<p>Based on another thread I started today re: whether to purchase a printer or not…I have another question/thought.</p>
<p>We are starting to accumulate quite a pile of purchases - the bedding pieces alone (mattress protector, pad, fiber bed, sheets, extra sheets, etc…) alone were costly!!! There are some things I wonder if it’s better to wait to purchase…either because the roomate may have one or someone on the floor to borrow, etc. or just because it might not be necessary. On the other hand, the mother in me wants D to have her “needs” met to make her life a little easier…</p>
<p>In our case, D’s college is only about 75 minutes away - that makes extra trips more do-able.</p>
<p>So…experienced parents or newbies w/thoughts - what do you suggest WAITING to buy - things not needed that first move in date???</p>
<p>As my daughter’s school was an 18 hour drive, we didn’t have the option to run things back to school for her and she would not have a car. We decided to buy almost anything we thought she would need; some items we took with us, others we ordered ahead at the local Bed, Bath, and Beyond. After move in, we went to the BB&B and picked up the items we ordered. Some of the things we decided we would not need or didn’t have room for. For example, we didn’t know how much room she would have under her bed for storage bins, so we ordered different bins. After her roomates organized their stuff, we saw that she would be better using a freestand storage item we order. We kept the freestanding but left the under the bed bins. </p>
<p>My daughter was in a quad so there was a good bit of room. The girls had talked before more in and decided who would bring the big items-tv, microwave, and fridge, but waited until they were together to decided what to do about some of the other items. Many of the kids ended up buying a desk chair as the school supplied one was just a wood chair that was not comfortable to sit in for hours. </p>
<p>If you need fans, I would order those ahead of time as some rooms can get very hot, especially on move in day. That was the first thing I did was plug the fans in. Unfortunately, my daughter was the only one with fans so the other girls were always pointing the fans on themselves. Their room was big enough for several fans, but no one else bothered to get one.</p>
<p>I can see that being only 75 minutes away, might be having a similar effect to when we used to have a minivan to go camping with- we just kept throwing stuff in the van until it reached up to --------here.</p>
<p>Ds school was about 4 hours away- we had forgotten a few things- like the ethernet cord & extension cord, but they don’t really need that much.
Her school doesn’t allow tvs/microwaves and I didn’t think she would need or have room for a fridge- so that cut down on the appliances.</p>
<p>But the rooms are generally fairly small- and while lighting and fans are always welcome, as are photos or posters to brighten up the room, they don’t really need that much stuff.</p>
<p>We did get big floor pillows, that were used in the common room for studying, and a “boyfriend pillow” * with arms* ditto, but it might be hard to predict what she needs and you will just end up taking it home again.</p>
<p>( we used BB&B too cause they will wait to ship till you need it, very handy)</p>
<p>Once S got his roommate assignment, they coordinated on refrigerator, microwave, and TV. S had won a little flat screen TV at his school’s afterprom party so that was perfect. The roommate volunteered to do the other two. We ended up buying a rug for the room from the bookstore. They have them in just the right size. He also bought a bookshelf to put the TV on after he arrived. He bought a printer but considered it unusable because of the frequency with which the ink cartridges needed to be changed, so he printed his stuff out elsewhere and I assume will not take the printer back this year.</p>
<p>There was so little drawer and closet space that about half of S’s clothes came right back home with us. He didn’t have extra towels or sheets (and would have had no place to put them). He brought one big cup that could function as a bowel, one spoon, a thing to carry his toiletries to the shower, and a fan. That’s about it. I don’t think he ever ate in the room, so didn’t use the microwave or refrigerator, although he said he used the cup a few times.</p>
<p>Whenever we visited, the floor in his room was always knee deep in clothes (mostly his roommates’) so cleaning would not have been possible even if either of them had brought cleaning supplies–which they didn’t.</p>
<p>Son #2’s school has a history of tripling kids (in double rooms) at the last minute, so I’m not buying much. I’ll wait until we get there to scope out stuff. I want him to leave his big, huge, double-monitor computer home too. (He can bring a lap top.) He doesn’t watch TV so that’s good. We can run to Target for a fan, fridge, microwave or whatever looks absolutely urgent. LOL</p>
<p>I advocate taking the bare minimum + some items of particular sentimental attachment. Once your D is there–say after three weeks–she will have a much better idea of what she really needs. You are lucky to be in relatively easy driving distance and lots of stuff can be acquired quickly via mail order BB& B or elsewhere. PC or laptop, printer, alarm clock, desk lamp, hair dryer, wastebasket, hangers, bed linen + pillows, towels and bathrobe, rain gear and/ or other climate appropriate wear, favorite cosmetic ,hygiene products, tote thing to carry stuff into communal bathroom, shower flipflops…that’s all your freshman really needs for openers.</p>
<p>Honestly I wish that except for the bedding that we’d waited, and waited, and waited. D was 3000 miles from home, and no car, so we bought quite a bit at the Target by her school. When she came home in May I was stunned to see how much was still in the original wrapper. I’m talking office supplies/cleaning supplies/even extra linen!</p>
<p>I think the best way is to keep it all to a minimum and let the kid know that if he/she needs something to get it.</p>
<p>My kid forgot he had extra detergent etc. and went out and bought new. Even his second fitted sheet was still in the bag. Really, I learned a lot with that child. He wrecked and broke and lost so much stuff. (GRRR) He moves constantly (or so it seems), throws stuff in and out of storage, it’s really a mess. At least for the boys, bare minimum stuff.</p>
<p>This is a very good thread for me to be reading right now, because I feel like running out and buying everything (I’m not a recreational shopper for myself, but I LOVE buying stuff for my son!) We are delivering him to pre-orientation and then coming back a week later for orientation, so we’ll check out the room, move some stuff in and see what space there is before buying more–or not. We’re also returning to campus a month later for family weekend and son will come home in Oct for break, so I’m going to restrain myself now, as much as possible. Son is kind of a minimalist anyway.</p>
<p>I hear you, bethievt! I think the need to rush out and BUY the stuff, for me at least, was because there had been so much involvement and activity surrounding the application/choice process and, once that was over, I needed to DO something related to the process. Plus, it was fun!</p>
<p>S communicated (sparingly!) with his roommate and they determined who would supply which larger item (fridge, micro, TV).</p>
<p>It all worked out fine, though, had I been thinking, I would have sent the warmer clothing later rather than packing it and driving it to school.</p>
<p>Was also surprised to see how much room the shoes took in the car! Not that S has that many pairs (he does have shoes for various sports) but because the shoes are so darn big!</p>
<p>Oh–as to the lack of drawer space in dorms:</p>
<p>If you have bed raisers, you can fit plastic containers with drawers under the bed. I think that we found that 3 of the large, 2-drawer units from BB&B fit under an XL bed when we used the larger raisers, also from BB&B…</p>
<p>Also, the hanging “sweater shelves” (Fabric shelves that hang from a closet rod) are great for many items, including linens and towels.</p>
<p>We moved D across country to Boston from California, so ordered everything from Bed, Bath and Beyond and ended up returning a few overlapping items, but not many. Roommate drove to school from NJ so she had more flexibility. </p>
<p>Once D conncected with her roommate on Facebook, they checked with each other and found that they had similar colors in mind. They agreed to wait on a rug, floor lamp and any big comfy chair for the room, as space is usually limited. D picked out the lamp and chair from BB and B, but did not buy until we sawa the space. Initially D thought they could share a waste basket, but ended up going out and buying one after a few days of tossing paper across the room. They shopped together for a write-erase board for the door. Each came with a few of the 3M hooks, but bought a few more to hang keys, umbrella’s etc. once they saw the space near the door.<br>
We bought the microwave ; roommate brought the small refrig. Otherwise, they each had all the other stuff for themselves.</p>
<p>One other thing, roommate brought one of those Brita water filtration containers, so D returned hers. They did not need 2. D brought 4 mugs/small plates/flatware sets, and roommmate returned hers as 4 were plenty for “guests”. </p>
<p>No TV in the room. Kids watched some shows and DVD’s on their computers.</p>
<p>I think that I’ve decided to focus on these main areas:
Computer and computer accessories
Comfy bed stuff
School type supplies
Closet organizer stuff (she can start the year with shorts, skirts, capris and tees - don’t need tons of heavy stuff yet.
Personal beauty needs stuff</p>
<p>After she gets settled, she can tell us if she wants underbed storage, extra furniture, storage, non-essentials. Oh yeah, can’t forget the refrig/micro we already have if OK with roomate…</p>
<p>I too love shopping for her stuff - I think starting the process early and a little at a time is helping all of us adjust to the fact that she’s going - and will be a little less overwhelming than waiting till two weeks before she goes…</p>
<p>The one mistake we made was that we didn’t buy enough surge protectors with VERY long cords. Old dorm rooms generally do not have many outlets, and many schools will not allow extension cords unless they are of the surge protector type. I would buy extra and bring home any that you don’t need.</p>
<p>Also, for the girls … don’t forget a mirror for a door. Another item to check with roommate as they won’t need two.</p>
<p>Do college students in southern california need fans and bed comforters, or is that more of a Northern thing (meaning, here we have unairconditioned rooms in September and May that get hot, and then it gets cold by mid-fall…)</p>
<p>September can be very hot. My son used his fan, as did his roomate, in his Pomona dorm during September and some of October. (his room was not air conditioned.) It was hot even where I live on the coast. You may be able to find out if his dorm has air conditioning before he goes - or just wait and see and then go get a fan if necessary.</p>
<p>One of the most memorable moments of my son’s orientation was the panel member (dean or director or something, I am not sure what his title was) repeating over and over again, “Bring as LITTLE as possible!” which he repeated over and over again. The rooms are small, missing essentials can be purchased or sent UPS. Apparently during the first few days before classes start they run organized trips to Target. (Ah ha! So it’s some kind of marketing agreement that Target has with the school!!)</p>
<p>On our “Wait to Buy” list –
A mattress topper- because, who knows, maybe the bed will be comfortable enough without one. He has a regular mattress pad. If that’s not good enough, we’ll send one.</p>
<p>An area rug. All the dorms have linoleum floors, but we’ll wait to get his housing assignment before choosing the right size.</p>
<p>Small TV or mini fridge-- perhaps he and his future roomate can share/choose one or the other. Back in the olden days, no one had tv’s in their rooms. Now the rooms are cable-ready and it sounds like a lot of kids bring them.</p>
<p>I agree on the mattress pad/topper. DD was first-year last year and as we’re buying bedding for DS this year, we picked up two thicker mattress toppers to help with the lumpy beds.
Also, DD had one of the closet doubler bars - hang it from the bar in the closet and you get two hanging areas. Container Store has one that is adjustable in length and width, so you maximize your options. She said it was one of the best things she had taken.
Check the desk chairs the school provides. Some are good, some are wood. Seat cushions may be a necessity - not something that needs to be taken immediately.
We’re sending along minimal school supplies - driving 700 miles,so we’re figuring a run to WalMart/Target will take care of that easily. Or in desperation, the higher-priced school bookstore.</p>