<p>We did splurge on high-threadcount monogrammed sheets. Figured that if DS wasn’t going to get much sleep at school, the hours he does sleep should really count!</p>
<p>I like the way you think, GMT!</p>
<p>This is a really small thing ( and maybe aimed more at boys than girls) but- I’ve always made sure that each kid packs a box of zip-lock bags. My kids use them when they purchase food ( like pretzels) that are sometimes sold in bags that won’t reseal. They’ve never had a pest problem (knock on wood) and their food (stash) stays fresh. If they travel for sports overnight, they can also use a bag for their toothbrush, etc. If they have loose stuff rolling around their desk, they will sometimes use a bag as a catchall and tuck it in a drawer. </p>
<p>A few more thoughts for BTS:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>I had a bad experience with a Sharpie (thought I’d be clever and mark white athletic socks)…it came off on other clothing (perhaps in heat of dryer). Never again.</p></li>
<li><p>I would caution about being overly reliant on the local walmart/target for certain items…I’ve found that popular BS/BTS items are often sold out. Like the time I thought I’d buy a box fan for 7D1 her frosh year. Guess what? The stores are already transitioning out of fans and into space heaters at that point. No box fans so I got that last small Vornado that they had at Home Depot (after striking out at Walmart).</p></li>
<li><p>GMT, you are a braver man than I am…knowing how school sheets sometimes come back bleach stains and/or other stains during breaks, I’m in the “cheap as tolerable” camp wrt bedding</p></li>
<li><p>+1 on the zip locks </p></li>
</ul>
<p>I laughed about the sheets as my daughter is begging for white sheets, can you even imagine? 
if you knew her you would laugh as well - I suppose if I can buy $3 walmart sheets I’ll cave but I know they will be burned at year’s end.</p>
<p>
Silver Sharpie works fine on dark colors.</p>
<p>Definitely not trying to overbuy for school but I can’t stop grandma from buying for her only granddaughter, lol. 
</p>
<p>I will freely admit we overbought. The good news was most of it was the “right” stuff. The bad news was that she couldn’t keep her room clean since there was little space to put it all away. LOL Don’t forget that these kids are still growing. Mine grew 3 inches last year… if you saw the pile that just got given away because none of it fit, that might slow down your purchases! LOL Remind grandma that surprises are nice DURING the school year, and there will most definitely be something she HAS to have … and it will be grandma to the rescue! Good luck…</p>
<p>Agree you don’t want to wait to get to local Walmart and Target to buy must-haves. The one big one that comes to mind is the mattress topper. All the good ones in those stores will be gone by Labor Day and all BS kids want one. Buy one ahead of time if you are a drive away (not plane) if possible.
Another thing we have learned to do which we rely on year after year is to put together a home made “sick kit.” Be ready for that flu, virus, mono or other infectious upper resp thing going around. Try to nip it in the bud at early onset. Put together some microwavable Campbell’s chicken noodle soups, Vit C Sunny D’s or 6 pk boxes of orange juice, and Tylenol and Benadryl (for the occasional spider bite in those old house basements) if your school allows kids to have OTC meds on them, and small cans of ginger ale for stomach flus. Keep a small stock supply under the bed and at the first sign of sniffles, or stomach flu, push fluids. This rec is from lots of experience with bouts of sickness away from home.</p>
<p>Would also suggest a can of Raid. Some BS dorms have spiders and other little critters in residence. My D usually tries to put the bugs back outside but last year she had a bees nest in her window. So she had no choice……………</p>
<p>I just ordered textbooks-- felt like I had to take out a third mortgage on the house…</p>
<p>I also ordered books. But in my case, I was happy to do it. Last year, for some odd reason, they billed us for the books in DECEMBER! As if there aren’t enough demands on your cash at that time of year!</p>
<p>We need to go clothes shopping when my daughter gets home from camp. She’s a t-shirt and yoga pants kind of girl, so the only “classic-style pants” and button-down shirts she owns are the ones we bought for interviews last year. She hates shopping anyway so buying clothes she won’t like wearing is going to be a very frustrating experience. </p>
<p>yeah, you are right about Wonder, it’s actually for the MG (middle grade) audience which is 9-12 but of course so was Harry Potter and we know that went, lol. I just finished reading to my 9 year old and we loved it so much. Very quick read, appropriate for kids as young as 7 or 8 but enjoyable and important for all. That’s cool that it made the 9th grade reading lists. </p>
<p>We just sent son back on Wednesday (he went back early, for varsity football practice). On Thursday I got a message to please send: cell phone, contact lenses, deodorant, razors, cell phone, soap, contact lenses, calculator,toothbrush, toothpaste, usb for mouse, retainer, and pencils. Priority mail is a wonderful thing. </p>
<p>@Brdngschlmom Are you my mother? haha. except I didn’t even dress up for my interview. I’m that hopeless. It’s less than 10 days until I leave to go to school and I barely have any clothes to bring, let alone formal ones. </p>
<p>Black sharpies for labeling light clothes, silver sharpies for dark clothes! I got a stamper one year for camp, but it didn’t last long. I got sticky labels from Label Daddy. DS is at summer camp, so everything is labeled there. </p>
<p>OMG, I blew through a zillion labels last night…and we’re still not done.</p>
<p>A word of advice to any parents who have to move two kids into two different schools in two different states on consecutive days: DON’T.</p>
<p>Helped 7D2 & 7D1 move into their respective schools Sunday and Monday. I am one tired empty-nester this morning.</p>
<p>Hang in there, SevenDad. Pour yourself another cup of coffee, pat yourself on the back, and plan a date with SevenMom. Parents Weekend will be here before you know it, so enjoy the break.</p>
<p>@ChoatieMom: Does eating Ben & Jerry’s straight out of the containers while watching the kids’ favorite episode of “Bob’s Burgers” last night count as a date? :-P</p>