<p>None of that sounds like all that much to me. It sounds pretty normal. If it all fits in the trunk, it’s all good.<br>
I don’t know any kid who didn’t bring a TV, and I don’t know any girl who didn’t have at least one extra 3-drawer plastic thingie.</p>
<p>It doesn’t sound like much to me. Both of my DDs also have hanging shoe organizers and more shoes in the closet. Normal kids don’t wear heels to class, but mine do, lol.</p>
<p>They both have bakeware, so have that in plastic bins. They like to bake cookies, muffins, cakes, brownies in the dorm kitchen. Their hallmates love it, though bakeware is not “normal” college gear. They keep canisters for flour, etc in their rooms. The roommates have been baking buddies so never minded.</p>
<p>They each have a three-drawer bin thing they keep shorts and tshirts in. The dressers aren’t all that large in their rooms.</p>
<p>Oh, heck, take it all. The fact is much will hinge on the actual space when you see it.
AND given the fact you can bring it all and it’s ready to go, just do it.</p>
<p>You have the luxury of carting it back in the truck and personally, I think it’s nice to have options. Once your D sees her living area, some of those decisions will become more obvious. It’s much cheaper to schlep it there and drive it back home then shipping this stuff later.</p>
<p>If you were flying or if space to haul it in your vehicle was an issue, I’d probably have a different answer though :)</p>
<p>By the way, those bins might work out great as a nightstand. Both my D and S used those that way. The furniture supplied was minimal, at least at the two schools my kids went to…</p>
<p>cap, I love that your girls keep canisters of flour in their dorm rooms! My son took two plastic drawer thingies that he has stacked in his closet. He only has 4 golf shirts, 2 dress shirts, one pair of khakis and his navy blazer hanging so needed more drawer space. Take it all and bring back what you don’t need.</p>
<p>I’d take it all; she’ll figure out what she isn’t using in a few weeks. If she’s got a fall break, she’ll probably be home in October and can bring home what she doesn’t need. Or if you go see her in the fall, you can take it back. I don’t think what you’ve described is excessive.</p>
<p>if it can all fit in one car, it’s not too unreasonable.</p>
<p>What I don’t get is people who take multiple large carloads of stuff. I don’t understand how that will even fit in half of a dorm room, much less how it is all needed.</p>
<p>I must confess that I’m taking a large chest of kitchen equipment because I don’t want to give up cooking during the year, but that’s my only real excess</p>
<p>LaContra, you forgot to mention the snakebite anti-venin, cardiac defibrillator, jaws-of-life, and under-the-bed emergency window-ladder. And you call yourself a parent?!?</p>
<p>^don’t forget the fold-out nuclear fallout bunker and radiation suit! :)</p>
<p>The 3-drawer unit is often used as a bedstand for lamp and clock, if there is room.</p>
<p>My D is taking waaaay too much stuff, but I’ve decided it’s not a battle worth having.</p>
<p>Two large under-bed bins of clothes, a smal three-drawer thing on wheels for toiletries and hair appliances. A huge bin of school supplies, two shopping bags of miscellaneous decorations, a body pillow and two other large pillows as well as one regular one, another gigantic bin of food, plates and cutlery, a case of lemonaid, a fridge, a fan and a tv and an ottoman. Also bedding: bedspread, afghan, two sets of sheets, mattress pad, egg crate thingy. God help us all.</p>
<p>I guess I would cut her off when the word U-haul came into the conversation.</p>
<p>D1 moved into dorm almost 2 weeks ago - small SUV + small car packed to the hilt (parents, child and sibling found just enough room to squeeze in for the ride). All of it - including the 27" TV provided by aunt and uncle fit in the dorm room. D1 called mid-week with list of things forgotten, when those were delivered at the end of the first week she asked if we could send along another couple of items as soon as possible. I am very glad she chose to attend an in state college.</p>
<p>Pack it all and save yourself the extra trips!</p>
<p>My niece is going for her freshmen year in a few days and posted on facebook about having to edit her shoes from 35 pairs to 14!!
It will all fit or it will come back with the parents…don’t sweat it. By the way, both of my college students would disagree that a TV is unnecessary. That always cracks me up. How many parents who post that a TV is unnecessary would be willing to give up all the TVs in their house for four years?</p>
<p>I’m about to launch #2. #1(son) threw a medium duffle and a cardboard box in the back of the SUV…that was it.I later sent his stereo. #2(daughter) has the guest room filled with stuff-has not started to organize her clothes. She pulled up in the driveway the other day with 2 very retro stuffed orange chairs she’d piurchased for $23 total at the thrift store…when I asked how she planned to get those to college–“we’ll fit them in the car!!!” My impression overall on move in day at my son’s school was that the U-HAULS belonged to the families of girls…I hope we make it next week!</p>
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<p>I wouldn’t NOW, as an adult, but as an undergrad, I did. I realize this was back in the day, but the only TV available to me during my 4 years was the one in the dorm lounge. I don’t remember ever sitting down to watch it; there was always so much going on that I didn’t miss it one bit.</p>
<p>My DD, a junior brought two car loads to college this year. She lofted her bed and has a mini studio apartment in her half of the dorm. She did anticipate being in a single dorm, but the university became overcrowded this year.</p>
<p>Three bins of clothes from working a summer job and she has no winter weight clothes!</p>
<p>I did the same thing when I was twenty…apple does not fall from the tree</p>
<p>Our son did have a TV in his room. He and his room mate, both hardworking engineering students, wanted to be able to watch sports. It worked out fine…after 4 years they both have engineering degrees and jobs ! :D</p>
<p>I am pretty sure everybody except two people on my floor last year had tvs, the two who didn’t were international students who came with practically nothing. There were no tvs in the lounges. If the girl wants a tv and has one to bring there is no reason to squawk about it. I wouldn’t assume she is going to stay cooped up in her room watching it all day unless she tries to do that at home. We almost never had ours on during the day. I am a girl, and we used it to watch sports, the occasional soap, and a few evening shows. It did not replace social interaction, and in fact was used for movie nights. Our room did not become “the hangout spot” because I talked to my roommate privately about not being comfortable with that happening, and it was fine.</p>
<p>I am interested to know if OP’s D left anything or sent anything back.</p>
<p>I guess the tv question depends on the set up at the college, and the kid’s habits. Neither of my kids needed or wanted a tv, in their rooms- both had lounges and student centers with tvs if they wanted for the big events, but they used their computers for the news, movies, the Daily Show, etc. None of their room mates brought them, either.
I thought my kids were minimalists, to some degree back then, but they have become even more so since college. I tried to give our small tv that we never use to my son when he set up his new apartment up north last week, and he declined. “Don’t think I need it, thanks.”</p>
<p>Most of my former students (who are also my son’s friends) tell me that they will return home at fall break to grab the change of season clothing, since they are between two and four hours away. </p>
<p>My son, however, is 13 hours away. As a freshman, he did overpack with t-shirts and shorts. He has trimmed down some of this, asking me to return home with two storage containers filled with stuff to donate. A lot depends on the size of a room that a student has. My son has his own bedroom in a suite, so he keeps a lot of stuff under his bed. His closet is also a nice size and fits everything.</p>