<p>Something to keep in mind as you are buying stuff in a frenzy during move in: Where will you put it all over the summer? My daughter got 5 boxes to store her stuff in the basement over the summer. They were not allowed to put things in the new suite to store until August (although the rumor is that rising juniors do get to). Fortunately, one of her suitemates lives in CT and was able to take the large mirror (that we stupidly bought without thinking) and the plant home. But I would be careful about buying chests of drawers or other big items until you have a summertime storage plan.</p>
<p>All the girls in my daughters suite opted to forgo a TV set. If they have a favorite show they just watch it on their computers. I think you can watch all of the ABC, NBC, CBS shows on computer now. Our DD also used our family Netflix account on her laptop. They have a nice selection of movies, Dr. Who episodes, etc. It comes in very handy when your kid is sick in bed with the flu or just needs a rest break. DD has said it is mostly guys/gamers who have TV’s at Yale. I can see that watching Sunday football on a laptop probably wouldn’t work out so well.</p>
<p>Also, someone also made a very valid point about storing items during the summer. We bought a very nice standing coat rack that dd had to put in the donate pile at move-out in May. They get limited summer storage space & it was just too big to store. Luckily she was able fit both of her large rubbermaid underbed storage drawers (fully loaded) into boxes. </p>
<p>Was there an offsite company or student organization that sold boxes & stored stuff offsite? Or were they just selling boxes for storage in the residential college basements? </p>
<p>I’m not sure. but I know she must have had a LOT of boxes because we bought so much stuff in New Haven (tower fan, laser printer, mattress topper, lights, lamps, over-the-door hooks, trashcan, plastic storage drawers, rug, bed linens, pillows, bath towels), a lot of big bulky stuff. Plus all the winter clothes are being stored there. The residential colleges allow them to store one futon couch per suite, which is a big help!</p>
<p>I actually know which suite you are talking about because I went to a party there once (I’m a current student). From what I remember, the common room is pretty big and certainly could fit the stuff you mentioned. I never went inside the bedrooms though, so I can’t say what the beds are like. Sorry I can’t be of more help – let me know if there are other questions I could answer!</p>
<p>Edit: I was referring to the post by Pochita on the rooms in Bingham. Tried to quote his/her response but I guess I did something wrong.</p>
<p>A lot of kids my D knows rented storage for the summer. Most kids borrowed or rented cars to move their stuff, although U-Haul advertises that it will deliver packing boxes and then pick them up and store or ship them. No idea how much that costs. As for storage boxes, the colleges apparently require that students use a non- standard size box to store things in the RC’s. They cost a multiple of what you can pay for standard boxes ay Lowe’s or Home Depot.</p>
<p>I went out and bought a 3" mattress topper for my son’s bed. Would it be too thick? </p>
<p>When it comes to deciding who’s bringing what in order to furnish their suite, boys aren’t as organized as girls… I’ve been asking my son to initiate the conversation about the refrigerator, couch, coffee table, cleaning supplies and etc… no progress.</p>
<p>I guess they will figure things out when they all get there. They are all big boys…</p>
<p>I think the bed at Yale is not as comfortable as DS’s bed at home, likely due to the lack of the spring box.</p>
<p>Do most parents buy mattress topper for their child? I think we did not for the first few years. Later, in one year, after DS had complained he could feel some wire when he lies on the bed, we purchased a mattress topper for him. But I do not think it is as thick as 3 inches.</p>
<p>The suite in DS’s freshman year bought a sofa. At the end of that school year, they threw away that sofa which was still in a perfect condition. And most suitemates lived not far away, in CT (2 of them - actually 1 in New Haven), NY (2) and NJ (1). Very wasteful to me but this was the decision of these “boys”.</p>
<p>Also, very few suitemates (only 2 i think) chose to clean the suite. Most of them just chose to pay the penalty for not cleaning. (It was somewhat strange that we the parents went in to help clean it while most suitemates chose not to…so I remember the strange feeling at that time.) in the next few years, DS and we chose to pay penalty too.</p>
<p>Next year, a majority of them still chose to live together. They decided against having a sofa in the sophomore year. DS once commented that the sophomore is the year they had the most fun - they know each other very well by then and no study abroad yet.</p>
<p>Pochita…sorry for the late response…have been away and not glued to this as much as last year when my S was heading off for freshman year…
One double had a closet and the other double had a wood cabinet with limited hanging space. The common room also had a closet built-in and the boys could hang their winter coats there and store some other items that were bulky. We did purchase a book shelf for our S’s single …we’ll see how it all works out this year. BTW…foam topper was very comfortable! Also loved the t-shirt sheets …pottery barn. He has them at home too …really hold up well. On Moving day at least one parent should bring tools to help assemble anything or hang mirrors/etc…</p>
<p>My DS has always rented storage space in NH each summer and shared the cost with at least one or two others. The smallest cubicle can hold a lot of stuff. He thought his RC bed if lifted 5" would really allow a better room layout and functional storage. I bought commercial BBB bed risers which would not fit the thick bed legs. I went to Home Depot and picked up a 4" wood mail box post and had them cut it for free into a set of 5" lengths and a set of 7" lengths. They worked great to elevate the bed and a roomate was thrilled to get the other set.</p>
<p>For freshman, they should coordinate if there will be a refrigerator rental. A local roomate may bring one from home and the extra floor space may beet the extra refrigeration capacity. The Yale refrigerator rental program is nuts since you can buy a 3 cu ft refrigerator and have it delivered for what they charge in rental for one year. Here is a good deal at Walmart [Black</a> & Decker 3.2-cu ft Refrigerator: Appliances : Walmart.com](<a href=“http://www.walmart.com/ip/Black-Decker-3.2-cu-ft-Refrigerator-Black/23117124?wmlspartner=NKa3hZyYoHA&sourceid=09004933900519539336&affillinktype=10&veh=aff]Black”>http://www.walmart.com/ip/Black-Decker-3.2-cu-ft-Refrigerator-Black/23117124?wmlspartner=NKa3hZyYoHA&sourceid=09004933900519539336&affillinktype=10&veh=aff)</p>
<p>Thank you Vortrex99 for your help!</p>
<p>Thanks YalegradandDad I love the idea of buying a mail post.</p>
<p>Somewhere buried in this long thread is my warning to parents of guys moving in for the first time: warn them away from buying that sofa “that’s really a great deal”. Some upperclassman will probably have his cute girlfriend hawk it on Old Campus.</p>
<p>If it’s truly from a women’s suite, then consider it. If it came from a guy’s suite: avoid it like the plague. The reason why? Don’t think about it too much – just take my advice on face value.</p>
<p>(we bought one: it was terrible. Not terrible enough not to use it for a year while adding to its “earthiness”. The next fall, we sold it to unsuspecting freshmen guys. I’m sure me and my roommates will spend extra time in purgatory for that stunt)</p>
<p>You’ve been duly warned…</p>
<p>Thanks CIEE83 and mcat2.
How thick is Yale mattress? Half of the regular mattress at home?</p>
<p>Grocery store near Yale fined:
[Gourmet</a> Heaven Faces Fines For Not Paying Workers | New Haven Independent](<a href=“http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/downtown_markets_found_guilty_of_workplace_violations/id_60346]Gourmet”>http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/downtown_markets_found_guilty_of_workplace_violations/id_60346)</p>
<p>They charge so much for things, it’s a shame they did business this way. They are a few doors down from B&N at Yale. They rent from Yale.</p>
<p>Can you all stand another Yale Health post? DD is covered by our BCBS plan. I’m thinking it makes sense to establish a regular doc in the community rather than use Yale Health at all. There are in-network docs and pharmacy closer to her (at TD) than Yale Health and she doesn’t have to keep track of what she can go to the health center for and what she can’t. </p>
<p>Can I get some wisdom from you all on this idea?</p>
<p>Check with your BCBS to make sure your DD is covered 100% while at Yale. Our BCBS, for example, covers our son for 100% of medical costs in New York City (where we live), but only covers 80% of the cost for him in New Haven (unless he is admitted to a hospital through the emergency room). Same with my daughter who is in school in Boston.</p>
<p>I agree with Momsville. We are doing that.</p>
<p>Thanks, Gibby. Talked to BCBS today and they said she has he same benefit there as here. Only downside I can see is that she will need to go off campus (to med center) if she needs X-ray or other specialist. Not sure how far away that is or how’d she get there with a broken arm…</p>
<p>Momsville - depends what your D’s needs are. If she has a chronic health problem and sees a doctor regularly for it, it may well be worth it to have an outside doc, especially if she’s at risk of being hospitalized (and her PMD admits to Yale-New Haven - as YH does not attend on students who waive coverage. I don’t think she’d get inferior medical care without a personal doctor attending, but it can be nice to have someone you know taking care of you in the hospital.) On the other hand, there are advantages to Yale Health. They have a student medicine department, so the people there almost exclusively do adolescent/young adult medicine, and they have a lot of familiarity with issues that are likely to affect Yalies. They also are familiar with procedures for dealing with residential college deans in the event of a student illness, and they have an infirmary where students can be admitted who are sick enough to need some TLC, but not sick enough to warrant hospital admission. (Your D can go and be admitted there if she’s sick whether or not she gets most medical care there, but a community doc may not think to send her there.) So along with the cons of the byzantine rules, there are also some pros. (Also YH will send prescriptions to any pharmacy.)
P.S. the medical center is a few blocks from the main campus - you can get any kind of specialty medical care there - and the shuttle goes there.</p>
<p>Excellent points, CIEE83 I hadn’t thought or didn’t know much of that. DD is very healthy without need for ongoing care. I did know about the infirmary. It’s available for basic care users too? </p>
<p>Now you have me leaning toward YH and just being sure she knows what she needs to go outside for.</p>
<p>Yes, the infirmary, primary care (including gyn), urgent care, labs, mental health (although personally I would think about outside mental health if I had coverage and needed it - in the past there were long waits for non- emergency care, and limited numbers of visits – although things may have changed since mental health parity laws went into effect) are all available for free. X-rays and other imaging are NOT covered. Flu shots are also free. The list of covered services is on the YH web site, easy to google or find on their web site.</p>