Staying in the dorm for BB

<p>It is cold.</p>

<p>They provide you a password for the campus wifi.</p>

<p>Everyone is SO NICE!</p>

<p>There is nothing in the suite except a trashcan.</p>

<p>Bring a cup.</p>

<p>There is only a BRIGHT florescent light on the ceiling, so bring a nightlight if you’ll need it.</p>

<p>There is plenty of light streaming through the blinds ALL NIGHT.</p>

<p>Kids are outside yelling all night.</p>

<p>I’m having BIG FUN.</p>

<p>DS slept on the sofa because the dorm mattress killed his back. He is not having fun.</p>

<p>Thread with tips from last year</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-alabama/1347986-bb-advice-those-still-attending-2.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-alabama/1347986-bb-advice-those-still-attending-2.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Summary:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Dorms are freezing (you are allowed to change the thermostat, the temperature of which apparently has been set women in the hot flash stage of menopause). If you need extra blankets, ask at the desk.</p></li>
<li><p>Bring a sweater/jacket with you to the events as those also can be chilly</p></li>
<li><p>If you want a snack for breakfast day #1, you can grab some granola bars from the credit union in the Ferg. </p></li>
<li><p>Lots of freebies in the Ferg Day #1. Stock up!</p></li>
<li><p>Staying in the dorms shows you why you need to buy your darling a decent foam mattress pad and blackout curtains.</p></li>
</ul>

<p>For street lights streaming in the blinds, try flipping the blinds in the opposite direction.</p>

<p>Yes, the dorms are “too air-conditioned”. I stayed once and was cold. </p>

<p>Yes, your child will need one of those 2" thick memory foam mattress toppers. </p>

<p>Sams Club now has a “gel” version which combats the warmth from the previous styles of toppers. I have also found that putting a good cotton mattress pad on top of the topper also prevents the “heat”.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>My biggest take away from Bama Bound was that D needed a good mattress topper. I was glad I stayed in the dorms if for no reason other than learning that. </p>

<p>It’s not just the dorms that are cold. There were a few meetings where I had on my sweater and wished I had a coat. There was one meeting with the parent ambassadors where the room was so cold that the ambassadors had on jackets (outdoor jackets, not suit jackets). Bring your sweater, no matter how hot it is outside.</p>

<p>We bought a nice 2.5" gell topper on Amazon. Rated very highly.</p>

<p>DS will be attending a June orientation. He must arrive the day before BB and leave the day after, so 3 nights in the dorm. Is there anyway on campus for him to eat? Do they take cash?</p>

<p>Longhaul, yes, the cafeterias do take cash. There are also some food places on the strip - within a 10 minute walk of RCS. He’ll be good.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.tuscaloosarestaurant.com/Restaurant-Maps/On-The-Strip.html[/url]”>http://www.tuscaloosarestaurant.com/Restaurant-Maps/On-The-Strip.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Chipotle is also there now but not listed above - maybe it’s not open yet.</p>

<p>Chipotle is open, ate at it last night for dinner!</p>

<p>Wow, another reason to ping CC regularly. It didn’t occur to me that the mattresses would be more like summer camp than home. </p>

<p>S has a mid-range quality mattress at home. He’s no “princess and the pea.” He sleeps like a rock even on – well – rocks. I wonder if it’s worth it. </p>

<p>Maybe. If he likes the memory foam topper, he’s good to go. If not, it comes home and I can use it as a pallet when I camp, or when he brings the (distant) future grandkids to visit.</p>

<p>We purchased a memory foam mattress topper and a nice pillow for DS. His dorm bed is more comfortable than his bed at home. Maybe that’s why he is in the dorm this summer too!</p>

<p>A good mattress topper can make all the difference.</p>

<p>College dorm mattresses are not like home ones.</p>

<p>It is more like a hospital mattress: encased in thick plastic and very firm. I’m betting PoetSon will want to keep his topper.
topper!</p>

<p>I am disheartened that DS thinks his dorm mattress is more comfortable than his bed here, at HOME. I emphasize that because I hate when he refers to school as home. I’m just not ready to cut the cord. It is stretched very, very far, but not cut. I even bought super soft comfy sheets for home so he would be more comfortable. He thought the previous ones were scratchy. You can see I’m doing everything I can to stay in my happy little state of denial. BTW, when we stayed in the dorm last summer for BB I thought it was not too bad. True, lots of light came in the blinds and I like it pitch black, but DS couldn’t care less and had no curtains on his window.</p>

<p>All worth it when DD stopped by after “Battleship” and before Volleyball just to says"hi"</p>

<p>I didn’t stay in the dorm, but when we walked into her room the first day, I took one look at the mattress and asked “do you want an 2” or 3" topper?" And this from a mom who was not sure she wanted to “waste” the money on one!</p>

<p>DD will be test driving a few options (thanks for the tip on the gel kind) when we get back home.</p>

<p>She also said battle ship was a blast!</p>

<p>Can anyone estimate how much cash needed for Bama Bound?</p>

<p>I know there is the $15 linen fee
DS is planning $10-15 for each meal
tip for limo service</p>

<p>I guess I need to know cost of Honors shirts and any expenses I am not considering.</p>

<p>He won’t buy anything at the SUP.</p>

<p>2 meals are included for students at Bama Bound and there should be some food at other events as well. </p>

<p>I’d think that $100 plus the limo cost would be sufficient unless he was staying extra days. I’d also highly suggest lending him a credit card for emergencies.</p>

<p>I use crown limo service for my son. Great service, never been late. I book the limo and put it on my credit card and the tip is automatically added on. Best way to do it so your son only has to worry about his personal expenses.</p>

<p>Linen fee will be posted to his Bamako account. No cash changes hands, at least that’s how last year was done.</p>

<p>Longhaul, the Honors College shirt cost $15 and could be purchased at Nott Hall during the Honors College reception.</p>

<p>Several attendees also bought department specific shirts (engineering, etc), so you might want to plan for that as well…</p>

<p>I would recommend you still send along some $ for food. DD bought iced coffees at Starbucks both days, and bought late lunch/snacks in the airport (got there 3 hours ahead of flight home).</p>