<p>timedad, you could order the topper later and have it shipped to his dorm…also what about missing less time at work by flying down together and renting car for a day? With price of gas, if you can snag a good priced SW flight, it may be even $ wise to driving, you would miss less time from work, but get to take him to college…? (and cram that topper in one of your big suitcases if you choose)</p>
<p>The good thing about USC is just two in a dorm room and whether you get right or left side doesn’t make a difference, so you can move in anytime those first couple days, you don’t have to be there at the starting gun. (Some schools with 3 in a dorm, kids don’t want to be under or over a bunk so they race for the spot…) So if you want to be most efficient but still go through it, you could catch a flight that morning, get there and be in dorm by noonish and still have time to hang and catch the latest flight back maybe? Or come in night before or go home next day if doing it all in one day too tight flight wise and expense allows…</p>
<p>But if you can’t, don’t feel guilty, plenty do it on their own, I just found it a great experience and memory to have if you can. Hope I haven’t confused the heck out of you.</p>
<p>Thanks for the suggestion CADREAMIN, I really appreciate the voices of experience. The flying option does not apply in my case. If the project happens as currently scheduled, I would not be able to get even a single day off in the middle of that week – that would throw everyone else’s implementation schedules off for the week. </p>
<p>However, over the last couple of days it has become apparent that the project will likely get delayed for another three weeks to alleviate other internal resource conflicts at the client, so it looks like the road trip will probably happen. </p>
<p>The original driving plan road trip plan was to take a week-long trip down, stopping at a couple of favorite waypoints along the way, then hanging in L.A. and exploring for a couple of days before move-in day. S and I were both looking forward to this originally before the client schedule got delayed and landed splat on move-in week. Now that the client is expected to delay it again, I think we’ll get our road trip after all. I’ve got my fingers crossed!</p>
<p>I hope it works for you! I suggest dinner (a must actually) at LA Live! Where it all happens in LA, next to Staples Center, Kodak Theatre, etc., only 10 minutes from campus, right downtown. Sometimes ya hit the neatest event (world playoffs of some videogame with 70 foot screens and giant characters walking around, a red carpet event, etc). A huge high tech and visual LA wonderland with lots of great restaurants. Yard House is the one of the coolest and fun places to eat there. There are other more expensive trendy places there, but this is a great place to experience LA and totally crazy fun when USC or LA teams are playing, but always happening no matter what. Underground parking garage makes it really easy. Great happy hour rates on food from 5-7 maybe? You can check into that. Hope you get your adventure, thank goodness for delays!</p>
<p>We purchased S 2 sets of XL sheet sets on-line and washed them & brought them with us for his move-in. Near campus, we purchased a mattress pad, towels and other items that he wanted and needed for dorm life. The crowds aren’t that bad, especially if you have a car and can drive further from campus. The bedding from the linen service is NOT 100% cotton, which is a big issue for my kids who prefer cotton.</p>
<p>A tip I’ll pass along… we found one set all that was ever used. Kids can wash their sheets when they do their laundry (some are very good about the whole laundry, linens thing, some… not so much: this is a whole 'nother topic) and the newly washed sheets can go right back on the bed again.</p>
<p>Yes, even tho we gave S two sets of bedding, he gave D the unused set when she went off to college, as he just washed and replaced the bedding as needed, never using the other set. D never needed another set either.</p>
<p>The one thing you may want to bring with you (vs. purchase nearby) is a fan. If it is hot when you move in (and it usually is), you could have a hard time finding one locally. This happened at move in 2 years ago! We were looking to add a second fan to the room but ended up ordering from Amazon when Target (went to 2 of them) and Costco were sold out.</p>
<p>We got S a fan at Office Depot near campus in 2006. It was reasonable and served its function. Yes, it was HOT in August, especially in unfair conditioned rooms like Parde and Trojan.</p>
<p>We DID use the linen service. I was concerned that they would be poor quality and have too much polyester in them but there is an upgrade available where you can get 300 thread count 100% cotton. You pay an extra fee. I THINK it was $12 extra for the sheet set and $2 for the extra pillowcase set to get the 100% cotton. We had already purchased the comforter/shams at Macys. Daughter wanted a certain color sheet set and it was easy to order the light blue ones through the linen service. Not all department stores have every color you would hope for. We received them and I washed them and they seem great. I cannot recommend the regular linens as I do not have experience there but we are happy with the upgrade to the 100% cotton. Also, search Google for a discount code for the linen company. I saved almost $6 with the discount code I found :)</p>
<p>Nice to hear they now offer the 100% cotton upgrade. We have a friend whose S ordered the set including comforter with polyester blend and were satisfied with it over a decade ago.</p>
<p>If you have a Tuesday Morning nearby, they’ve been advertising 300 TC 100% cotton twin XL for $14.99. I bought several and they’re good quality. Worth looking into while quantities are still available. The comforter sets ($29.99) were less appealing in terms of color/design selection - a bit too Peter Max for my D. But the sheet sets - I thought those were a bargain and I checked the packaging - they are, in fact, the appropriate 80 inches long!</p>
<p>Hit up Tuesday Morning this evening, but found I missed out on the all-cotton sheets. They had some 300 TC “Cotton Rich” Twin XL sets left for $15 which turned out to be a cotton/poly blend. However, the Tuesday Morning tip was fruitful, because I spotted a nearby HomeGoods store which I’d never noticed before, and I went inside and found exactly one 100% cotton Twin XL set left for $25. Luckily, they were plain white. No idea how they’ll hold up to washing, but they look and feel pretty nice in the package and claim 300 TC.</p>
<p>That’s awesome! I wish Tuesday Morning would put them online. Although I guess that would increase the chances of being sold out. We got to the store a week late and found white, beige and one lonely set with purple blue and red pinstripes (which my D nixed). So white and beige it is! </p>
<p>Anyone know about weather? My student is coming from a cold climate and insists it doesn’t get “cold” in LA. But evenings? Chilly? Comforter appropriate? I can’t remember what students were using in dorms.</p>
<p>We’re from HI. S didn’t use anything but cargo shorts the entire 1st year he was at USC. The 2nd year was colder, so in the “winter,” he did wear jeans for a bit. He did have an inexpensive comforter. You don’t have to purchase a SPECIAL sized comforter, the regular twin worked just fine & was available everywhere. Some folks liked longer ones, so bought full-size & it doubled as a bedskirt, since it was pretty long. ;)</p>
<p>If your kid doesn’t have a dorm with A/C, s/he may wish to buy a fan, as it can get pretty hot, especially in August & in the spring/summer.</p>
<p>ArtsandLetters-Can live in shorts all year, but will need jacket (lightweight, not talking a parka, it is socal!) for cool evenings. Like a zip hooded sweatshirt kind of weight. A pair of jeans and USC sweat/athletic/pajama type pants gets them through cooler evenings if they want. We bought Company Store medium weight comforter for air-conditioned dorm and it was perfect. If in non air-conditioned def buy lightweight comforter. We bought bigger than twin comforter cause it hides crap under the bed better than a twin, and incase they want to elevate bed, it gives a little more coverage. (A twin xl Company Store is size of Target Full/Queen. So just watch sizes.) We like 72x98, but lots of sizes work - beds are 36x80.</p>
<p>I take it from the name, not a business major? Cause there are other things S needed that surprised us and required a fed ex package…</p>
<p>Calif Native here…to me, it gets cold in the evenings. And every few years we get a lot of rain. Lots of places have Air Conditioning (Bouvard Auditorium seems freezing every time I’ve been there). A light weight jacket works. Waterproof or water resistant is handy when it’s raining. D wears rubber boots, but that might be more of a girl thing…</p>
<p>Aug, Sept and sometimes Oct can be really hot. If the Santa Ana winds are blowing it’s hot and very dry. Chapstick and sunglasses are must haves. D’s dorm was air conditioned, if not he will want a fan.</p>
<p>@CADREAMIN Can you elaborate on the things your son needed that surprised you? We just went dorm shopping yesterday and got most of the basics but I know we are going to miss something. Being prepared eases my stress level so I am trying to think of everything! We live in SoCal so I feel like we have the clothing situation pretty well set but it is all those other little things. We just bought the PODS that you recommended and tried them today…those are awesome!</p>
<p>The things that surprised us was S wanted shelf paper and hangers! It’s easy to pick up little things at University Village and places around town if there is anything overlooked. Remember the dorm rooms aren’t huge so don’t overpack. S did use the little kit of stuff he always takes off my desk that I put together for him. It had multiple kinds of tape, white out, permanent marker pen, mechanical pencils with spare leads and erasers, stapler with staples, poster tape, thumb tacks, dry erase pen, scissors, and other small desk items.</p>
<p>Oh yea, long Ethernet cable was good to have as that got faster connection than wireless.</p>
<p>^^ The ethernet cable idea is excellent. It is definitely faster and wireless can go down. It did for multiple consecutive days around the end of the semester last year and D had a couple cables (a short one and long one since I didn’t know what to buy her)-- only one of her roommates who brought them. They got a lot of use!</p>