<p>Are freshman parents coming for pre-orientation and staying through the 29th for matriculation ceremony? My D moves into dorm for IO on the 26th, and I am considering leaving (cross country) the 27th. Will I miss much if I skip the matriculation ceremony? Or will it be awkward for her that her parent isn’t there? Don’t really know what it is like. But costly to stay so long!</p>
<p>tolstoy, if your time is limited, how about if you have your D fly out for IO by herself, and then you follow a few days later for matriculation? Then you get a short stay and the fun of going to matriculation (nice picnic lunch, formal ceremony welcoming students, etc.). You can do the pickup from Bed Bath and Beyond without your D. </p>
<p>You won’t “miss” much, but if you have that kind of flexibility I think it’d be more fun to be there for matriculation/big move-in day than for IO move-in. </p>
<p>Or, you could treat yourself to a mini-vacation for a few days beforehand. Find somewhere cheaper to stay than Somerville/Boston.</p>
<p>Thank you. She actually moves in on the 26th and stays in the dorms from then on- so I need to be there to get her BBB stuff and help her set up her room that day, so we are coming in on the 25th. I really want to stay- so maybe I’ll look for cheaper places farther away- good idea. Since I don’t know the area- any recommendations of towns I could be looking in? I will have a rental car and won’t mind the drive. Thanks again!</p>
<p>I just found this on bedbathandbeyond site for Tufts. Thought it might be helpful.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/schoolinfo/11272.pdf[/url]”>http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/schoolinfo/11272.pdf</a></p>
<p>@tolstoy</p>
<p>The hotels right around Tufts can be a bit pricey and there actually and are a bit out of the way for the tourist scene. One suggestion would be to do Priceline. Sometimes you can get a great hotel deal if you are flexible and willing to take a chance. If you want something relatively close to Tufts but less expensive look in Waltham. There are a bunch of business hotels clustered near Trapelo road that usually have pretty good rates - particularly in the summer time. Not very scenic, but safe and convenient, although you would need to drive to a T station if you want to use public transportation to explore Boston.</p>
<p>Also, if you have a car there are lots of nice places around Boston to spend a few days while DD is at pre-oreintation. The beach areas will be crowded and expensive that week, but another option might be Western MA, Maine, NH or Vermont.</p>
<p>tolstoy, I’d go on the Boston area tripadvisor forum and ask people there for suggestions. I prefer hotwire for hotel reservation deals (you know general qualities but not specific name in exchange for cheaper rates) and have done generally OK. </p>
<p>D1 got the mailing with the checklist for what to bring. She’s a sophomore, it’s kind of useless, but we were laughing over what was asterisked as being highly recommended. Hangers weren’t. A DVD player was highly recommended, but not a tv. Or a laptop. Who writes this stuff?!?!?!? :)</p>
<p>Thanks everyone! Next question: Best way for students to get from Boston Logan to Tufts or vice versa? T? Bus? Didn’t see anything on web site about it-thanks again!</p>
<p>Under the Tufts connection 2016 there is a “Traveling to Tufts” tab that has directions from the airport</p>
<p>Thank you! Wow- this sounds confusing for those of us on the west coast unfamiliar with public transportation!
“From Logan Airport: Board the airport shuttle bus to the Airport subway stop on the Blue line. Take the Blue Line inbound to Government Center; then change to the Green Line Westbound to Park Street station. Change to the Red Line outbound to Alewife, and get off at the Davis Square Station.
The Silver Line is also now running between Logan airport and Boston’s South Station. The Silver Line is a bus that stops at all the terminals at Logan and takes you to through South Boston to the Red Line station at South Station. Take the Red Line towards Alewife and get off at the Davis Square Station.
Exit the Davis Square T (subway) station on the College Avenue side. You may take the #94 or #96 bus or walk 15 minutes north along College Avenue to the Tufts campus.”</p>
<p>Might be easier to take a taxi. That’s a lot of T changes and a long walk from Davies square if you have luggage. Boston is a pretty small town, taxi shouldn’t be too expensive.</p>
<p>Your kid (and you!) will pick up on how to manage the T very quickly. But I agree that with baggage a taxi is the way to go. Your kid should know in advance about how much the taxi fare will be (to keep from being taken advantage of), and should also know to tip. </p>
<p>For future trips, many students use a resource like Tuftslife.com to find others who have flights at similar times and who’d be willing to split a taxi. And the school offers shuttle rides (at a price) to the airport at high traffic times, like just before Thanksgiving.</p>
<p>We’re trying to decide if we should buy a TV for son’s dorm room. His roomate doesn’t really care, so it will be us buying it. Do kids generally have TVs in their room? He wants it so he can play his Xbox and watch sports.
My other question is if we do decide to get him a TV can we order it and send it to his dorm once he’s moved in? I know they can get mail, but can they get big packages, like TV and mini fridge? This will make it easier moving day, less stuff to bring in a car.</p>
<p>@momworried</p>
<p>Yes they can get packages - but he would have to lug it accross campus from shipping and recieving back to his dorm. It would not be delivered to the dorm itself, so I am not sure it saves any aggravation.</p>
<p>My DD had a TV in her common room in the big suite she lived in - provided by one of her roomates. Otherwise she and most of her friends just watch TV on their laptops. Don’t know about the gamers though, none of her friends are Xbox fans.</p>
<p>Only a couple of more weeks! I want to thank ALL of you for taking the time to answer ALL of my questions to make this process easier- I really appreciate it! Tufts parents are the best!</p>
<p>So my son started packing clothes for college. I told him to prepare his fall and winter stuff since he doesn’t need it now. He was done in less then 30 min. When I looked at it I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry. It was a small stack, smaller then he usually takes on vacation with him. I tried to explain to him that he’ll be in school for the whole year and that’s all he’s going to have to wear. He claims thats all he needs. It will litterally fit on 1 shelf. My H says to leave him alone and let him make his own mistakes. But it’s going to be me sending him urgent packages of clothing!</p>
<p>Well D1 heads back to school tomorrow. She is an orientation leader and teaching a perspectives class - so I think is probably in the first wave. Good luck with the packing and send off everyone…and hope the DCs have a great year.</p>
<p>Does anyone know what the move-in process is. Is there available parking? Is it best to get there early? Any feedback is appreciated.</p>
<p>We’re moving in tomorrow before pre-orientation, and we’ve been told to stop by Mayer to check in, pick up keys and info packets, then go to the dorm, where we are allowed to park and have been told there will be helpers available. Hoping its not a madhouse. Will post after we get back.</p>
<p>There shouldn’t be too much of a crowd. I do know to pick up my daughter’s student ID at her assigned dorm first but thats about it.</p>
<p>Last year our experience on normal move-in day was smooth as butter. Lots of signs and people directing us to the dorm (in our case, Houston). No wait to pull up outside the dorm and unload everything, then one person drove away to park in visitor parking a few minutes’ walk away. A swarm of upperclasspersons descended on the pile and cheerfully ran it up to D1’s room. I barely had to carry anything. Didn’t see any big line-ups, no frustration.</p>