can someone just tell me the dorm stuff to buy

[Anonymous]

Surge protector! We got one on Amazon for about $20. It is square, has a zillion spots for plugs and also takes usbs. Kid said everyone had the same one!

See if it is still on sale for prime day!

[Anonymous]

The one item that got a ton of use in my son’s suite was a boot tray. (Right? Who would’ve guessed?)

Six guys who all played dirty-cleat sports (golf, baseball, lax…) would all dump their shoes on the rubber tray placed just inside the suite door. It made a massive difference in containing the mud, grass, clay, rubber crumb, leaves, etc. They were not winning any Good Housekeeping awards overall, but their floors were a lot cleaner than they would otherwise have been.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Make sure to get twin (long) flat and sheet. A blanket, pillow and a fan!

Maybe a robe, shower slipper, and caddy.

Then bring their usual self care and school stuff, plus a new water bottle.

Dumb question but are they filling their bottles with tap water, generally?

[Anonymous]

Command makes a nice little shelf - sticks to the wall as high as needed to be reachable from the bed. Holds a phone, etc.
with Command strips - put painters tape on the wall and adhere the Command to that. Prevents the strip peeling the plaster at year end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make sure to get twin (long) flat and sheet. A blanket, pillow and a fan!

Maybe a robe, shower slipper, and caddy.

Then bring their usual self care and school stuff, plus a new water bottle.

Dumb question but are they filling their bottles with tap water, generally?

Not dumb at all. Dorms will have filtered water filling stations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had to buy when we got to college (a plane ride away) and then washed at the college during move in day - which DS thought was humiliating, but nobody noticed and the laundry room was me and 2 other moms doing the same thing. Anyway - that turned out to be a good idea because I could show DS how to use the laundry they had there. That, despite what other kids insisted, throwing a weeks worth of everything in the biggest machine and then into the biggest dryer was fine! And then use that same big machine for comforter if it dirty

do not recommend mom hanging around on move in day (and we're also a plane ride away for 2 kids). mom should definitely not be in the laundry room.

Not sure what you mean by hanging around. We were in at around 10am and then at the parents event at 1 and then left with everyone else. Laundry takes 45 minutes. Some of us had to buy sheets when we go there.

drop off stuff. picture if he's willing. leave.

NP you know colleges handle this different, right? Yale was a two-day affair!

you hang out in the kid's room for 2 days?! wow, Yale, you've changed

nope, nobody is hanging out in their kids rooms for 2 days. there's programming on campus. even my kid's college - not yale - had some great parenting presentations. We were there for two days - not in and out in 30 minutes. I know some are. Lehigh is notorious for not wanting parents out of the car. I dont think that's *better* to be honest.

If you don't know how to parent by the time your kid's in college you have major issues.

You sound very unfamiliar with colleges these days. It's quite common for them to have programming for parents at move in.

Not my kids' colleges. 3 of them had orientation sessions with optional parent programming at sessions over the summer.

The parent programming is to get parents out of the kids rooms, give them something to go to, and then send them home.

We already did the student orientation and parent sessions. The school holds 7-8 sessions every other week all during the summer. When it comes to move it day, families have a short window. There are lots of volunteers available to help you schlep stuff from your car but then the car has to be moved off campus in about 45 minutes or so.

that's not an attractive model for a lot of families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had to buy when we got to college (a plane ride away) and then washed at the college during move in day - which DS thought was humiliating, but nobody noticed and the laundry room was me and 2 other moms doing the same thing. Anyway - that turned out to be a good idea because I could show DS how to use the laundry they had there. That, despite what other kids insisted, throwing a weeks worth of everything in the biggest machine and then into the biggest dryer was fine! And then use that same big machine for comforter if it dirty

do not recommend mom hanging around on move in day (and we're also a plane ride away for 2 kids). mom should definitely not be in the laundry room.

Not sure what you mean by hanging around. We were in at around 10am and then at the parents event at 1 and then left with everyone else. Laundry takes 45 minutes. Some of us had to buy sheets when we go there.

drop off stuff. picture if he's willing. leave.

NP you know colleges handle this different, right? Yale was a two-day affair!

you hang out in the kid's room for 2 days?! wow, Yale, you've changed

nope, nobody is hanging out in their kids rooms for 2 days. there's programming on campus. even my kid's college - not yale - had some great parenting presentations. We were there for two days - not in and out in 30 minutes. I know some are. Lehigh is notorious for not wanting parents out of the car. I dont think that's *better* to be honest.

If you don't know how to parent by the time your kid's in college you have major issues.

You sound very unfamiliar with colleges these days. It's quite common for them to have programming for parents at move in.

Not my kids' colleges. 3 of them had orientation sessions with optional parent programming at sessions over the summer.

The parent programming is to get parents out of the kids rooms, give them something to go to, and then send them home.

We already did the student orientation and parent sessions. The school holds 7-8 sessions every other week all during the summer. When it comes to move it day, families have a short window. There are lots of volunteers available to help you schlep stuff from your car but then the car has to be moved off campus in about 45 minutes or so.

that's not an attractive model for a lot of families.

And they’re free to make their own life choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had to buy when we got to college (a plane ride away) and then washed at the college during move in day - which DS thought was humiliating, but nobody noticed and the laundry room was me and 2 other moms doing the same thing. Anyway - that turned out to be a good idea because I could show DS how to use the laundry they had there. That, despite what other kids insisted, throwing a weeks worth of everything in the biggest machine and then into the biggest dryer was fine! And then use that same big machine for comforter if it dirty

do not recommend mom hanging around on move in day (and we're also a plane ride away for 2 kids). mom should definitely not be in the laundry room.

Not sure what you mean by hanging around. We were in at around 10am and then at the parents event at 1 and then left with everyone else. Laundry takes 45 minutes. Some of us had to buy sheets when we go there.

drop off stuff. picture if he's willing. leave.

NP you know colleges handle this different, right? Yale was a two-day affair!

you hang out in the kid's room for 2 days?! wow, Yale, you've changed

nope, nobody is hanging out in their kids rooms for 2 days. there's programming on campus. even my kid's college - not yale - had some great parenting presentations. We were there for two days - not in and out in 30 minutes. I know some are. Lehigh is notorious for not wanting parents out of the car. I dont think that's *better* to be honest.

If you don't know how to parent by the time your kid's in college you have major issues.

You sound very unfamiliar with colleges these days. It's quite common for them to have programming for parents at move in.

Not my kids' colleges. 3 of them had orientation sessions with optional parent programming at sessions over the summer.

The parent programming is to get parents out of the kids rooms, give them something to go to, and then send them home.

We already did the student orientation and parent sessions. The school holds 7-8 sessions every other week all during the summer. When it comes to move it day, families have a short window. There are lots of volunteers available to help you schlep stuff from your car but then the car has to be moved off campus in about 45 minutes or so.

that's not an attractive model for a lot of families.

It’s more of a private school thing. Although my DS did the same at an OOS state school. Helped for a smooth transition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had to buy when we got to college (a plane ride away) and then washed at the college during move in day - which DS thought was humiliating, but nobody noticed and the laundry room was me and 2 other moms doing the same thing. Anyway - that turned out to be a good idea because I could show DS how to use the laundry they had there. That, despite what other kids insisted, throwing a weeks worth of everything in the biggest machine and then into the biggest dryer was fine! And then use that same big machine for comforter if it dirty

do not recommend mom hanging around on move in day (and we're also a plane ride away for 2 kids). mom should definitely not be in the laundry room.

Not sure what you mean by hanging around. We were in at around 10am and then at the parents event at 1 and then left with everyone else. Laundry takes 45 minutes. Some of us had to buy sheets when we go there.

drop off stuff. picture if he's willing. leave.

NP you know colleges handle this different, right? Yale was a two-day affair!

you hang out in the kid's room for 2 days?! wow, Yale, you've changed

nope, nobody is hanging out in their kids rooms for 2 days. there's programming on campus. even my kid's college - not yale - had some great parenting presentations. We were there for two days - not in and out in 30 minutes. I know some are. Lehigh is notorious for not wanting parents out of the car. I dont think that's *better* to be honest.

If you don't know how to parent by the time your kid's in college you have major issues.

You sound very unfamiliar with colleges these days. It's quite common for them to have programming for parents at move in.

Not my kids' colleges. 3 of them had orientation sessions with optional parent programming at sessions over the summer.

The parent programming is to get parents out of the kids rooms, give them something to go to, and then send them home.

We already did the student orientation and parent sessions. The school holds 7-8 sessions every other week all during the summer. When it comes to move it day, families have a short window. There are lots of volunteers available to help you schlep stuff from your car but then the car has to be moved off campus in about 45 minutes or so.

that's not an attractive model for a lot of families.

It’s more of a private school thing. Although my DS did the same at an OOS state school. Helped for a smooth transition.

what's a private school thing? ND, Princeton, and Georgetown all have parent events over two days. Are they doing it because you're paying 90k, because they care about kids, or because they're building a donor class? Who can say, but that Yale schedule someone posted earlier is pretty standard. It's two days. They do want you to go after, but 45 minutes seems kinda rude to people writing checks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had to buy when we got to college (a plane ride away) and then washed at the college during move in day - which DS thought was humiliating, but nobody noticed and the laundry room was me and 2 other moms doing the same thing. Anyway - that turned out to be a good idea because I could show DS how to use the laundry they had there. That, despite what other kids insisted, throwing a weeks worth of everything in the biggest machine and then into the biggest dryer was fine! And then use that same big machine for comforter if it dirty

do not recommend mom hanging around on move in day (and we're also a plane ride away for 2 kids). mom should definitely not be in the laundry room.

Not sure what you mean by hanging around. We were in at around 10am and then at the parents event at 1 and then left with everyone else. Laundry takes 45 minutes. Some of us had to buy sheets when we go there.

drop off stuff. picture if he's willing. leave.

NP you know colleges handle this different, right? Yale was a two-day affair!

you hang out in the kid's room for 2 days?! wow, Yale, you've changed

nope, nobody is hanging out in their kids rooms for 2 days. there's programming on campus. even my kid's college - not yale - had some great parenting presentations. We were there for two days - not in and out in 30 minutes. I know some are. Lehigh is notorious for not wanting parents out of the car. I dont think that's *better* to be honest.

If you don't know how to parent by the time your kid's in college you have major issues.

You sound very unfamiliar with colleges these days. It's quite common for them to have programming for parents at move in.

Not my kids' colleges. 3 of them had orientation sessions with optional parent programming at sessions over the summer.

The parent programming is to get parents out of the kids rooms, give them something to go to, and then send them home.

We already did the student orientation and parent sessions. The school holds 7-8 sessions every other week all during the summer. When it comes to move it day, families have a short window. There are lots of volunteers available to help you schlep stuff from your car but then the car has to be moved off campus in about 45 minutes or so.

that's not an attractive model for a lot of families.

It’s more of a private school thing. Although my DS did the same at an OOS state school. Helped for a smooth transition.

what's a private school thing? ND, Princeton, and Georgetown all have parent events over two days. Are they doing it because you're paying 90k, because they care about kids, or because they're building a donor class? Who can say, but that Yale schedule someone posted earlier is pretty standard. It's two days. They do want you to go after, but 45 minutes seems kinda rude to people writing checks.

those are all private schools?

[Anonymous]

oh, your saying publics only let you stay for 45 minutes. sorry, thought you mean the opposite

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had to buy when we got to college (a plane ride away) and then washed at the college during move in day - which DS thought was humiliating, but nobody noticed and the laundry room was me and 2 other moms doing the same thing. Anyway - that turned out to be a good idea because I could show DS how to use the laundry they had there. That, despite what other kids insisted, throwing a weeks worth of everything in the biggest machine and then into the biggest dryer was fine! And then use that same big machine for comforter if it dirty

do not recommend mom hanging around on move in day (and we're also a plane ride away for 2 kids). mom should definitely not be in the laundry room.

Not sure what you mean by hanging around. We were in at around 10am and then at the parents event at 1 and then left with everyone else. Laundry takes 45 minutes. Some of us had to buy sheets when we go there.

drop off stuff. picture if he's willing. leave.

NP you know colleges handle this different, right? Yale was a two-day affair!

you hang out in the kid's room for 2 days?! wow, Yale, you've changed

nope, nobody is hanging out in their kids rooms for 2 days. there's programming on campus. even my kid's college - not yale - had some great parenting presentations. We were there for two days - not in and out in 30 minutes. I know some are. Lehigh is notorious for not wanting parents out of the car. I dont think that's *better* to be honest.

If you don't know how to parent by the time your kid's in college you have major issues.

You sound very unfamiliar with colleges these days. It's quite common for them to have programming for parents at move in.

Not my kids' colleges. 3 of them had orientation sessions with optional parent programming at sessions over the summer.

The parent programming is to get parents out of the kids rooms, give them something to go to, and then send them home.

We already did the student orientation and parent sessions. The school holds 7-8 sessions every other week all during the summer. When it comes to move it day, families have a short window. There are lots of volunteers available to help you schlep stuff from your car but then the car has to be moved off campus in about 45 minutes or so.

that's not an attractive model for a lot of families.

It’s more of a private school thing. Although my DS did the same at an OOS state school. Helped for a smooth transition.

I think the summer orientation sessions (held throughout the summer, kids stay in the nice dorms over 2 nights) with optional parent meetings is more of a private school thing. But Pitt also offers this (at least that’s when my older kid registered for classes, etc).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid’’s School had god awful mattresses. Def get a good mattress topper. We used a cheap sheet to cover the nasty mattress and then the mattress topper on top. His bed was very comfortable after.

This. College mattresses are plastic awfulness. Definitely get the mattress topper. The rest just buy cheaper versions.

No need for a topper. I offered it to both of my kids but both refused. Never changed their mind either. They were fine with the college mattresses.

[Anonymous]

if you're going to be there for parents weekend, you can always bring a few things then. like even a topper

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:O good grief. It’s pretty certain that parents of rising college freshmen understand that different people are different. Different parenting styles, different kids, different health care needs, different everything. What is the problem on this thread? Have you all forgotten this? Have you forgotten how to be supportive of your fellow travelers?

Agree. Some of these posts are ridiculous. Some people have SN kids who need extra hand-holding. MYOB!