<p>I'm the mother of an international student who will attend college in USA this September. I visit often this site in the search of information which will help us to make "the big transition" (and I really find a lot of intresting and helpfull information), but that is the first time I'm posting in it, since my English is much worse than that of my child. So, please excuse me for the mistakes I'm making! In the college's web-page I read that beds are "twin extra long". Could you tell me how long and how wide the mattress of such a bed is? Thank you in advance! I wish success of all your children and will continue to browse the forum!</p>
<p>Pipelot, welcome. Twin extra-long mattresses are 80" long, rather than the standard ?78?. I think the width is the same as a regular twin.</p>
<p>There are several options for buying sheets - many online sites, from Amazon to Overstocks will sell twin extra-long, with sales beginning in May-June, these linens could be shipped directly to the college. Regular twin sheets will fit, although not well, and the newer extra deep pocket twins will fit fine.Lands'End and LLBean will also sell twin extra long, beginning in the summer. If there is a Bed, Bath and Beyond store close to your child's school, or if the school is in any kind of town or city, it may be easier for the child to wait and buy everything at school. I know at many schools, the Int'l students arrive first, and part of their orientation includes trips to Walmart, drugstore, etc. - you might ask the school about this.</p>
<p>Finally there are companies that will send a brochure to you about packaged linens that you can buy and have sent directly to the dorm - a friend of mine went this route, and while the comforter and pillow was OK the actual sheets were not as good as those we bought ourselves, and the package included unnecessary "stuff" - like a pillow sham.</p>
<p>There are a number of threads about linens on this forum - just search "sheets", also some of the knowledgeable Int'l parents will chime in about which way of getting the linens is the most convenient.</p>
<p>I don't know where Pipelot lives, but in Europe, mattresses are not the same size as in the US so a "regular twin" wouldn't mean anything here. I think Cangel's advice about buying online is best. Here in Germany, top sheets aren't used at all -- can't even buy them. No quilts -- everybody uses duvet covers. And pillows are big soft square things, not rectangles like in the US, so pillowcases aren't interchangeable, either.</p>
<p>From my experience, moving to a foreign country can be overwhelming (!) and there will be plenty to do without having to figure out how stores "work," getting to them, dealing with a different currency, or even finding a place to exchange money if you don't have a US credit card. One less thing to do if you can order them online and have them already there waiting when you get there. Buy sheets, pillow, comforter or blanket, towels -- so much less to pack!</p>
<p>Some schools have partnered with services in their area which offer, online, the ability to order standard supplies for a student's dorm room and have them delivered for student pick-up at the school during orientation. You might inquire if the school has anything like this available. (The service I used last summer was called [url=<a href="http://www.campuscomfort.com/%5DCampusComfort.com%5B/url">www.campuscomfort.com/]CampusComfort.com[/url</a>], but it is only for schools in the Boston area.) That saved us having to ship many standard items across the country; I'm sure it would be equally helpful from another country!</p>
<p>Thank you! I prefer to buy more things here (exept the electrical appliances - 220 V here). So - the length is 80". What about the width, as I live in Europe and (as Binx said) we have mattresses with different width. By the way - what does "extra deep pocket twins" mean?</p>
<p>Here in the U.S., a fitted sheet goes over the mattress first. It is like a shower cap, with elastic around the edge, and it fits tight over the mattress, and also tucks under automatically, due to the elastic. "Extra deep pockets" refers to this fitted sheet, which needs to be able to fit a extra high mattress. </p>
<p>So, the fitted sheet goes on first, then the flat sheet over it, and finally your quilt/blanket; you sleep between the flat shhet and the fitted sheet. :)</p>
<p>If you buy in your country, it may not fit the bed here. They are quite inexpensive. Maybe $29.99 for a flat sheet and a fitted sheet? Go to the following websites and check them out:
<a href="http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com%5B/url%5D">http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com</a>
and go to bedding--sheets--special sizes.</p>
<p>Actually, go to bedding--sheets--solids. Try this link.</p>
<p>Thank you, Chocoholic! This website was great. I found evrything I needed and even more :))).</p>