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premature though this may be, I was surfing last night and found some great checklists on what to bring to college, dorm room suggestions, etc., at www.bedbathandbeyond.com. As an Ilovetoshop mom with a Justleavemealone son, I don't know how much I'll be allowed to use these lists, but I'm sure many will and who knows, maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised when the time comes. But just thought I'd share.

By Patient (Patient) on Sunday, February 08, 2004 - 04:20 pm: Edit

Other lists I have found:

http://laig.com/aq/lists/college.htm

and

http://familyeducation.com/article/0,1120,69-17920,00.html

By Marite (Marite) on Sunday, February 08, 2004 - 04:39 pm: Edit

Patient:

I checked the lists, and some of the items made me smile.
Coins for laundry: some colleges have laundry cards.
Phone (not on the lists): we decided to give S a cell phone. It saves learning a new phone number every year, and can be used anywhere.
Stamped envelopes: Ha! What about e-mail and phone? S has not written home once in nearly four years.
Computers and printers: for computers, most use laptops. For printers, one might consider a printer/scanner combo. It is a little bit more expensive than a printer, but does not take much more space. If a student wants to include illustrations in a paper, it can be very handy.
Definitely bring hangers and extension cords. Also X-long bedsheets and blankets.

By Thumper1 (Thumper1) on Sunday, February 08, 2004 - 04:57 pm: Edit

Bring surge protectors to use as your extension cords. A fan, an extra lamp (not halogen), a foam egg crate mattress topper...my kid says his mattress would have been awful without this!! DS is happy he has an area rug even though there is (thin) carpet in the room. Extra pillow (nice for propping oneself up in bed to read). Extra socks...they seem to disappear.

Things to leave at home...an answering machine (most schools have voice mail...and most cell phones have voice mail). Appliances (except an allowable size fridge) most schools don't allow much for appliances in the dorms.

By Aparent4 (Aparent4) on Sunday, February 08, 2004 - 05:15 pm: Edit

Laundry at son's school is "free." hahaha

For those who are driving, as we do...We shopped around for a fridge and could barely fit it into the car with all his other stuff. When we got to school we found the university bookstore was selling exactly the same model for exactly the same price. So maybe it's not necessary to make an enormous effort.

Easier by far to order stuff online and have it shipped directly to campus. But it's important to ask what's the best way to ship to your s or d's particular school. UPS is great to s's school, for example, but other shippers are often a black hole.

Things like pain relievers, cold medicine, etc. are nice to have on hand.

Cell phone reception at our son's school is atrocious. Many parents buy an antenna that sticks onto the dorm room window. We never did get our son's to work...Fortunately this year reception is better in his room.

By Patient (Patient) on Sunday, February 08, 2004 - 08:18 pm: Edit

My guess is that a lot of stuff on all the lists should be purchased (1) after seeing the dorm room and (2) comparing what the roommate(s) already have to avoid unnecessary duplication. It's still fun to have the lists, imho.

By Busymom (Busymom) on Sunday, February 08, 2004 - 11:03 pm: Edit

Thanks for sending this along. We just had this discussion at dinner last night. One tip we learned from a current college student is that at his school, it is actually much cheaper to purchase a fridge and microwave (from a store) than it is to rent from his school. According to him, one semester rental exceeds purchase price.

By Emeraldkity4 (Emeraldkity4) on Monday, February 09, 2004 - 01:07 am: Edit

My daughter has a single dorm room, doesn't need any fridge etc, cause they have a two full kitchens on each floor. She does have a electric tea kettle though. She brings her own cordless phone, phone service is included and I dont have the extra to pay for a cell.
Her printing is now free as her work study job is in the computer lab. No more ink cartridges or reams of paper!
extra lamps are always needed as supplied lighting is dim.
Also portable fans.
They haven't switched to cards for laundry yet, although in process.
We bought several floor size pillows, they use them in the common area to study. She also has one of those "boyfriend" pillows, with a backrest and arms that she hauls around. Especailly freshman year, when they all had the same hum 110 class, they frequently studied together in the common room. Now I think she often studies in the library or computer lab, but they still use the pillows.
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/Bts01_Checklist.asp?

By Momrath (Momrath) on Monday, February 09, 2004 - 02:42 am: Edit

Advice: buy the extra long sheets early. I really had a hard time finding them in August, both on line and at New York retailers.

By Elleneast (Elleneast) on Monday, February 09, 2004 - 10:27 am: Edit

Long sheet resources:
If they are not in now, they will come in during the spring/summer at Linens-n-Things and Bed, Bath and Beyond. Both stores set up college dorm sections as the summer progresses. LLBean will also have them. I bet that Lands End will have them as well. If you want to splurge...The Garnet Hill catalog will have some XL sheets in more interesting prints.

One thing that did come in handy was a box of cleaning supplies (swiffer, bathroom spray cleaner, paper towels). The room was FILTHY when we arrived and even though the D was mortified at the thought of my cleaning her room in front of her roommate, they used the supplies after I left and continue to do so....if only occasionally.

My daughter goes to school in NYC where everything that she could possibly need is local. We waited until seeing the dorm room before buying the rug, lamp and all of the extras. My niece is in a more rural location where her favorite pharmaceuticals are not available within walking distance. She packs extra of anything that is really important to her.

The D has not used her room phone since arriving at school. She works exclusively off her cell with nationwide minutes. She will occasionally get a university based message on her room phone but they generally communicate by e-mail. The majority of her peers also use their cells as their primary phone. I suspect that this is what happens at schools with good cell phone reception.

One item that has turned out to have been very useful is an Aerobed. Our daughter originally took it knowing that she would have two or three guests from her old high school during her first months at college. It gets so much use that she has kept it up there for the year. The D has said that if she charged a rental fee she would be wealthy as it is borrowed constantly by kids on her hall who are entertaining guests. She also sets it up if there is a "movie night" in her room.

I suggested that the D not take a TV when she left last August but she insisted on taking a small TV with a built-in VCR. She has said that she will not take a TV next year as it is rarely used. We did not pay for cable in her room and she has not asked for it. She watches movies on her computer and watches the occasional television show on her on her computer as well (through the school server moments after it airs.... those with more computer expertise might be able to explain this to me...the D says that this is legal as long as she does not download music/movies/tv programs off of the server). There is a large TV in the lounge where her friends gather to watch "Alias" on Sunday night. TV was not a big part of her life at home but there are so many interesting things to do at school that it has become even less so.

One last thing that has been very useful are storage containers for under the bed.

Sorry for the long post!

By Aparent4 (Aparent4) on Monday, February 09, 2004 - 10:38 am: Edit

Most of us received package deals in the mail, offering everything a student would need in the way of linens and more. The prices are very good, and it's very handy. In my experience -- and I have heard others say the same thing -- the quality is very poor. Son's comforter was never great to begin with, and it pilled so badly within one year that it needed to be replaced. Not a bargain.

By Emilyp114 (Emilyp114) on Monday, February 09, 2004 - 10:56 am: Edit

My advice from experience is to only take the absolute essentials with you and wait til you see the room before buying anything else. You'll likely get your roommate info early in the summer so that you can communicate regarding who is bringing what like, TV, DVD player, stereo, microwave, bathroom supplies, etc.

Take bedding and towels, extension cord, power bar, duct tape for taping down random wires, scissors, long and thin Rubbermaid containers for underbed storage, hangers, posters, photographs, movies and music cds.

My roomie and I split the cost of a fridge and microwave, I brought the TV and she brought the DVD player. All NYU dorms have cable supplied. We all also get our own bathrooms so we split the cost of one of those bathroom shelving/storage units, shower curtain, and bathmat.

After we got there and got the room set up, we went out and bought a throw rug for between the beds, a chair/futon which is useful for overnight guests even if it does cramp the free space, a floor lamp and throw pillows and extra throw blankets. We didn't need a fan because our dorm is air-conditioned.

My mom sent me with a supply of pharmaceutical stuff which I was thankful for, although I made fun of her at first. I had a bad cold in the fall and had everything I could possibly need in that little storage container and didn't have to head out to the local Duane Reade to buy anything. If you're going to be in a city, take as little as possible. Buy what you need when you get there and get settled. Remember that whatever you take with you on that first day, you have to carry up to your room. With hundreds of other people doing the same! Moving in day is usually a nightmare and the less you have to move, the better.

Oh, and one last thing, don't order your sheets from those groups who send you flyers. Every single person I know who did, regretted it.

By Emeraldkity4 (Emeraldkity4) on Monday, February 09, 2004 - 11:09 am: Edit

we got my daughters bedding from BB&B, ordered it online sent to ship when the mail room was ready to recieve.
Much nicer than standard extra long sheets, garnet hill also has extra long sheets but they are pricey, I am sure very nice though.
Her school discourages tvs and don't know of anyone who has one in room. Some HAs bring one for the common area though.
I agree with just bringing what you have to have, family photos, sticky goo to hang them with ( no thumbtacks) you can buy stuff in town. extra hangers etc. once you see what the set up is like.
Twisty tiws to tie up extra long ethernet cords.
We brought a trunk and her first year she put a small ( furnished) bookcase on top that brought it level to her desk. It is also good for storage and extra seating.
We drove though it would probably be a pain to ship.

By Emilyp114 (Emilyp114) on Monday, February 09, 2004 - 12:01 pm: Edit

It's really interesting to hear the differences, even on this topic, from college to college. I don't think I've been in a dorm room yet at NYU that didn't have a TV. Oh and yes that sticky goo stuff is invaluable, especially if you're in a dorm like mine which has cinderblock walls. It's really useful to try and get photos of the dorm rooms at your college before you go. I know that most colleges have active livejournal communities where you can communicate with current students. I know the NYU one has a lot of discussion with current E.D. students to show them different dorms, etc. so that they can make their choice of which one they want. Certainly, in my dorm room, and I'm sure in many others, I wouldn't be able to have a trunk. There simply isn't room.

By Sluggbugg (Sluggbugg) on Monday, February 09, 2004 - 03:36 pm: Edit

Room space is at such a premium that you don't want to bring anything that will not be used.

For parents driving kids to college: Move-in day can be super hectic!! We didn't expect her room to be up 3 flights of stairs, and we had one hour to get her unloaded before we had to move the car. We used milk crates and organized similar items together. Milk crates were the right size for hauling, they stack, and they fit together well in the car. Plus, you don't have to unpack a lot of stuff on move-in day. Just haul the crates in, leave the ones that are already organized, and unpack the rest. They're great for moving, lightweight, inexpensive, and can be used over & over again each year.

Essentials really depend on the student. I think we used Princeton Review's list as a general guide. The double room my dd is in has enough room for each student to have her own mini-fridge and small microwave. This turned out to be the right decision (not to share) because they tend to eat in their room a lot. It's a nice idea to share, but it can be a real source of conflict if one has to clean up after the other all the time. Target has a fun website where students list their choice of items, but I found the quality of certain items to be lacking, mini-fridges, alarm clocks, & desk fans, for instance. Everything for college goes on sale in July/August. Shop as soon as things go on sale! After a lot of comparative shopping last year, here are some of the things that have really paid off:

- Milk crates - Container Store
- Shower tote - Container Store
- Sterlite laundry basket- Target or online
- 1 pkg extra light bulbs
- GPX clock radio with auto reset for power outage. Super small!
- Power strip
- GM Removable, adhesive poster tabs - Container Store
- Magnetic strip bulletin board - Fun & space efficient. Sold with powerful, little magnets to hold papers & notes on the strip. About $12 each. - Container Store

- Picture cell phone -- It's been lots of fun to get picture emails from her. Plus, it's an added safety feature, in case of an emergency.
- Room phone. We bought a phone w/an answering machine. We wanted to be able to leave a message, in case we couldn't reach her by cell phone. She & her roommate share the phone.

- A med-size tool box w/removable tray for makeup
- Glade room neutralizer spray
- Paper plates & bowls; plastic utinsels; paring knife & a small, acrylic cutting board; a church-key; 1 can opener
- Scrubbing wipes (for bathroom & kitchen)
- A small, plastic garbage can + bags, for food trash.
- Adjustable, oscillating floor fan. Another item they share. It airs out the whole room & doesn't take up desk space.
- Tip: I hear that the Memory Foam mattress pads are pretty good. Egg cartons usually work, but not always.

By Sluggbugg (Sluggbugg) on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 12:27 pm: Edit

Additions: The adhesive poster tabs are made by Command, not GM. The gluey stuff that I think some people have referred to is called Plati-tak. Both sell for around $1.99/pkg. I forgot to mention "S" hooks. Dd uses 2 of those in her closet for hanging purses, bags, belts, & scarves. Very handy items for $1.99/ea. I found all of these items on the Container Store website.

By Sluggbugg (Sluggbugg) on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 12:33 pm: Edit

@#!!% typos! I mean, Plasti-tak.

By Ariesathena (Ariesathena) on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 04:56 pm: Edit

Window fans are also excellent - they cool the room down at night quite quickly. Downside is that, depending on where you are living, the noise outside might be too much for the kids to want to open their windows.

Has no one mentioned the crucial whiteboards? The kids will need one for the outside of their door, so friends can leave messages. A combined white board/cork board is great for organizing yourself. I put things like bills on the corkboard and used the whiteboard for homework assignments.

Yaffa has some great milk crates, which are relatively inexpensive (about $3 each) and come in quite nifty colours. Beware though, some beds are too low for them to fit underneath.

Get the best laundry basket you can find. My first year, I got a cheap one, and it broke by the end of first semester. I held it together with duct tape, but it wasn't worth it. Then, I sprang for a much more durable one, which is still going strong, post-graduation.

Look into getting a small Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner (the one with extra amps works well), as they are compact and will allow carpets to stay clean.

By Ariesathena (Ariesathena) on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 05:00 pm: Edit

"College Life" Forum has an old thread with similar lists... updated on 16 December, entitled "College Survival List."

By Emeraldkity4 (Emeraldkity4) on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 05:21 pm: Edit

oh yeah whiteboard are a necssity
my daughter has one on her(outside of) door as well as a spinning wheel to show friends where she is likely to be found if out.
( she also had a sign that indicated whether you could disturb her or put your life in peril if you did so)
Most of the rooms in her dorm also have a bulletin board outside the door as well, for propaganda, photos etc.
Since the door frames are metal, she has made good use of those poetry magnets and encourages people to write their own.
She also did surveys for a while and posted them on her live journal, anything to procrastinate a little while longer...

By Thumper1 (Thumper1) on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 05:32 pm: Edit

Memory foam mattress pads are nice...but very expensive. We looked into a twin size for DS at Sharper Image and Tempurpedic...$250. We decided that the foam egg crate toppers (at $20 each) would be fine...a new one each year. DS says this is a MUST. At the end of the year, we'll throw it away (along with the sheets, pillows, rug, socks, towels and underwear...seems wasteful, but I suspect ALL will be in sorry shape and will need to be replaced...so no need to haul it home!!).

By Sluggbugg (Sluggbugg) on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 12:28 pm: Edit

Agree with Aries on getting a good laundry basket. Sterlite makes cheapo, plastic storage boxes, but the ergonomic
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By Sluggbugg (Sluggbugg) on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 12:41 pm: Edit

Hmm, I don't know what just happened to my post. Anyway, the ergonomic laundry basket by Sterlite is a good buy (around $5). It's easy to carry, and it lasts. I've had two. Kids and dog wore out the first one. Dd took one to college last Fall and says it's great for hauling up & down the stairs.

By 3boysmom (3boysmom) on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 02:50 pm: Edit

My son packed his sheets, towels, and some bulkier clothing items in the long plastic bins that slide right under his bed. He packed his socks, underwear and t-shirts in stackable drawers that fit in his closet under the shirts that he hung. He bought toiletries and school supplies near school and stores them, too, in stacking drawers. Moving in was easy and unpacking was minimal; a good thing, because he was more concerned with meeting everyone and going to various meetings and functions than he was with putting things away.

He and his roommate share a multi-function printer and a tw with built in vcr and dvd, a mini fridge and a microwave. They have four or five alarm clocks which they both sleep through and have a good friend who pounds on their door every morning.

By Momstheword (Momstheword) on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 03:07 pm: Edit

Maybe a humifidier for kids moving from warmer climes to colleges in colder climes that are superheated and dry.Also, those full-spectrum lights for kids from sunnier homes who are going to college in grayer parts of the country. Shower shoes because dorm bathrooms can be, um, crawling with wildlife(think: fungi).
Parents: On Move-in day, bring: tools, tape, cords. As you drive toward campus, scope out where the nearest Bed, Bath, Target, Walmart, Staples-type stores.etc, are.
And Aero Beds definitely are a good call!

By Garland (Garland) on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 03:46 pm: Edit

Thumper: you throw away sheets, towels, rug, pillow, etc. at the end of one year? Gee, I feel so cheap. D is a senior and has had the same stuff since she started!

By Shennie (Shennie) on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 04:18 pm: Edit

I would really caution people about buying too much before you see the room. My son's room was tiny! We brought what we thought were the bare essentials and still ended up bringing some stuff home. He had a storage box with some kitchen type stuff that he never opened. It is currently stored in the basement. He did need stamps and had to figure out where to go buy them.

By Thumper1 (Thumper1) on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 08:32 pm: Edit

Garland...I have a son...his socks and underwear get replaced every year anyway (if he even has any socks left....they seem to get lost). If the rug looks ok (and doesn't have too much "stuff" ground into the nap) we might keep that. The sheets came from a closeout...$15 a set. Again...we'll see how they look. The pillows are going. They weren't expensive and I already know they have had stuff spilled on them. I suspect my daughter will have ALL the same "stuff" for four years of college. SHE does her laundry on a regular basis, and she vacuums and cleans. Not wishing to spend a lot of money...but if the stuff is not in good condition, I'm not bringing it back here!!

By Emeraldkity4 (Emeraldkity4) on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 10:27 pm: Edit

costco has memory foam pillows for $25!
they also have king and queen size pads for $120 but not twin espcailly not extra long twin
She hasn't complained about her mattress, of course she sleeps on a crappy futon at home, I will ask her though
My husband just puts a sleeping pad under his side of the bed, and it seems to help him, have to go to costco though the memory foam pads are nice

By Sluggbugg (Sluggbugg) on Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 11:24 am: Edit

OOo-ooo-ooo! Great tip, EmeraldK! Just checked the Costco online site, and they have twin Memory Foam mattress toppers for $79.99. Doesn't look like they make it in XL, but I think the reg twin would work just fine w/the short side at the end of the bed.

By Sluggbugg (Sluggbugg) on Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 12:39 pm: Edit

Went back & checked last year's college file, and we used the Collegeboard.com off-to-college checklist. She took 2 towels/washcloths, not 3, and brought 2 jumbo, adhesive hooks to hang them up to dry. On hangers, the multi-skirt/pants hangers saved space in the teensie-weensie closet. I spent a ridiculous amount of time shopping for an affordable desk hutch. Her dorm supplied a large desk, but no hutch. I finally ended up with a cheapo, partical board & melamine, 2-shelf unit from Home Depot. The type used for garage storage, around $15, & very sturdy. Easy to assemble on move-in day, and super useful for stacking up desk items. Ikea was useless, had what we wanted on their website, but not in stock.

Things we didn't need: glass dish & bowl, drying rack, coffee maker, area rug, waste basket, & an iron (the last 2 items were supplied w/the room & dorm laundry room). Things we left off the list & she needed: a fan & a couple more coffee mugs. Ditto Shennie's advice on seeing the dorm rooms first, if possible. Plan on tight quarters and no extra floor space. Think good use of vertical space, under-the-bed space, & closet space. If you're lucky, the room will come with built-in bookshelves.