I don’t know about printing fees. I think the printer in his dorm that he’s used occasionally is free but can get busy. He does have his own multi-function printer with him. He is also a math major and very rarely needs to print anything. He says most of his assignments are emailed for submission. We’ve added BRBs in the past, but he hasn’t used his bursar bill for that.
I want to thank you both SO MUCH for all your help. My son is my second to start college, but my daughter goes to a different school, so it is, in essence, like the first time all over again.
As far as printing fees go, you can either have a printer in your room and print everything yourself or sign up for net print. Net print allows you to print on the various printers on campus. You add money to your account and then it costs 9 cents a page, which can add up, especially if you have a lot of reading you need to print out.
I purchased an inexpensive monochromatic laser printer for my son. ($50 or $60 at Staples.) He is on his third ream of paper but still using toner that was packaged with the printer. I have the feeling that suite mates are also printing on it but I don’t care. Just wanted to suggest it as an inexpensive and convenient alternative. I have no idea what he does if he needs color printing.
The only downside of the Cornell Card charge is that you then have a monthly bursar bill to pay. I find it easier to have him charge books to his bank charge card.
RE: packages & mail. Students receive an email as soon as a package is signed in. Package deliveries have all reached him on time, but mail has gone astray, never to be seen. (Birthday card with checks never arrived in mailbox, but checks were never cashed, so who knows where they went.) WSJ subscription never seems to show up.
I agree that students do not think to check mail so the package delivery notification is very helpful.
We also had a birthday card with cash lost in the mail…but no problems with packages.
Mine lives in a different room in the same building than his freshman year. It’s actually his second year in the newer room, but my in-laws sent him a card to the old room. Mail sorting didn’t catch it and the kid who received it didn’t do anything about it. Didn’t inform him or give it back to the mail system. Nothing. They go to the same school, live in the same building (it’s a program house, supposed to be more of a community and most view it that way). You can look up anyone on campus, not just in his building. He only found out when my in-laws called. He had to go knock on the kid’s door and ask for it. If other mail has gone astray, I have no idea.
I’m starting at Cornell this fall. For breakfast in the dorm, is it recommended to have paper or plastic silverware/ plates/ bowls?
I’m sure if you are eating in a cafeteria then you don’t need to worry about this. If you are keeping your own food in your room and eating your food there, then I guess it would be up to you. Plastic, metal, ceramic, glass can be washed and reused. Paper, styrofoam you would just throw away. I don’t know how easy it is to empty your room trash, or if you’d want to have dirty plates sitting there for several days (odor, pest problems). But I’d say it is probably up to you.