Any Bates parents out there have advice for orientation and drop off of a new freshman at Bates? We will be flying and have to fly back on Monday, 27th. If we leave early before 5 will we miss anything important? How long should be plan for check in and move in for the dorms? Do kids usually get the mini refrigerators for their rooms? Is there a UPS near by that we can ship some of his stuff so it will be there when we get there?
We left shortly after hearing the President of Bates speak to the incoming class. That felt like the right time to leave. Move-in was pretty simple and took less than an hour. Our daughter benefitted form having the mini-fridge.
I agree with @Kenneth1960. The best time to leave is right after the President’s address. If I recall correctly she’ll basically tell you it’s time to say goodbye. After that there will be student-only activities. You don’t need to stay for the President’s address but she’s usually an amusing speaker and it provides a sense of closure for the day.
It’s nice to have a mini fridge for the room but if he’ll have a roommate or roommates they should discuss who will bring what so that there’s no unnecessary duplication.
You can have boxes shipped directly to the Bates package center. The school also runs a shuttle to Bed Bath and Beyond on move-in day. The general rule in college packing is to lay out everything you think you’ll need then remove half of it. The same holds for ordering items.
Yes, Sue is correct. You are basically booted out. You can leave before if you like, but you may miss the President’s speech.
My D had a fridge/micro the first year, and almost never used it. She didn’t bother in her soph year and won’t bother this coming junior year either. Her roommate did use it, so if your kid likes plenty of cold drinks on hand, o will put yogurt in the fridge, etc…it may be worth it.
Ship stuff right to the Bates package center. There is a Walmart and BBB nearby and the college will run several shuttles throughout the day. There will be a lot of Bates students on hand to help kids move in. It was pretty relaxed and easy, tbh. I guess we spent a couple of hours setting up her room, and ky husband did make a run to Walmart at one point.
@Kenneth1960, @Sue22 @Lindagaf Thanks for the information everyone! I am hoping the presidents speech isn’t at 5 because we have to leave before then. On the Bates site it says orientation from 10 - 5:30.
Move in was surprisingly easy. We ordered a mini fridge from Lowes online and picked it up at the Auburn store. We should have gotten a little cube instead of the big one. She had a few amazon packages waiting on her at post and print but we saw all kinds of stuff that other people had shipped to campus.
I don’t think you miss out on much by leaving early, we rolled out early afternoon for our 1000 mile road trip home. We enjoyed lunch on the library quad but our kid was so ready for us to leave. Hopefully they aren’t playing music this year, hearing “Yesterday” and “Landslide” in the last moments before you leave your child was so sad!
@Buster21 Thanks for the info! I will look into the cube mini fridge. Where did you stay? Do you think it is better to be near by? We are thinking of staying in near Freeport to get some of the shopping done since we are flying.
We stayed in Portland that year, they had a few more options and the prices were better. Sophomore year we stayed just over the river at the Hilton because we felt like we wanted to see a little more of the town. I think Portland would give you the most dorm shopping opportunities. It may be hard to get a place nearby at this point anyway 
I recommend staying in Portland. You can get a good price at a nice hotel, and have fun exploring the city. There are some fabulous restaurants in Portland. Book now.
Also book now for Back to Bates, because the alumni book things early. We ended up at a really bad and overpriced Days Inn in Freeport for that weekend, and it was super busy because a lot of people are also at Bowdoin that weekend. You will also see people who are heading to Colby hanging out in Freeport.
The Hampton Inn in town is super convenient. And probably already booked!
And fwiw, Amazon Prime will be your friend. That mini fridge can arrive in 2 days and the roommates can bond getting it from the package center to their room. Don’t fret too much about getting it perfect on move in day. That’s an extra emotional burden on an already emotional day.
@Lindagaf is right. Portland is fun. D2 and I rented bikes there and had a great ride. It’s a nice city and you will probably get to know it over the next few years.