<p>I have to say...girls are probably different than boys. DS knew his roommate freshman year. They really didn't coordinate anything decorative. They were only concerned about who was bringing the fridge and who was bringing the stereo (no TVs that year). Flash forward to soph year. DS didn't even talk to his roommate before the year began except to say that he had a fridge. The roommate had a tv. That was the end of the coordination. DH and I remember walking through the dorm (coed) and seeing the nicely coordinated girls rooms on one side, and the less than coordinated rooms on the boy's side. Let's put it this way...most of the boys didn't even HAVE bedspreads...never mind ones that were the same color. My son's towels didn't even match each other. It didn't matter a bit to him. To be honest, it does NOT matter to my daughter either. Her comment...Mom...they're towels and sheets, not my clothes.</p>
<p>I don't know what you discuss first, but most people end up discussing who's going to bring the big stuff. You only need one mini-refrigerator and one TV. Two would take up too much space.</p>
<p>If one of you happens to own these things (or other stuff that you could share, like a computer printer or an ironing board), that person might volunteer to bring it. If you both have such things, it might be easier for the person who lives closest to bring them (especially if that person is coming by car and the other one is coming by plane).</p>
<p>My dark ages stories--Freshman year I lived in a quad (that's 4 strangers in one room) where everything was built in and about the only decorating you could do was to hang a poster or personalize your bulletin board.</p>
<p>Sophomore year I got into an older dorm with lovely large rooms. I flew in but my roommate was within driving distance. Lucky me--her mother made curtains and bedspreads for us. Her father painted a small bookcase and wicker rocker blue to match. We split the cost and had the prettiest room. Good thing cause I would have been clueless about decorating, anyway. </p>
<p>Now I just buy my kids the long sheets & a decent looking quilt and send them off to school. They never make their beds anyway.</p>
<p>I am reminded of the father in the movie "Breaking Away" when his pseudo-Italian son suggests that they refund the purchase price to the preppie college student that bought the defective Corvette from the father's used car lot.</p>
<p>The father has a heart attack and frequently sits up, shouting "Refund!"</p>
<p>For purpose of this thread for the parents of boys, substitute the word "Coordinate!"</p>
<p>Question--are they allowed to paint dorm rooms any more?</p>
<p>I recall in the older dorm (real plaster walls) we could. One year a coat of yellow paint really brightened things up.</p>
<p>I have to admit eventhough not a parent i have had 2 sisters go through college and finish right in front of my eyes...so i know a lot!:
Plastic draws..a must holds a lot in a little space really u think it cannot hold a lot but it does fold ur clothes neatly and uve got a lot of space! a few and u probably could pack more then half ur clothing...
Clothing...pack for all weather...despite where ur child is going...luckilly for my middle sister she was 1 1/2 hours away and had the same climate but oldest was i boston for 3/4 yrs...cold
and bed spreads...just by something simple if ur son/daughters ne thing like me i get bored of my bed spreads very easilly i try to convince parents to change bedspreads everytime i open up a bedding catalog</p>
<p>DS took the plastic drawers his freshman year. He was told they were a "must". The room didn't have enough floor space for a fridge, and two sets of plastic drawers. He tried to shove his into his closet...the closet was too small. His solution was to take less stuff so he would not NEED the drawers. We sold them at a tag sale the following summer. Girls "need" (or so they think) seasonal clothes, and various types of clothes (casual, dress). Boys have one set of clothes. When my son was getting ready to leave, a girl we knew said "get rack raisers so you'll have space for boxes under your bed for your offseason clothes and sweaters." My son's response "I don't have off season clothes...and I don't wear sweaters.".</p>
<p>She probably ment like winter jackets and sweatshirts my sister lived by rack raisers she lived in a tiny Hostel room(her school is very small they just rented out the top floor of the local hostel for there 100 something students) w/ someone her first yr of her 3 yr program..and those were a must not for unseasonal clothing but for most of her clothing in those plastic thin boxes(another must) that slide under beds. She also eventually worked w/ her roomate to stack there Beds(u know like a bunk bed) and they shared the wall to the other side for storage</p>
<p>Re: the under bed boxes...Many "twin" beds in colleges are Xlong...but the are extra narrow. The under bed boxes stick out about 6 inches. DS took those "must haves" his freshman year also...they are now here at home under MY bed. They were bulky to transport, for the him not needed. I really do believe very strongly that most girls need more clothing storage than most boys. My daughter, however, is travelling across country with three suitcases to hold EVERYTHING she is taking. She'll carry her laptop on the plane. She is not at all concerned. She says the rooms are small, and she does not want a lot of extra clutter around. She knows how to do the laundry. Luckily she is going to a "single season" (warm weather) college....no offseason clothes needed, and nothing bulky (no down jackets, or boots or heavy clothing). AND she has travelled extensively and knows the meaning of "pack light".</p>
<p>I know that I went to college in the dark ages (70's) but I was appalled at the rooms they showed us on a recent college tour of my alma mater. They were the same rooms I occupied (even looked like the same furniture!) but what a mess. Every girl I knew in college made her bed every day (complete with the provided bedspread) hung up her clothes, vacuumed every once in a while and generally kept the rooms neat. My D puts no store in keeping her room tidy, despite my nagging , which usually centers around the fact that someday she will have a college roommate who will be disturbed at her slovenly ways. Apparently my information is dated and I should save my breath!</p>
<p>oh boy small beds(<em>screams</em>) i dont mind the long beds but there skinny i tend to fall off them i have had to stay in sisters abandoned room while my room is painted last few days and I almost fell off the bed the other day! I like my full beds basically...</p>
<p>Denquist, funny post, because I also went to college in the 70's (well, late 70s) and no one I knew made their bed every day. Beds were made when parents visited. Maybe it was just your college? ;)</p>