<p>WashMom and I were brainstorming how to get Jr to his college this summer. It's 2000 miles away, and we wanted to combine moving with our last (<em>sniff</em>) summer vacation together before our oldest goes off to college. The logistics are complex, but Jr2 and I need to be back in Washington two days after Jr1's orientation starts at college, so we don't really have time to drive back. Also, Jr1 is going to a rural college, so we are letting him take the old Subaru with him (campus parking is free!). The last component is that WashMom wants to drive her new Miata to and from. So, we are taking two fairly small cars to college, dropping off one son and one car, Dad and son 2 are flying home, and WashMom is driving home via California 1, after picking up one of her oldest friends in SoCal for the road trip north. I've seen Thelma and Louise so I have no idea why I'm going along with this plan.</p>
<p>Anyway. The problem is how do we get Jr's stuff to college? The Subaru isn't all that big, and the Miata is pretty small. By the time we get a couple of duffle bags in the Mazda, everything else has to go in the Subaru.</p>
<p>Plan 1: Ship all of Jr's dorm stuff UPS. Problem -- pretty costly.
Plan 2: Sedate mom, and rent a van and take that. Problem -- I like my marriage.
Plan 3: Wal-Mart!</p>
<p>After going through all the "things to take to college" threads I've seen on CC, it occurred to me yesterday that there is a Wal-Mart near the college, and that everything on the list can be purchased there. So, all we have to do is take a couple of bags of clothes, Jr's computer, and his Bible, and we can just buy everything else he needs when he gets there.</p>
<p>Probably wouldn't work for a daughter.....I'd be more inclined to rent a van one-way, tow the Subaru (keeping those precious 2000 miles off its workings), but just because I know that D's stuff would never fit otherwise. I like the driving back in the Miata concept, however. Your W is a smart, smart woman.</p>
<p>If the area around the college is rural or remote, and your son's university is a big one, it is possible that the few stores available will quickly sell out of the stuff that incoming college students need to buy. If it's in or near a major city, though, or the college is too small to make a dent in the inventory of nearby stores, your strategy could work well -- except for one thing:</p>
<p>Students at some colleges need to have funny-sized sheets (such as twin extra long) to fit the funny-sized college beds. You might not be able to find those in WalMart.</p>
<p>Plan B. Order a buch of bulky stuff online from someplace with free or low cost shipping (e.g.sheets, comforter, matress pad, etc) like Overstock.com. You can mail clothes pretty inexpensively. Save room in the Subaru for speakers, printer, hard to pack/ship stuff. Appreciate wife's wisdom on wisdom of her taking the Miata.</p>
<p>Astrophysicsmom (great handle, by the way), do I have to drive a van through the Rockies?</p>
<p>Thank you, Marian. Good point. There is a large city an hour away which could be a backup plan. It's hard to imagine Wal-Mart running out of stuff, but I guess anything's possible.</p>
<p>Lalady, another fine idea. We could do an online order at Staple's or some other discount office store and save some of the shopping. Same for bedding, etc. Thanks.</p>
<p>I wasn't trying to start the 1000th "what to take to college" thread, by the way. Just the 100th "how to get the stuff there" thread...</p>
<p>Is there a Bed Bath and Beyond or Linens N' Things near the college? I seem to recall that you could order bedding online or at a local store, but pick up at another store.</p>
<p>This is where consumerism meets practicality. You found the Perfect solution.</p>
<p>When my H was a freshman, he drove from Berkeley to New Haven. Dumped a car load of stuff and then drove to his grandmother's in Philadelphia to park the car for the semester. He returned to New Haven on a train. This mom isn't that strong.</p>
<p>WashDad, getting the stuff there and getting youself there are way too related. The goal is to get the kid and you there with everyone still speaking to each other and with enough energy left to haul everything up to a dorm room. Good luck and have fun.</p>
<p>Although we don't have quite as far to drive (only 6 hours or so), we're towing a u-haul with a Subaru; we put a hitch on it for just this purpose. If you do that, you can do a one-way drop off of the u-haul without extra expense; the drop off charges are only for u-hauls that have their own power. And yes, we do have a daughter!</p>
<p>BB&B will allow you to order online and wait until you tell them to ship your stuff
( plus- ordering now online- will save you a ton of time- and the anquish when you find out there are no more fans at Walmart)</p>
<p>I vote for laladys plan. Take the expensive, hard to pack or replace items with you in the two cars. Ship or order online the light weight bulky items, clothes, etc. If you plan to ship items I suggest shipping them to the closest UPS store and have them store the boxes. The storage cost is minimal and you can pick them up anytime after you arrive. If you have the boxes sent directly to the school there is a chance they can be lost or misplaced somewhere being the Us receiving department and your Ss dorm.</p>
<p>Good Luck .....the trip sounds like FUN! :D</p>
<p>BB&B also has a system where you can go in to your local store, select everything you want and then pick it up and pay for it at a store near the college; we did that with S last fall. We flew out, rented a mini-van and did a LOT of shopping once we got there. Plus had some time to explore the city and campus with S since none of us knew the area.</p>
<p>I know Michigan State University has bed linens and towels as part of the housing package. The university washes them and the students can change them weekly. Do other colleges and universities do this?</p>
<p>WashDad: imagaine it, when all those new students are moving in, things like dorm fridges and other studenty things go quickly! Order online and have things shipped to coincide with your arrival.
H's solution? He tells Ds they only need what they can fit in their car, so pare down!:D</p>
<p>
[quote]
know Michigan State University has bed linens and towels as part of the housing package. The university washes them and the students can change them weekly. Do other colleges and universities do this?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Thirtysomething years ago, when I went off to college, I signed up for one of those linen packages. After a couple of weeks, I bought my own stuff and stopped using the college's sheets and towels. There were simply too many stains of heaven-knows-what origin on the college's stuff.</p>
<p>When I started reading this thread I thought it was one of those puzzles with wolves, chickens, & bags of corn having to cross a river in a canoe :) , well maybe not that far off. </p>
<p>I'm flying w DD 3000 miles and she can take whatever we can carry in suitcases. I have one set of sheets to get her started and after that she's on her own...I'm hoping she'll be able to find everything she needs when she gets there. (I wish I had a Birthday Miata to cruise home in!! :) )</p>
<p>We did the U-Haul thing from Houston through the Smoky Mountains to Chapel Hill, NC. Did you know most of those trailers are only supposed to dragged at 45 mph? lol...we didn't! That thing was almost airborne the whole way. My husband was extremely tense as we were wagged all over the road in the Mountains (and we were driving a Sequoia!) My d and I were hanging out of the windows taking pictures, so we left the worrying to him. We had no choice about the transportation though...the graduation gift (a Vespa) was in that trailer. </p>
<p>That being said, I'd do the BBB pre-order and pickup thing. (BBB has all the twin XL linens you'll need.) UNC-CH has a service where you can have the (rented) microfridge and (purchased) room carpets, desk hutches, book shelves, shoe racks, etc...delivered to your student's dorm room prior to arrival. You may see if this is available at your college. And if you have a Walmart or Target near the school, you are set. Frankly, half the fun was had after my husband and I left to return home, (without the U-haul thank goodness), when my d and her new friends all hit the Target together to buy things for their rooms. May be different for guys...but most girls do love to shop. :)</p>
<p>Flew out (across country) with my suitcases full of S's things. When I went to Parents Day, bought some extra items. S not neat, so the fewer things the better. His roommate in-state, and came with mini-fridge and microwave. I bought S a couch and had it delivered.
I do like the BBB pre-order option.</p>
<p>Are you sure you need to take all of that much stuff? I sent my d. out last year on a plane, by herself, with what she could carry - plus we shipped 2 medium-sized boxes and a poster from home.</p>