<p>My D is traveling to her college by plane, so besides clothes she will buy all her other things when she gets there. My friend suggested investing in a memory foam bed topper (are college mattresses really that bad?). Did you find your child needed any particular item? Any suggestions would be helpful.</p>
<p>yes they are that bad. Imagine a thin matress on a partacal board, thats how mine was. Don’t buy the BBB ones they market, too thin and they change colors on you.</p>
<p>I hear they are really that bad. Some kind soul posted this awhile back and I added it to our list (even though we are a year away…I am a die-hard list maker):</p>
<p>Mattress pad plus memory foam type overlay at least 3" thick. (“My son’s back was killing him before this little miracle ‘changed his life.’”)</p>
<p>As a student I can say my mattress topper was the best investment I have ever made. And I only got a 35 dollar one from Target.</p>
<p>I started making a list of items my d will need.
I definately feel that a mattress topper will be a wise investment.<br>
So far d’s list includes:
2 sets of sheets
mattress topper
pillows
fan
refridgerator
microwave
corelle dishes, bowls and cups
some forks, knives and cups
dish soap
calculator
collapsible laundry bag
shampoo/soap/toothbrush holders
computer
basic office supplies
3m repositional hooks and tape to hold bathrobe, jacket, and pictures
towels
basic cleaning supplies
laundry detergent/dryer sheets
bug spray
sunscreen
first aid kit
tylenol
bath and room throw rugs</p>
<p>I am sure the list will grow between now and when d leaves.</p>
<p>THere are a lot of previous years posts on this topic.</p>
<p>One thing to keep in mind-- they may not use all the stuff you think is necessary. Dorm rooms are small. </p>
<p>S never used the second set of sheets. He put them right back on the bed after he washed them.</p>
<p>@aggiring: you defenently don’t need most of that. Especially if you don’t know the housing arrangements and such. </p>
<p>i do however reccommend a good fan, i had to give mine away because there wasn’t room in the car DX</p>
<p>My son said the best and most borrowed items were his firstaid/med box with pepto bismol, advil, cold medicine, (especially the pepto) and duct tape. He also loved his mattress topper, the beds are like boards and it keeps a bigger distance between you and the mattress.
One roommate had a small air cleaner which helped with his allergies and also helped cool the room a bit and help with his “stinky sneaker” problem. : ) I might get one of my daughters that item since she has bad pollen/mold allergies.</p>
<p>My daughter has allergies, and the air cleaner helped a lot. I also second the suggestion to buy a mattress topper. We went with a foam eqqcrate one covered by a thick mattress pad. The beds are pretty uncomfortable. You will also need lamps, depending on the room. I’d start with a desk lamp and clip on lamp to put near the bed. Sometimes you also need a standing lamp. We also needed cables for the computer and TV. We also brought stackable plastic drawers from Target. We put some under the bed and some in the closet. Save all your receipts, because some things won’t fit and you’ll need to return them.</p>
<p>If there is a Bed, Bath and Beyond that is accessible to her, she can shop at home and have it picked up near her college. If there is a Wal Mart, you can order online and do ship to store and it will be there waiting for her. You can also ship boxes from home to school.</p>
<p>icedragon, which items on my list do you feel are unnecessary?</p>
<p>Several stores will let you order online and pick up at a store near the school - saving on shipping costs.</p>
<p>Wal-mart, BBB, Target are some of them.</p>
<p>To the OP–as valuable as the previous shopping list threads are, perhaps even more valuable are the “what <em>not</em> to bring to college” threads. Lots of posts on what kids do not need. (The things I’d nix on your list are the second set of sheets, possibly the fridge (check with roommate), many dorms do not allow microwaves, DS had no need for dishes of any kind (although did accumulate several steins/shotglasses), no cleaning supplies (except laundry), sunscreen/bug spray did not even occur to me (DS would not have used it I’m sure), and the throw rugs. Some people recommend tool kits but someone else on the hall will have one. Good idea not to bring anything <em>valuable</em> to hang on the walls–most stuff does not survive the move-in/school year/move-out.</p>
<p>When I was in college, the most borrowed item was my thermometer. (There are lots of new germs / illnesses freshman year). When I went to the school nurse with a high fever she chewed me out for not having one and knowing my temperatures, but on of the many friends who borrowed it broke it.</p>
<p>Having said that, I’ve had a devil of a time finding a reliable thermometer for home. I may just send the heat sense strip kind.</p>
<p>I think it must depend on the kid and probably boy vs girl and neatnick vs not-so-much.</p>
<p>My D doesn’t leave the house even for an afternoon without sunscreen and bug-spray so, yes, those items are essential for her.</p>
<p>So will be cleaning supplies. She’s a neat person who also likes a clean bathroom, dusted surfaces, etc. A like-minded roommate will be important! :)</p>
<p>stick with the basics. Go for plastic instead of glass, chances are that they will be dropped and broken. Like i said, until you know of the housing arrangements, don’t make a huge list, because chances are you’ll have to deal with a roommate.</p>
<p>Yes, I think, know yourself, think of what you do everyday and what you use. My son brought much less than my daughters will, they use more just in hair items, but even he sent us home with some clothes and a strorage container once we got there.
I agree, I wouldn’t bring plates, but that said, my son brought paper plates and 1 pkg of forks to school last year because he brought chips/cheese to make nachos and sometimes he would get things to go at school and they didn’t want you taking the silverware.
Cables are a “forgetable” item and we did a trip back to bring those a week or two later…you might not think of everything but depending how far from home, what you are near or what you can order, you should be fine.</p>
<p>Mattress toppers are essential (I just went back to college for my 25th reunion, and those dorm beds are quite uncomfortable!), but my daughter prefers a featherbed to a memory foam one. This is definitely an individual choice, but she loves having a nest of warmth to climb into (climbing out is harder, perhaps), and she has always done most of her homework in bed. In her old dorm, either the heat is blasting or inadequate, and the feather bed/comforter combination makes it easier to sleep. We got ours at company store.</p>
<p>Kohls.com is a great resource as well - often they have free delivery - even on items like mattress toppers and pillows. You can order things to be delivered around the time of move-in.<br>
Neither of my 2 college kids want to take their mattress toppers back next year - they didnt like the cushiness of them. So it’s really an individual preference.</p>
<p>D is returning from her freshman year tomorrow. She didn’t need the can opener/bottle opener I sent. Used the compact coffee pot once. Everyone else used her tool kit but her. Never used the bathrobe she said she needed. Used the plastic wrap to cover stuff in the frig. Things she must have for next year (according to her): a pot to cook Ramen in. She has a microwave but says it doesn’t taste as good. So she is willing to go to the dorm kitchen to cook her Ramen on the stove. Tin Foil. To cover the dorm kitchen cookie sheets when she bakes. NOTE: She was not Julia Childs when she left home. Duct tape. For fixing stuff. I guess I will find out more when she unpacks over the weekend.</p>