<p>My dd will be attending college for Fall 2012 and for Christmas would like to purchase some items for her.
She wants rain boots but I'll have her pick those out.
Mattress topper.
How many sheets will she need
What else did you buy or buy after they got there that would be a good gift.
I will wait for the fridge and microwave or do you think I should get now?
Thanks so much!</p>
<p>I have a D that’s a junior in college, and a S that’s a senior in HS. </p>
<p>In the past couple of weeks I have purchased on clearance a twin XL mattress pad and his bedding for next year. I’ve been pacing myself (and my budget) but I’m eyeing the desk lamp, laundry hamper and storage cubes next. the college items are on pretty deep discount right now, but they’ll disappear pretty soon until they come out next summer.</p>
<p>He’s doing early decision and if it goes well, a school sweat-shirt will be under this year’s Christmas tree!</p>
<p>^^Like that idea!!</p>
<p>I would definitely wait for the fridge and microwave, in case the roommate already has them, you don’t need two.
Just FYI, I sent my DD to college with no rainboots and she has been soaked a few times, so last weekend she came home and we went to Kohl’s and they have some really cute polka dots boots on sale.</p>
<p>The number one item would be a laptop unless she already has one that’ll last her through college or unless that’s more than you planned to spend. You’re usually better off waiting until closer to the time of college for it though since you usually get more for your money the longer you wait but she should have it at least a few weeks or so before starting so she can get used to it.</p>
<p>Aside from the dorm room necessities and decorations are - camera so she can take lots of quality photos at school unless you think her cell phone camera is fine, if you know where she’ll attend by Christmas then you might want to get some gift cards to eateries near the campus including Baskin Robbins and whatever else she’d like when she needs a break from dorm food.</p>
<p>On the fridge/microwave - don’t get that yet. You should wait unti you find out the exact situation she’ll be in including roomies and what they’ll bring (you don’t want 2 or 3 fridges in the room - they wouldn’t let you anyway usually) and you need to know the rules of the particular dorm since some require a ‘micro-fridge’ (combo of the two with a single plug), a max size fridge, or other rules. you might even discover it’s easier to rent it if it’ll be shared.</p>
<p>Two sets of sheets at the most, many students just wash and put right back on the bed. I would get a nice raincoat that she loves to go with the rain boots and a small packable umbrella. Also some kind of small wallet/ purse thing just to carry room keys and student ID so it easy to always have them with her. A very sturdy backpack with lots of compartments if she doesn’t have one. I think for most of the stuff for the room you need to wait until she knows more about where she is living. Some colleges have strict policies for the microwave and refrigerator, some freshman live in suites with kitchen etc. Some dorms are tiny with no room for any extras, some are much bigger. My daughter had a roommate who already had refrigerator and the only meal plan was unlimited so they didn’t need a microwave. Small hooks and fold up chairs are useful in most dorms.</p>
<p>jstapleton, with all due respect, I think you should slow down a bit! A sweatshirt under the tree would be nice…but after that,…STOP!<br>
Your dd still has another semester of HS to Savor! Let her! Many “lasts” happen in the next 8 months. These are the last few months in the nest. It will all go too fast! Enjoy it with her!
P.S. If you feel compelled to be forking out money right now, just remember you’ll be opening that wallet (with frequency) for graduation, prom, senior trip, etc. all too soon.</p>
<p>I’d really be disappointed to get a mattress topper for Christmas. You might give her a nice camera so that she can take good pictures of that last semester of high school.</p>
<p>I don’t know, my D would have been thrilled with a mattress topper! She worked in the home department of a major department store & nice bedding is a big priority for her.</p>
<p>You know your kid & her expectations.</p>
<p>I’d vote for noise cancelling headphones (really good ones) - they will cancel out the family now, and the roommate later :). We bought the laptop for high school graduation - that way, she had the summer to master the new technology (we switched from HP to MAC) and by the time she went to school she had it down. Plus it was a fun time to leave with a “fresh computer.”</p>
<p>Both my kids requested headphones once they got to college.</p>
<p>Camera is a good idea, too.</p>
<p>A good wheeled suitcase that meets the carry-on airline luggage restrictions. Even if your kiddo goes to a school an hour’s drive away, a carry-on size bag is good for disciplined packing. :)</p>
<p>I would say a camera as others have mentioned or a laptop with a printer, a small tv (you might want to get wireless headphones in the event the roommate wants to study while your dd wants to watch tv) or an Ihome alarm clock if she has an Ipod (if not, that would be a nice gift too). </p>
<p>If your dd will be making weekend trips home, she might appreciate a nice duffle bag with her name or initials monogrammed in it.</p>
<p>I think two set of sheets is enough.</p>
<p>If you child has been accepted via Early Decision a great idea would be some swag from the school he/she will be attending.</p>
<p>I’ll combine two previous suggestions and say a rolling duffle. Ds loves the one his aunt and uncle gave him for Christmas.</p>
<p>Thank you all SO much! You have wonderful ideas!
My dd will be getting a new laptop for HS graduation (along with my ds who will be getting a new one for 8th grade graduation LOL) so I dont’ have to worry about those items.
I may throw in the mattress topper with her gifts (it’s not like it’s the only gift she’ll be getting LOL). If she gets into her school ED, I’ll certainly get a few items for her (although she already has the hoodie LOL).
She has a temperpedic mattress and would love to take that with her but I am sure it won’t be allowed. She also has a special pillow so these items are important to her.
Between her softball tournament in NC, her senior trip in Disney, Senior Prom (which I am hosting!) college applications, deposit, etc and my ds’s 8th grade trip and graduation, I would love to buy some items now for my dd for Christmas since, if she gets into her ED, she’ll know around Thanksgiving.
Thanks so much! Keep the list going! I printed out what you have given me so far.
Thanks!</p>
<p>I’m with the poster who says slow down. Let your student enjoy her senior year of high school without thinking that every event one to get her things for college.</p>
<p>If it were me…I would get things she can use regardless of her college plans. A new camera if she needs one would be very nice and could be used to capture the last semester of her senior year in high school too.</p>
<p>My D ( h.s. senior) told me a few days ago that she does NOT want college stuff for Christmas. lol. </p>
<p>You could start stocking up on the necessities she will need such as her favorite shampoo, conditioner, other hair products, (may be too early to get makeup), lotions, razors, bodywash, etc. Also notebooks, pens, post-it notes, dry erase board for her door, earplugs, etc. These aren’t fun but some would be good stocking stuffers. </p>
<p>Also, you could start working on something that will be meaningful for her. I made my older S a photo album - one of the small ones that hold 100 4x6 photos. I loaded it with photos of all different family members and great memories through the years. Later we added h.s. graduation photos at the end. Most kids have pictures on their computers now, but he seemed to like having a small album to look through from time to time.</p>
<p>A new camera if she needs one would be very nice and could be used to capture the last semester of her senior year in high school too.</p>
<p>My D took some photography classes in high school & we didn’t even have to have her senior pics taken. She and her friends took turns taking photos of each other & they turned out great!</p>
<p>I agree. Save the college necessity purchases for later. Its premature at this point. Its like giving them a pack of socks.</p>
<p>My D’s favorite graduation gift was an ipod dock/clock radio. Also, noise cancelling headphones. And winter clothes (she’s a “misplaced” Texan in DC).</p>