL lengths and thread counts. Although we scored pillowcases at 99 cent stores.
UCSD gets a LOT of coastal fog that sometimes doesn’t burn off until early afternoon, so it can be chilly in the mornings. Good sunny weather is typically late Spring through autumn.
We got most of our stuff at Target and BB&B (delivered directly to the store near his campus), some Amazon for prices and then Amazon for stuff after he got there. He looked at IKEA and didn’t find much he wanted. Preferred the cheaper stuff so he didn’t have to worry about it getting messed up.
Target and BB&B were my son’s top dorm shopping locations. IKEA would be more appropriate if you needed to furnish an off campus apartment.
As others have said, you can shop at your local BB&B and arrange to pick up stuff at the one nearest campus. You can do something similar with Target by ordering online and assigning a store in San Diego as your pick up location.
Consider picking up from a store that is on your route to campus. This may not be the store closest to campus. Move in day will be hectic enough. Minimizing extra side trips can make things just a bit less stressful (but no matter how well you plan, there will still be side trips).
