<p>I know this is a little early to be thinking about, but since distance is a factor in my search, I'd love to know how students transport all their items when they fly to college considering all the safety precautions and restrictions. Do you send your items on a seperate airplane, or pay extra for extra pounds? Do you send a moving truck to the college? What if you forget something? </p>
<p>:/ I don't really like planes, but I really don't want to exclude a school that could possibly be my best match because of its location.</p>
<p>Going from Fla to Pa, we shipped two (large) boxes by UPS, D carried max allowable on the plane, we will fly up with two more suitcases for her. I'm sure she has overpacked and could do with less.</p>
<p>My daughter checked golf clubs, two suitcases, a guitar case, and a trunk. As long as everything weighs under 50 pounds, they will allow it on the plane. The limit is two checked bags per person, so I just used a carry on for myself, and two of her bags were considered mine. (Two bags per person) anything in addition is 50 dollars per piece. We rented an SUV at the airport to transport her stuff, and it worked out great. Summers she can store stuff near campus like everyone does. Definitely DO NOT exclude schools because they require a plane ride to get there.</p>
<p>Different families, different strategies. And different college policies come into play as well. You may be able to ship boxes ahead, but not every college accepts packages. A lot of people just take the essentials of clothes and computer stuff, and pick up bedding, towels, etc, when they get there. The college probably offers a bus to the nearest shopping mall/Walmart/Stuff Emporium on the weekend of move-in. Bed, Bath and Beyond has a service where you pick out stuff at your local store, place the order, then pick it up at the store nearest your college. Kids heading up north take their warm weather clothes with them in the fall, bring them home at Thanksgiving, then take the winter clothes back to school. Etc.</p>
<p>If you forget something, it's a tiny town indeed where you can't buy just about anything.</p>
<p>And, you don't need as much stuff as you think.</p>
<p>When DD was a freshman last fall, I flew to school with her for orientation. We each had two large suitcases, and a backpack. I had an instrument case and she had the laptop. We bought bulky stuff (mattress pad, pillow, printer, TV) once we got there. One suitcase had nothing but linens...sheets, towels, comforter, pillowcases, throw. Two had clothes. One had my clothes for the four days, and the school supplies. We rented a midsize sedan at the airport. The compact car was not big enough. When she came home this summer, she stored everything she didn't need here (which was everything except her summer clothes, computer and instruments) and flew home with the two suitcases I left with her when I flew home. It was very doable. She'll fly back alone this year...two bags, the instrument case and the laptop. She'll look like a pack mule, but it works.</p>
<p>I fly to school every year, and I shipped everything from home, and just had a small duffel on the plane with my everyday stuff and an outfit or 2. I got my lamp, rug, egg crate (basically random stuff I didn't have lying around at home) at the Linens n' Things near campus. It can be done, I swear! (And I'm a huge packrat!)</p>
<p>Southwest allows 3 bags per person, checked bags. DH and I went with DD, checked 8 bags, including her keyboard, carried on just 1 besides small personal bags. So we still had room for another checked bag and a couple of carry on bags if we had needed it. </p>
<p>BB&B has a fantastic order and hold program where we ordered most of her bedding and large furniture items ahead, picked them up there at the store near the school. Did a final run for toiletries, etc. and were done. Did get a minivan when we got there, though. Reserve those way ahead, they sell out fast at the rental agencies. </p>
<p>She will store most things there at the end of the year. Next year should be easier.</p>
<p>Oh yes, and we had bags that nested so we consolidated to 3 checked on the way home fo rme and DH. One had 1 inside it and one had 2 inside.</p>
<p>I'm sure some bags headed to college have been lost. Just stick the essentials (a few changes of clothes, a pillow, and some XL twin sheets) in your carry-on and you should be set for a few days if anything does go missing.</p>
<p>Forgetting something? We just sent the first package of things forgotten. No matter how many times I asked, one charger got left at home and one pocket on a suitcase did not get unpacked. So a small mail bag just left. she'll have it in a couple of days.</p>
<p>If you live in the US, ship your gear via UPS and take the maximum luggage allowed. I have never heard of a college that doesn't accept packages! I shipped my gear back and forth via UPS in the 70s--and so did H--to two different colleges in two different parts of the country. We ship stuff to Ss via Gramma's house in the US--all via UPS.</p>
<p>If you live outside the US, do not airfrieght if you can help it.</p>
<p>Plan on buying/ordering linens in the US, take extra bags and pay the extra fees. It is cheaper than airfreight.</p>
<p>we just shipped off 3 boxes to Ds college, she leaves next week, and we divided stuff up so if one box gets lost, we don't lose all the electronic stuff</p>
<p>we are also dividing stuff up in her 4 bags- so not all jeans are in one suitcase, that way, if one case does go astray, she hasn't lost all her jeans, jsut a couple of pairs</p>
<p>we can take 6, but have packed 4, I need to get them weighed at the vets office, they have those big scales and they said we could go in!!!</p>
<p>ali153
I think what everyone is saying is that long distance is very doable. Do not eliminate a potential match because of distance. If we had set geographical limits, DD would not be at the perfect school for her, where she will be challenged, where she is happy as a clam, and excited to be there.</p>
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<p>I have never heard of a college that doesn't accept packages!>></p>
</blockquote>
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<p>All colleges accept packages...BUT you have to find out when they will start doing so. Some places will accept packages in advance of your move in date so your "stuff" can be available WHEN you arrive. Others do not accept packages until AFTER the move in date. Just check. And remember...most places DO have stores that can be used for some purchases.</p>
<p>I've repeated the same thing many times--travel light. S flew alone with a laptop and a carry on. We mailed a couple boxes with his bedding and cold weather clothes.
Keep it simple. Think about what you really need. S's school is in an isolated area and he has no car--no chance to do any shopping when he got there. Still, the school has a little store that sells toiletries, laundry detergent, etc. and that is all he'd ever need to buy there. </p>
<p>I'd like to add, though, that accessibility is nice. Not a deal breaker, perhaps, but nice to have. At decision time, D had to choose between her two favorites, both requiring a flight. One, because of location, meant at least two connections plus ground transportation -- a full day's journey and plenty of chances for missed connections and stress. The other college is almost as far away but a single almost door-to-door trip, small local airports on both ends, a breeze. Coming home for Thanksgiving makes sense. We're all glad that was her choice.</p>
<p>We have shipped our college kiddos back and forth for years - It is very easy and convenient to do. We set up a UPS account - and all have access to it - so the college kiddos can ship stuff as well - and ship back and forth whenever we need to. Makes life alot easier for sure.</p>
<p>If traveling alone - like flying home/back to school - it can be difficult to attempt to balance alot of luggage and/or boxes by 1 person - or on shuttles etc...... We have traveled with the essentials - and ship the reast a couple of days ahead of time - and we all arrive at the same time - works great.</p>
<p>There are lots of ways of dealing with 'stuff' during a cross-country move to college. If possible, take your Mom and Dad and maybe sibling with you. Each can bring two suitcases which means that you can bring on the plane at least 5 suitcases worth of stuff. (That's what we did.) When it was time to come home for the summer, my daughter left a lot of her things with a roommates' family who lived near the school. This fall, we mailed her things care of a roommate who moved into their dorm several days earlier.</p>