<p>Welcome Lynnparent! My D wasn’t in Vanderbilt, so I’m not sure what the closets are like, but I do know that many freshman rooms have wardrobes, and her double included one for each person (hers was about 36 - 40 inches wide, with one bar for hanging and a deep shelf above for storage).
As far as must haves, I believe a well stocked medical kit with OTC medications and first aid products as well as a small tool kit including a hammer, pliers, screw drivers, etc. will really come in handy.</p>
<p>Also, a useful article from the Yale Herald, a more quirky student-oriented newspaper (not to be confused with the Yale Daily News).</p>
<p>[Packing:</a> here’s what to buy, borrow, or steal | Summer 2000](<a href=“yaleherald.com”>yaleherald.com)</p>
<p>This article was from 2000, but still very useful, although boom boxes have been replaced by iHomes, and film has been replaced by SD cards.</p>
<p>Yes, Ikea sells a nice compact toolkit for $7.99 you can pick up in New Haven.
[FIXA</a> 17-piece tool kit - IKEA](<a href=“FIXA 17-piece tool kit - IKEA”>FIXA 17-piece tool kit - IKEA)</p>
<p>For the meds, you can put together a ziplock of all the things you would normally give them at home: cough drops, Airborne, vitamin C, something for headaches, stomach aches, cramps, muscle aches, eye drops, etc… Also the new adult gummy vitamins are nice because you don’t need water (which is down the hall in the shared bathroom).</p>
<p>We also purchased a very nice North Face backpack which has a well-padded area for a laptop. Most Yale students carry their laptops around all day to take notes in class, work in the library or in Commons between classes. She also wanted a really small compact sleeping bag, which she has used a lot when she visits her best friend at a nearby college or when she has a guest sleeping on the futon in the common room. Each $100+ at Dick’s Sporting Goods.</p>
<p>We also opened a free Bank of America checking & savings account for her here before she left. She can use the BofA ATMs on campus to deposit or withdraw funds at no cost, and that has worked out very well both in New Haven and when they visit NYC.</p>
<p>If I remember correctly, there was no overhead lighting, so a lamp and extension cord comes in handy. Also, a surge protector for the laptop and a laundry basket to double as a hamper.</p>
<p>I loved it as an undergrad and have been back occasionally since. Yale had better not throw THAT one under the bus!</p>
<p>I agree…went there today as a treat. : )
I hear a waffle-type place is opening down the street to replace Au Bon Pain [Au</a> Revoir, Au Bon Pain; Bonjour, Belgian Waffles | New Haven Independent](<a href=“http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/2_downtown_eateries_closing/]Au”>http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/2_downtown_eateries_closing/)</p>
<p>^ You must live in New Haven or nearby town because you could go to the Educated Burger.</p>
<p>Just curious, in many cities, there is usually an area near downtown where you could find car dealers. I did not see any new/used car dealers in New Haven downtown when I visited New Haven. All I could find are rental car companies. When people living near New Haven need to buy a car or have their car serviced, where do they go? Do they need to get out of New Haven downtown (e.g., to east/north/west haven or Hamden) to have their cars serviced?</p>
<p>I would add to the essentials list for move-in: a fan. Those dorms are brutal at the start of the year.</p>
<p>Yes, if you can bring a fan from home, that’s great, if not, they sell them at B&N nearby but so much more…I heard 30.00 or more box fans selling for 12 and 15 at Walmart-type stores.
Mcat2, yes I do live nearby, there are a couple of dealers, Toyota,Dodge, but more rentals. We now use a garage over the New Haven line in Hamden but many use garages that they got to know the owner in New Haven. We used to use one up the street from Yale but the owner got ill and had to sell.
There are many Midas type places for brakes and emissions.</p>
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<p>Me neither. I have fond memories of Demery’s that was in this location before it was replaced by Au Bon Pain.</p>
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<p>There used to be a Honda dealer on Whalley withing walking distance, as well as others, but they have all moved out of downtown. The Honda dealer is in Branford, along with other dealers, and if you head west on Whalley, or Derby Ave., you will find other new car dealerships. There are no mom and pop service stations downtown. East Rock Auto is about 2 miles away on State St., and has good word of mouth. Auto dealers, pricey, have courtesy vans.</p>
<p>Debruns and latichever, Thanks for answering my question about car dealer and garage in/near New Haven.</p>
<p>As of today, DS still relies on ZipCars. We are not confident that he has enough experiences (and time) to take care of a car if he owns his car. Driving during the winter season would be challenging for him as he has been living in the south where there is hardly any snow. (Here in the south, whenever there is snow, people are strongly recommended by the local government to stay at home and do not go out unless absolutely needed. This is partly because most of us are inexperienced in driving under that kind of road condition. I do not think the city has much equipment to clean up the road. We just wait till the snow or ice is melt.)</p>
<p>When DS was an UG, he did not drive in New Haven, like most of other students.</p>
<p>Do desks in vandy suites have drawers?
Do you need a floor lamp for the bedroom as well as common room?
What types of mattress topper do you recommand?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>I would recommend the foam toppers in addition to a mattress pad. You can get both at BB&B or WalMart. Just make sure they are Twin XL. Also, I would recommend a floor and a desk lamp for the suite. My son was in Durfee but if you have a suite mate there may be times when he/she wants to sleep and having a desk lamp allows you to study if needed without lighting up the whole room. </p>
<p>I also agree you MUST have a fan and I recommend a tower fan as they seem to work better in rooms with limited real estate.</p>
<p>In my experience with a freshman last year, “must haves” would be a strong fan (it’s HOT in late August and sometimes through September!), bed bug zip-on mattress & pillow protectors, shower shoes and shower tote for shared bathrooms, a pop-up laundry hamper, desk lamp, small rug for floor near bed, over- the–door shoe storage bag, hangers, over the-door hooks (sometimes they have 5-6 hooks on one which is great!) With the over-the-door items, make sure you get the kind that will fit an older, thick door. Bed, Bath and Beyond has the kind that has an adjustable bracket. There was literally no place to hang a damp towel, so this is important. I would have your kid check with the suitemates so that the common room shared items get taken care of: fridge, futon, floor lamps, Britta water filter jug,comfortable chair and larger floor rug. Also, I found a great foldable book case at Target (very cheap!) that was really useful for either the bedroom or common room.</p>
<p>I would add under bed plastic storage to your list. They have ones with wheels that work well. Since storage in most rooms are limited it allows you to store off season clothes (i.e. winter in summer and vice versa) without taking up space in the closet.</p>
<p>I completely agree with the under bed storage idea. Of course, the higher the bed is, the more can be stored underneath. Does anyone know if bringing bed risers makes sense or not? I have heard that some of the beds have adjustable legs already built in. I am wondering specifically about beds in Berkeley.</p>
<p>For the taller 3/4 captains-type bed, there’s no need for bed risers as there is ample room for under-the-bed storage. Freshman year (Vanderbilt Hall), my son was able to store stuff behind the dresser that fit under the bed. Last year (Saybrook), he had a separate dresser, so the whole under-the-bed area acted as storage.</p>
<p>Hamlet13 - at least in the 2 Vandy suites I saw last year, the desks have drawers. Dirty ones.</p>
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<p>the bunkbeds really can’t be ’ debunked’-- there simply isn’t enough space in the bedroom. You can’t put risers on the legs, but we found that there was a surprising amount of height to store plastic bins, etc.
Son didn’t use any lock on his laptop. I am not sure about soap dispensers/ paper towels in the bathrooms-- just make sure that your kid has some hand towels and either liquid soap or a bar of soap in s case. Some kids bring TVs and I believe there is basic cable.</p>