<p>thanks for the prompt reply MHC. I know she wants some kind of curtain for the closet in Dickinson as it doesn’t have a door and will be going anyway…</p>
<p>Putting a curtain accross an open closet entrance is a challenge I’ve never encountered. It may be problematic without putting the forbidden screws into the wall or door openning. You might try going to Sports Authority for one of those doorway chinning bars that have rubber padded screw heads on each end that hold the bar up by pressure and hanging the curtain from that. Some shower curtain bars also use a similar principal but may be too wide to fit a standard door. That’s something you might want to look into before you leave.</p>
<p>My D was in Dickinson last year. We hung a curtain on the closet with a tension spring curtain rod. Her roommate used a tension rod shower curtain rod. Both worked. Just check the dimensions of the closet because even though they are adjustable, they still come in several size ranges.</p>
<p>Bill my D purchase a curtain (to match her bedding of course ) and we purchased a tension rod. the closet dimensions are listed so it made it easy. </p>
<p>I agree… I would hate to have to go to target that day! We are trying to bring anything and everything we can think of. As of now I have it planted in D’s head that if she needs something extra she can take the bus over to target on sunday night. We have so much covered I can’t imagine what she would need but like mhc said, it may just be the stuff you never knew you needed. </p>
<p>We’ll see if I can get away with not going to target on Saturday! lol!</p>
<p>My daughter packs enough for a family of four to live in her dorm room. This year, since she is having a single, she is talking about adding a futon and a chair that unfolds into a single bed to her ottoman, butterfly chair, freestanding bookshelf, fridge with freezer and microwave.</p>
<p>Come to think of it, I should have her move a family of four into the room and pay us rent.</p>
<p>If your kids forget anything from home, there’s a Target after-hours event on Sunday, 8/26, after 9:30 pm, with shuttle buses running back and forth from UD to the Target at Christiana Mall. My DD is involved with it somehow through her sorority. So if they need something after you leave, they can easily go get it.</p>
<p>So it sounds like the closets in Dickenson do not have a door on them, is that correct since you are talking of buying curtains. Does anyone know about Rodney, is that the same?</p>
<p>correct, there are no doors on the dickinson closets… not sure about Rodney but if you look on the room specs info online it should say. It was clearly stated on Dickinsons that there were no closet doors.</p>
<p>A lot of parent postings mention going to the Target at Christiana Mall on move in day to pick up items for rooms. So today we went to the Target to help our son with his new apartment and discovered a traffic nightmare! The mall is huge and has only a couple of entrances and exits. There is ongoing construction along Route 1/7 making it difficult to get out of the mall or onto I-95. We arrived from campus fairly quickly, but when it was time to go back, we were trapped in the parking lot for a while. It felt like we were leaving a major league sporting event. We eventually figured out the local route out of the mall: Stanton Christiana Road to Old Baltimore Pike, to the 273. On the upside, it is a nice mall. </p>
<p>I am now wondering whether there is a store closer to campus that sells household items.</p>
<p>Here is a state government traffic bulletin about the mall:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.deldot.gov/information/projects/jfk_mem_hwy_improvement/sr1-i95/rampdetour/ChristianaMallExitClosure.pdf?070912[/url]”>http://www.deldot.gov/information/projects/jfk_mem_hwy_improvement/sr1-i95/rampdetour/ChristianaMallExitClosure.pdf?070912</a></p>
<p>There is a Kmart at the end of Main Street as you are going out of Newark in the College Square Shopping Center. There also is a Home Depot on Churchmans Road.</p>
<p>has anyone ever gone to the new parent reception held the day of move in? </p>
<p>It’s a little frustrating that they are having it during the last hour that you can help move and settle your kid in. I would have liked to attend but I’m not going to give up that last hour with my D before I leave her.</p>
<p>Relax, lefty, you’re here on CC, what else can they tell you at the “new parent” reception that you don’t already know or can’t find out here? Probably the reason they schedule the reception then is to start “gently” easing parents off campus so as to let kids get settled in and start meeting others in the dorm or begin participating in the NSO programs. </p>
<p>But nothing says if you and she both want to that you can’t take her out to dinner after the reception.</p>
<p>Both years, my daughter has had floor dinners scheduled for the time they wanted parents to leave. She went to both and it seemed like a good choice.</p>
<p>We didn’t go to the parents’ reception. My husband and I took the opportunity to go out to a private dinner, which is something we almost never do.</p>
<p>I heartily endorse the “newly free” parents dinner/reception, zoosermom.</p>
<p>I was laughing when I received the e-mail for the Parent’s Reception. My daughter added ‘rope’ to her packing list - specifically so that her brother and I could tie up Mom and get her into the car as soon as move-in is complete. Staying until 3 pm for the reception isn’t gonna happen.</p>
<p>too funny about the “rope”! I am really hoping they have a floor dinner or something like that on D’s floor. She is scared to death to head to school. Typical I know but not thrilled about living in a little cube, hall bathrooms, leaving her boyfriend of 2 years. etc… All the stuff many of them are dealing with so I hope she is able to jump in and feel a part of things asap. Knowing her, she’ll want me around to the last minute as she’ll want her room as perfect as she can get it. She’s just like that and the sounds of her planning that’s what she’s thinking. I’m feeling like if they have something set for the kids at that 4pm time then I can head on home! 
</p>
<p>I think the dinner with the husband and a nice drink sounds like a great way to end the day!</p>
<p>Lefty, remind me please what dorm your daughter is going to be in.</p>
<p>lefty1
You obviously know your D better than any of us but I think you might want to consider giving your D some time prior to going to dinner at 4:00pm with her RA and hallmates so she she can begin to interact and form some critical initial relationships with other students on her floor before going to dinner. The Parents reception begins at 3:00pm but you don’t have to be there right at 3:00. It is a reception. You can go at 3:30 or even later if you are interested in it. It does give parents a legitimate “out” to leave their children before 4:00pm. I know it can be heartwrenching for many parents and students to separate but IMHO the earlier you leave once she is settled in the better it will be for the student (and ultimately for parents). Best wishes for the move-in. It is quite an experience that you will remember forever.</p>
<p>I agree wtih Mwallenmd, my D RA said the floor dinner was mandatory, and helps the kids form a bond with their floor mates, safety in numbers. D said that night the entire floor traveled as a pack to the events planned for the evening and had alot of fun.</p>
<p>My first to leave, so it was painful, and I think the forced mandatory dinner made it easier for me to leave.</p>
<p>Yes you will remember it forever.</p>