<p>What is a must have for the dorm room? Do all the beds require XL sheets? Are the mattresses comfortable? Trying to get a head start on the things needed for the fall.
Thanks!</p>
<p>Pretty sure all the beds are XL.</p>
<p>They are not really very comfortable, a lot of people have really nice mattress pad covers that they use, these really help (I have one). That’s not to say it’s unbearable without one but…I slept pretty poorly my first semester until I broke down and got one.</p>
<p>Things to have: Personally, I think that getting a carpet is a really good idea, it keeps the floor from getting disgusting and also makes it feel a lot more like home instead of some sterile room, I can’t really stress that enough.</p>
<p>Laundry basket/detergent (assuming you don’t go home frequently, in which case you could do laundry at home…you would still need a laundry basket though)</p>
<p>Shower caddy and the assorted supplies to go in it. Probably some shower shoes, though you could probably get away without these in Dupont, or, if you aren’t afraid of fungi or what other people are doing in the shower, everywhere else.</p>
<p>Computer. Cell phone (there are no more phone lines in the rooms since nobody used them anymore). Printer if you want one, it’s not necessary though, you can wirelessly print to any printer on campus, you just have to map it to your computer (this is the greatest thing ever).</p>
<p>Some cups, plates, and basic silverware is usually a good idea.</p>
<p>Movies. Music (if anyone actually still buys hard copies).</p>
<p>Stuff to put on the walls. See the previous discussion re: making it feel homier. There’s nothing more depressing than staring at white concrete block walls for an entire year (some dorms escape this fate and don’t have concrete blocks).</p>
<p>Optional: Refrigerator, TV. I find both of these to be “must haves” for me personally, as hall fridges are the most foul things I’ve ever seen. In fact, both my roommate and myself each had a fridge Freshman and Sophomore year, as will be the case next year. There was enough room so we figured why not. Probably overkill, but there was always plenty of space to throw something in there. Definitely not needed, though. TVs are great for socializing, particularly in Freshmen halls, or for late at night before bed. </p>
<p>Don’t bring:</p>
<p>Too many books from home. You won’t end up reading them or even looking at them. They’ll just take up space.</p>
<p>computer</p>
<p>I think the beds are twinXL… hopefully someone will confirm that. I always used an egg crate pad thing, and a mattress cover.</p>
<p>there is a big poster sale at the beginning of the year, so you can buy posters for your wall there. It’s huge, and they have like, everything.</p>
<p>you should probably bring a desk lamp so you can use it if your roommate goes to bed.</p>
<p>surge protector</p>
<p>carpet is a good idea… you can buy one on campus at various locations during move in weekend</p>
<p>Yeah, twinXL, I am almost positive.</p>
<p>Yes, surge protector! That is a must, but check to make sure you get the right kind. You aren’t allowed to have certain kinds of surge protectors/power strips, and they are somewhat picky about it.</p>
<p>Lamp, of course. How silly of me. Even a reading light, too, if you just want to read in bed while your roommate is asleep.</p>
<p>The only other thing I can think of that is not listed above is a fan. I have one of those clip-on types that I can attach to my bed or desk. Even though all my dorms have a/c, sometimes you have to wait for them to turn it on, and the fan was a must have.</p>
<p>I second the fan… if you live in a non-air conditioned dorm it’s a necessity, but you’ll probably still appreciate it even if you’re lucky enough to get Dupont or Yates. If you can, get a doctor’s note for “allergies” and bring your own window AC unit.</p>
<p>Power strips are allowed as long as they are UL certified; extension cords are not. Also, you can’t have the kind of outlet adapters that sit directly on top of the outlet (like this: <a href=“http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41n93ViIBgL._SL500_AA280_.jpg[/url]”>http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41n93ViIBgL._SL500_AA280_.jpg</a>).</p>
![http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41n93ViIBgL._SL500_AA280_.jpg[/url]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41n93ViIBgL._SL500_AA280_.jpg%5B/url%5D){kind=link}
<p>Lamp is a must, a rug makes your room feel a little more cozy.</p>
<p>Beds are far from fantastic. Best bet is to put a piece of plywood under the mattress (some beds already have this) and a pillowtop above.</p>
<p>Thank you for your responses! All of this is very helpful. Son is out of country and then out of state until one week before arriving at WM so I am trying to get a handle on what he will need and have it ready when he arrives. Thank you so much!</p>
<p>Another question, are there many outlets in the room? How is the storage? Would you need to bring other storage bins for cloths if you plan on going home on breaks to switch out seasons? Are their seasons at WM or it is always pretty much the same? Thanks again.</p>
<p>There’s enough outlets if you have a couple of power strips. Storage isn’t great, but I’m not really sure where you would put storage bins, since there really isn’t a ton of extra space.</p>
<p>There are definitely distinct seasons, but I’m not sure if people “switch out” clothing like that; I just have all of my clothes for all purposes and leave them all there at school.</p>
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<p>It would depend on the building, and the particular room, but in my experience, there are never enough, and they’re always in incredibly inconvenient locations. Bring at least one good quality powerstrip with a reasonable cord length, say, 6 foot min. Two’s better, though you may not need it. </p>
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<p>The first month can be hot, sometimes brutally so. Winter is pretty mild, snow is rare, so can leave the snowshoes and heavy parkas at home. But storage is usually pretty limited, and you won’t want to be storing things you’re not using. It may make sense to rotate clothes at various points of the year if your son is going to be home anyway. </p>
<p>Other useful bits - things to hang pictures, etc (the kind that won’t damage walls), velcro ties (for organizing wires, cables, etc), some modest cleaning supplies, laundry supplies / caddy. Set aside some time on move-in to go shopping for the stuff you forgot, snacks, etc. There’s your usual shopping stores nearby - Target, Staples, and Walmart are nearby, but aren’t walkable for a freshman without a car.</p>
<p>And since we’re talking “freshman males” – a supply of Lysol spray and Clorox wipes by about the third week may be appropriate … :)</p>
<p>Hi guys! I have another question…</p>
<p>What cellphone service gets better reception/has better coverage around campus: AT&T or T-mobile?</p>
<p>Neither. Verizon works the best of the major companies. I have AT&T and service inside buildings can be spotty. My friend with T-Mobile reports the same.</p>
<p>If you check the reslife website at [William</a> & Mary - Residence Life](<a href=“http://www.wm.edu/reslife]William”>Residence Life | William & Mary), they have interactive maps of all of the dorms and it tells you how high the ceilings are or how many outlets there are. There’s usually a little video that goes along with it.</p>
<p>I usually keep some winter clothes with me, but then take a lot of the summer clothes home and bring back more winter clothes during fall break, and the opposite during spring break.</p>
<p>Regarding seasons, it seemed like fall and spring lasted longer than they did even in Richmond, with at least a month of nice weather each. </p>
<p>Make sure you have a sturdy umbrella or a good rain jacket, storms are usually accompanied by strong winds. If you’re living on or near old campus, you can walk from Jefferson through Barrett through Chandler and to Landrum using the covered walkways to avoid the rain.</p>
<p>For storage, I usually just hung all of my shirts, be them shortsleeve or dress shirts, up in the closet and that oppened up extra drawers for other items. If you don’t bunk or raise your bed, you can slide bins under them too to get more storage.</p>
<p>I agree…I think Verizon is the best. I use it and rarely have problems. I don’t know anyone using T-Mobile, but my friends that use AT&T have a lot of problems. </p>
<p>The storage is limited, so I recommend the bins you can slide under your bed also. I found the stackable cubes to come in rather handy also.</p>
<p>Anyone know about Sprint?</p>
<p>you can definitely put some bins under your bed, if you get the right size. if the beds are unbunked, you can also get risers that raise the bed like… 6-8 inches-ish? They sell them at Bed Bath & Beyond, and probably other places as well.</p>
<p>I don’t think people switch out their clothes… well, maybe some of the girls…</p>
<p>The Staples is walkable if it is nice weather and you don’t buy much. Some people live fairly close to there who walk to class, and there are generally a few people walking towards the Staples (/bloom/wachovia) on nice days.</p>
<p>Seasons at WM</p>
<p>fall/spring - 60s/70s
winter - high usually in the low 40s. Snows rarely, and generally only 1-2 inches when it happens
august/may - august is warmer than may, and you might well find 90s and extensive humidity. May should be a little cooler than August (high in the 80s)</p>
<p>there are not enough outlets without surge protectors</p>
<p>i switched out my clothes at fall break, though next year i won’t switch them all out so early. there can still be some warm days in october and november. i guess guys probably don’t have to worry as much (or if you’re a girl who wears jeans most of the time). i second the suggestion for a raincoat and possibly rainboots. when it rains, it pours. </p>
<p>sprint has average service. not great in the dorms or in the academic buildings but mostly fine outside. if you get to choose, go for verizon. avoid at&t.</p>
<p>How 'bout this… I’m flying in from Colorado and want to ship some items by mail before hand. Where could I send things to? Is there a Mail Boxes Ect. close by or some other shipping comapny? What do y’all recommend? Also are there places to store stuff over the summers?</p>
<p>Every student has a mailbox in the Sadler Center where you can receive regular mail. There is an attached post office where you can pick up larger packages and also mail them. FedEx picks up and delivers to there too.</p>
<p>You can store things in the attics of Landrum Hall, a dorm. It’s locked up, so it’s very safe. I’ve kept things there every summer, it’s very handy.</p>
<p>I don’t know when your school po box goes live, or what the limits on storage there might be, so as a backup, can try these guys - [Welcome</a> to Parcel Plus Your Pack and Ship Solution](<a href=“http://www.parcelplus.com/pp_cntr/index.cfm]Welcome”>http://www.parcelplus.com/pp_cntr/index.cfm)</p>
<p>I don’t have any experience with them, but seems worth a try.</p>
<p>As mentioned, in subsequent summers, you can use attic storage as mentioned (but pretty sure you can’t use it this year; iirc, it’s opened like ‘once’, and then locked for the summer.)</p>