<p>Question for those of you have have done this before: Orientation starts on the 29th for the kids. Flying cross country and trying to plan flights and wondering, do parents generally stay through the 29th and then leave? Or do parents not even stay through the 29th? Any info would be helpful- thanks.</p>
<p>They want parents off campus by 4 p.m. on the 29th, but we’re staying over just in case we need to pick up some things for the room (once we have a chance to see it).</p>
<p>Perfect- thank you!</p>
<p>We figured that as long as we were flying cross-country, we should be staying over for vacation. 
Since D1 did TWO, we all flew out together for that, then we took charge of her luggage and went on a family vacation in the general area with D2 prior to move-in day. We also did the pickup from Bed Bath and Beyond. D1 had a few things she ended up not wanting, but they were small enough for us to just take them with us back cross-country and return them at our local BBB. Keep that master receipt safe!</p>
<p>Which reminds me, a suggestion: if you’re going to be hauling around a lot of luggage or are doing the BBB/other store pickup, go reserve a minivan from Boston Logan now. If you don’t like the price, consider making a bid on priceline. </p>
<p>During orientation week they’ll take the freshmen en masse to a local big box store (I think it was Target last year), which is a good way for the students to pick up anything that they forgot to buy.</p>
<p>Did you move her in to her dorm before TWO started? And did she stay there through TWO, while you all were in a hotel? Then do you participate in anything on the 29th? My D wants to do IO pre-orientation- trying to figure it all out. Also, can you ship her stuff to her dorm in advance of move in? Thanks so much!</p>
<p>tolstoy, the TWO kids don’t move into the dorm beforehand. If memory serves, there is some storage for the kids doing a pre-orientation program that’s not based on campus. </p>
<p>We had D1’s bags and her computer, and we schlepped them with us through Maine and New Hampshire. The only things we had shipped were her mattress topper and her duvet cover–that was much simpler than having them shipped to our home, then transporting them cross-country. Since I was already paying for shipping those things, it was “free”. Those were also relatively light. Remember, anything that gets picked up at mail services has to be brought from mail services to your child’s dorm room, or loaded into your car. </p>
<p>The lion’s share of dorm stuff–linens, quilt, towels, desk lamp, etc etc etc–was picked up locally at Bed, Bath and Beyond. </p>
<p>Move-in day goes very smoothly. You take stuff out of your car. Upperclass volunteers then grab it and take it up to your child’s dorm room. I read here on CC that the first thing to bring into the room and plug in is a room fan. There’s no a/c and on a warm late summer day those rooms get HOT. </p>
<p>Things for parents to do: there are some open house things for various groups. Also a very nice catered picnic lunch, followed by convocation or whatever they call the ceremony where they welcome the class, say nice things about the students, play stirring music, and otherwise make the parents feel both weepy and not so bad about the enormous amount of money they’ll be sending Tufts for the next four years. Stake out some shady seats early, it gets hot out on the lawn. Bring a book and sunscreen/sunhat, just in case.</p>
<p>I need advice. This is my first child going off to college. I grew up in Europe, so didn’t go away to college here. Beside the obvious: cloth, bedding, lamp; what do they need to bring with them to the dorm? Are they bringing all their clothing with them right away (summer, fall, winter), or do we bring some with us during visiting day in October. I realize these are trivial questions, but I really have no idea.</p>
<p>momworried, you can do whatever is easiest. We brought everything in September and then in October just brought a few odds and ends that he decided he wanted after all. Your kid probably won’t need much more than a light jacket in October, but last year here in NY we had a huge blizzard the last day of October and the odds are even greater for unseasonable misbehavior in Boston.</p>
<p>momworried - this is from a different college but it’s a good basic list: [What</a> to Bring to College - Quinnipiac University Hamden, Connecticut](<a href=“http://www.quinnipiac.edu/student-life/living-at-quinnipiac/residential-life/what-to-bring-to-college]What”>http://www.quinnipiac.edu/student-life/living-at-quinnipiac/residential-life/what-to-bring-to-college)</p>
<p>Just saw on the 2016 FB page that IO, FIT, CAFE move in at pre-orientation and stay in dorms. FOCUS and TWO (new this year) drop stuff in dorms at pre-orientation, but stay elsewhere. Unfortunate we don’t hear until June 15 whether they are in the pre-orientation group. I’d sure like to make flight reservations, since we are coming from San Diego!</p>
<p>tolstoy2 which one did your D sign up for? Mine signed up for FIT.</p>
<p>Hobbes- she signed up for IO, to meet the international students- didn’t put a second choice. She also signed up for the Healthy Living dorm.</p>
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<p>Southwest is your friend! 
Easy to change the reservations if your plans change.</p>