So are the rooms not carpeted at all?
Water filter? We drink tap water here- is that not ok?
Blue blazer- we bought a few colors- just curious why blue?
Yes, there are vacuums but honestly nobody really vacuums their dorm room until move out day…that’s so they can leave.
Blue blazers are most commonly worn. It doesn’t have to be blue, but the blue ones show fewer wrinkles and less dirt.
Most rooms have that old industrial type carpet. The floor still gets cold in winter. Get a cheap one to put your feet on when you get out of bed….or not.
There is filtered water around campus. Some kids like to keep Britta in the hall fridge too. There is a fridge & sink pantry area on each floor or hall of larger dorms. Kids get thirsty. There are sports flasks you can buy with built in filters, which are good if you are playing away or on the go.
Kids also order food or get things they like from home and keep it in the fridge. There were often feeds at night ( before Covid).
it can be hot the first few weeks, so a small fan comes in handy.
This is fantastic, I’ve been waiting to hear directly from DA about what we need to pack/bring. I’m hoping that they send something out. But I appreciate it that you’re sharing already.
Good to know about the printer.
What about:
Risers for the beds (specifically for the freshman dorm)?
Lamp for by the bed as well as the desk lamp?
Are the beds twin XL vs regular twin?
Trash can?
My kid drinks an obscene amount of water, I’m hoping that tap water will be OK. I’m not sure that one of those giant office water dispensers will fit in the dorm room. Roommate might not appreciate that either.
Thx for the info.
You do not need risers. Freshman beds typically are high and can also be adjusted. Freshman year, kiddo’s dresser fit under the bed - which provided more space in the room. Freshman dorm rooms vary widely by size. You do NOT find out your actual room or roommate until the morning you get there. Typically all First year boys & girls live in the dorm complex known as Freshman Village. I won’t lie - it is like a late 1970’s building that has the ambiance of a toll booth. The good news is that you get to know your class pretty well.
You should be getting a packing list sometime in July. We ordered in advance items online from Target or Walmart and picked them up at the stores in Hadley. For us, we were flying and couldn’t pack a lot. SO this was easier. Plus, Target & Walmart get wiped out of a lot of stuff due to the UMass Amherst, Smith, Amherst, MHO consumers that same week.
You can order and/or send dorm items or clothes to school and then pick it up….but they kind of get overwhelmed in shipping & receiving. I once saw that a kid ordered a mattress!
Water - we had a Britta jug that was kept in the hall fridge in addition to the filtered water available. Kids who need special water for sports (electrolytes) also order from Amazon and get it delivered.
Trash cans come in your dorm room
Kiddo has a standing lamp and a desk lamp
On move in day, bring an extra (or 2) heavy trash bag - just easier than tracking one down. Also bring your own scissors and tape.
Your dorm comes with a bed, large dresser, closet (armoire), desk, desk-chair, trash can, and black-out curtains on the window (at least every dorm room we saw before last year).
We also bought Lysol wipes
Some kids bring their own small coffee makers (Keurig type). First year with roommate might not allow for much room. So, you can wait and see what you need then order it.
For the benefit of the Gen Z crowd, before widespread implementation of EZ-Pass, a toll booth was one of a series of cramped buildings at a toll plaza where a human attendant collected your cash toll payment.
We had a small step ladder - keep- it in the dorm room for making the bed (especially helpful if you decide to bunk your beds in Freshman Village) - and reaching stuff you stow up high.
If you have heavy stuff in boxes, think about bringing a small moving trolley or moving dollies (you can get a small one online for @ $40) - it helps the move-in go quicker and you will make new friends FAST!
Storage cubes and storage boxes - for under the bed or to put down stairs. You can stow your empty suitcases and winter stuff in storage boxes in the basement of your dorm.
Luckily we will be able to drive, so we can pack the car with most things. I was planning on hitting BB&B and/or Target up there but thx for the heads-up on the fact that those kind of stores will most likely be ransacked for dorm accessories by the time we get there. The only thing that I have purchased already is fracta bags from IKEA!
Twin XL bedding? Regular twin bedding?
Are there sports lockers for keeping sports kit somewhere in the athletic building?
If kiddo gets a dorm room the size that yours did as a Freshman, I’m not sure how everything will fit.
The following items you may want to order in advance and have ready for pick up in Hadley…This goes for anyone attending BS in a town with colleges nearby:
Mattress Pad or topper
Mattress cover
Pillows
Sheets
Blanket
If you decide to pick up dorm items up there, I suggest ordering in advance from BB&B, Walmart or Target. All those stores are in Hadley on Russell Street. There is a Whole Foods there too, if you want snacks or to get take-out.
Yes - thanks for reminding me to talk to you about Sports Stuff.
This depends on your sport and when your season commences. For big equipment, there is a place for it - an equipment room in the athletic center. In your dorm there is storage in the basement or halls for ski equipment, bikes, scooters, etc.
The athletic complex does a great job with equipment. If you are on a team or planning on being on a team, your coach will talk to you about this. Our experience has been that when your sport is in season, your team uses the locker rooms and you have equipment there or in a nearby room. Before COVID, we knew people playing club teams in multiple seasons so they had equipment stored in the dorm too.
BTW - forget to add…like most BS’s we know, there is a nice person (generally) who is in charge of collecting and distributing uniforms. They get washed. You pick up the clean ones before the game. Some sports have specific practice uniforms or colors they were. Again, it’s sports specific.
Deerfield has a very nice athletic store in the basement of the athletic center where you can buy all types of extra athletic gear, tape, gloves, face paint, etc.
In addition, Hitchcock House has a store on campus (and online) which has clothing items, Deerfield ties, jackets, pet gear, hats, gloves, Holiday stuff and items for your room - or items you need quickly - soaps, etc.
Actually your toll booth posted above looks more modern and has nicer amenities than Kiddo’s dorm room Freshman year ……and that toll booth is larger……
For those applying to Deerfield, be sure to ask your Tour Guide to show you the infamous smallest rooms in Freshman Village there are 2 on the girls and two on the boys side. You can figure out the odds of being so lucky. If you are the lucky winner, please let me know!
Laundry question? Which laundry question, I have so many? Where are laundry facilities located? How much are they? Do they take quarters or the card? What about things that can’t be dried? What’s the best type of laundry basket or just a pop up hamper- are there collapsing baskets for clean stuff? I am going to send a drying rack for the dorm room (she’s not a freshman so maybe it will fit?). I am concerned that she won’t do laundry frequently enough, so plan to send tons of underwear, socks, and a couple of sets of sheets, but most of the dance gear can’t be dried.
I believe she was referring to DIY laundry vs laundry service, which in the past has been known to resurrect @Parlabane from the dead to express his very strong PoV on the topic. But he’s no longer active (banned) so won’t be joining us, and I doubt his doppelganger account will reveal himself for this thread.
I am honored to be the first to tee-off on this question for the Fall 2021 term.
You and/or your student will shortly receive a packet of information (or a web link) reviewing many of the important questions you have asked.
For drying leggings, dance tights, and unmentionables - you can bring a collapsible drying rack for your room.
Students buy a Laundry Card in the basement of the Main School Building - find the Student Life office. They will “fill” the card and load it based on how much cash value you want. It’s about $1.25 to wash & $ 1.50 to dry. DO NOT LET ANYONE BORROW YOUR LAUNDRY CARD. They will ask - so be prepared to Just Say No (channeling Nancy Reagan).
Collapsing hampers that can stand on their own seem to be popular.
Most kids do not have a different laundry basket for clean clothes (it’s gross but (hey) they are teens). I suggest to Kiddo that one can use a clean trash bag for clean items.
There is a laundry service by the name of E & R - they will send you their marketing materials shortly. Most Freshman or First Years or Newbies sign up. They are $$$. We use a smaller local laundry service that picks up in front of the MSB - they do a great job and also have summer storage service for bedding, as well as winter clothing items.
Each dorm has laundry facilities in the basement! BTW - Kiddo proposed to student council last year and to student life that laundry should be FREE (like it is at some other schools) to promote better hygiene, as well as diminishing stress @ laundry cards & $$ for laundry.
