<p>The Pepperdine post is pretty quiet these days, so thought I'd get something started! As a Mom who packed my D up last year...just ask if you want any hints:)</p>
<p>And yes, it will be gorgeous beach weather when you get here...but Pacific water tends to be cold if you are use to east coast or lake.</p>
<p>Welcome to California!</p>
<p>Received an advertisement in the mail today that said Pepperdine's beds are extra long and very difficult to find sheets to fit (therefore, buy from us !)</p>
<p>What is the length of the beds and can I buy sheets at Target or some other similar store w.o. going thru that company?</p>
<p>Absolutely buy from Target, Linens n' things, or Bed Bath and Beyond! We bought our linens from target, not hard to find at all. They should be showing on the shelves soon. Most of the colleges have the extra long beds and they come on sale in July/August. The letter is actually from a vendor that works with pdine...too expensive and not good quality. A regular twin comforter will work fine, but you do need the extra long sheets. Have fun packing, it kept me sane when my last one went to Pepperdine!</p>
<p>Hope I am not a pest, but all the info I can get is helpful. First child going off to college seems like the hardest cause everything is so new.</p>
<p>Anyway, Pepperdine is having get togethers at alumni's home this weekend for new students and their parents.</p>
<p>Is that something useful to attend? It is only two hours. Is it the time to ask other parents what they are packing? when they sign up for classes? etc.?</p>
<p>We went to ours and it was nice. My husband and i enjoyed chatting with the parents, but it was really nice seeing the young people connect and be able to know a familiar face before going to campus. There were current students there also to help them with any questions they had. </p>
<p>Pepperdine pre-determines the freshman class schedule for each student and they will get their schedule at orientation. They explain to the parents at orientation why they do their first schedule...it made a lot of sense to me. </p>
<p>My daughter was my last to move out, but the first to go away to college so I understand. It is hard, but Pepperdine was such a great place for her that it was OK. </p>
<p>And you are not a pest! Let me know if there are any other questions, even after your first one leaves.</p>
<p>Again, thank you for the info. I had no idea that the schedule was pre-determined as I keep asking my son when is he going to pick classes, etc.</p>
<p>Do the students arrive on campus the first day of orientation or can they come sooner? We have a bad situation where our younger kids start school that same week orientation starts at Pepperdine. We would only be able to stay for Tuesday (the first day). Kinda hoping we could come the weekend before and get books and see his dorm, etc.</p>
<p>You wil be sent a day and time for moving in. It is usually on that first day of orientation. Prio check-in is not usually allowed unless the student is an RA or part of the orientation team. I would suggest if it is really ahardship to contact Housing. You can contact them through the website and the email contact. It would be hard to get the books early because your son will not have his schedule yet. A suggestion for the bookstore, buy gift cards for the books and your son can use them as he needs to purchase through the year. You can buy them online.</p>
<p>However I really found the orientation very helpful (the 1st 2 days). If one of you could stay it would be good. Pepperdine is a very hands on school and really builds a good relationship with parents as well as students.</p>
<p>Wondering if we should bring a bike down? Do students need a bike to go from class to class?</p>
<p>Also, we rec'd in mail an advertisement to buy a lock box for the student to put valuables in during classes (not big enough for a computer, but I guess for thinkgs like money? credit cards? - actually not sure)</p>
<p>Last, is there a hotel nearby you would recommend for parents to stay at during orientation? I probably will be there alone, without a car.</p>
<p>Thanks for any advice</p>
<p>Hi mrs,</p>
<p>I do not see bikes on the campus. It is pretty hilly and kids mostly walk or take the shuttle.</p>
<p>We got the lock box for D and I think I was the only one who opened it when we came back to pick her up, except once to get her bookstore gift card out for second semester. I won't spend the money this year. It is an extremely safe campus. There is a lock to get into the dorm, a lock to get into the suite and a lock to get into their room.</p>
<p>I believe the school recommends the Hilton in the valley, but that is quite a drive through the canyon. We stayed at Malibu Country Inn on Westward Beach Rd.. When we mentioned that we were coming for our D's orientation at Pepperdine, he dropped the price:) It is small and charming. It was clean and about 15 minutes from campus. Everything in Malibu is pricey. There is a lovely beach, Zuma West, if you continue down Westward Beach Road. There isn't anything within walking distance, but I am pretty sure a bus runs from Pepperdine to Zuma west. if at all possible, you may consider renting a car. everything is so spread out here:( The cost of the shuttle from the airport and back may warrant getting a rental. If you need to get him anything once you are here, ther aren't any Targets or such nearby, only the grocery store. The shopping areas are in the valley or in Santa Monica.
Hope this helps and enjoy these last few weeks with your S. I hope he has a great experience at Pepperdine. A few of my D's friends are NSO leaders...students who help with orientation...they are very outgoing and helpful!</p>
<p>Should my son bring a desk chair down? The list does not say anything about a chair for the desk in the dorm room.</p>
<p>Also, does the laundry room require quarters to operate or dollar bills? Not sure if we should get him a roll of quarters.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for all your help.</p>
<p>There's no need to bring a desk chair, there will be one with the desk already.</p>
<p>The washer and dryers take quarters. I heard some talk about change in the future so students can put credit on their IDs and use them, but I don't know if/when that will be implemented.</p>
<p>D received a notification from housing that the laundry facilities are indeed going to using credit on id cards! Much easier than quarters that I have saved all summer:)</p>
<p>I've looked all over the web site and saw all the calendars but none (that I could see) indicate the dates Freshman have breaks from school. For example when is the start of Thanksgiving break? When does the semester end? Start up again?</p>
<p>We are trying to plan out our travel to Pepperdine to pick our son up and return him and it would be great to know the exact dates he needs to be on campus.</p>
<p>I've called the school but no one returned my call or didn't know. </p>
<p>Thanks (again) for any help.</p>
<p>The page here looks like it has all the dates for this school year:</p>
<p>Thank you ! That is exactly what I needed!</p>
<p>We are going down this weekend to visit our son and take him out to dinner. How do we get past the gate entry? Is there a procedure to follow? Or do we just tell the person at the gate who are son is? What dorm etc?</p>
<p>Also, when you paid tuition, did it take awhile for the check to clear? I keep asking them and they say they have the check and everything is okay; yet, our bank does not show the transaction taking place - it's been over a week. </p>
<p>Thanks again for everyone's help</p>
<p>Hi mrsmom,
I was just thinking about you today and wondering how you are doing! Did you survive the separation? This can be a very tough time:( But I find solice in how much my D loves pdine and is so happy:)
When you visit, just tell them at the gate you are visiting your son and they will wave you on. Depending when you arrive they may give you a parking pass, but usually not needed on the weekend. We will be ther this weekend too if D's car is ready...it needed some work and wasn't ready last weekend.</p>
<p>I am not sure how long it took to clear our tuition, I don't remember being concerned so it couldn't have been too long. we just dropped our payment for thsi year last weekend...not cleared.</p>
<p>Enjoy your visit with your S!</p>