Dorm room essentials

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Atlas - funny.

seriously. my kid doesn't drive while at college (19 year olds can't rent cars)...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This isn't as fun to think about as dorm stuff but I wanted to share this: We didn't realize until a few weeks ago that it's a good idea to get your over-18 child a durable power of attorney document and an advance medical directive document (notarized and witnessed). If your kid ends up hospitalized and unable to communicate what he wants, you can't assume that medical professionals are all going to honor what you tell them to do or give you medical information just because "I'm the parent and the next of kin." These kids are legally adults and no doctor or bank "has" to let a parent know anything at all even if the student can't communicate. Yes, generally it's highly probable you'd be in the loop at least on medical things but don't assume it. Same goes for the bank if a student is incapacitated--that's why a power of attorney for financial and legal issues is important. I wasn't sure it was necessary but look on College Confidential for posts from parents who did end up needing those documents.

We told our DC that we very likely would never need to use these things but it was always better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them. We were advised to keep the originals at home and send copies to college with DC. Maybe folks out there already know to do these documents but in the rush and excitement of the last summer before college we hadn't considered them.

We heard you the first 10

An advance directive is fine. No adult--or "over 18 child" is going to want to give you durable power of attorney without massive pressure from you--particularly if your stated definition of "incapacitated" is expansive.

Time to land the chopper.

Land the chopper? Seriously? This is what adults in a family --including the adult college student -- do: They realize that life can and sometimes does throw you situations that are bad, like an incapacitating injury that means you not only need a medical directive but need someone to handle finances. They realize that insurance companies, hospitals, banks and colleges are not touchy-feely institutions that let mommy and daddy help out based just on the fact they're the parents. And they plan accordingly in the hope that the plan never gets used. Since the idea of a POA came up, I've found out that quite a few families do them for college students. No "massive pressure" involved. It doesn't mean parents are running their kids' daily lives at college. It just means there's less of a fight to be able to help if something serious happens. Which is exactly what the lawyer who did our documents found out when her son was seriously injured at college. Yeah, it can happen.

Every adult member of my family has given power of attorney to someone else -- usually their spouse, but another close family member if they are unmarried. Why wouldn't I get one for my dc when he reaches 18?

[Anonymous]

a Very good extension cord/power strip.

Those plastic ties that hold things fast and don’t come undone.

Wall hooks. The kind that remove cleanly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:a Very good extension cord/power strip.

Those plastic ties that hold things fast and don’t come undone.

Wall hooks. The kind that remove cleanly.

What are the plastic ties for?

[Anonymous]

The thermometer is a good one! I got incredibly sick one year with a raging fever. It had been so long since I'd been sick with a fever I didn't even recognize that's what was wrong. I just felt vile and like I could barely move, while having vivid intense dreams that I was dying when I did fall asleep. It was 24 hours before a (wonderful and kind) roommate dragged me to the health center because she knew I needed to be seen. I had a temp of 103! They instantly gave me tylenol and by the time I left with antibiotics to treat my raging strep throat I was already feeling better just from the fever reducer.

Anyhow, after that I bought a thermometer just to check if I ever started feeling that weird again. I hadn't been sick a lot as a kid or teenager besides general colds so I didn't recognize the fever at all!

[Anonymous]

HIPPA make sure your student has allowed you to see them if they are in the hospital. Sign that form! And if they have school health insurance sign that one as well. No one thinks they are going to the hospital but both of you will want to see each other if it does. Also flu shot.
Land the chopper is rude.