Does anybody have a a ‘shopping list’, outside of bed linens and towels, to share? ie - I see some of you have purchased coffee machines and cutlery. Thank you 
Looked through the lists I’ve made over the past few years. This will get you started. UChicago might also post a packing list. They’ll have rules about things like electric tea kettles / hot plates / woks or lamps (halogen bulbs may not be allowed, can’t recall).
Bedding XL twin: mattress protector/pad (mattress will be encased in plastic - this just adds a layer of cushion), two sets of bottom, top sheets and pillowcase, pillows and protectors, comforter/blanket. May want to order an inexpensive faux-down later on.
Towels: two sets of bath sheet, hand towel, washcloth
Portable laundry hamper
Desk Lamp
Power Stick and extension cord
Fan if old dorm. One for desk, larger one for window if needed. Oscillating is good
Dishes and mugs
flatware
Robe
Shower Caddy
Order Microfridge if desired (info will be posted)
Extra stuff that comes in handy (no particular order):
paper towels
waste basket liners
waste basket
toiletries
gladware for storing food in the fridge
baggies (sandwich, quart, gallon)
Rug, pad for floor if non carpet
Laundry detergent pods and Oxi-Clean pods
Stain Stick
broom/dustpan or small vac
Medication/vitamins/supplements
Cold medicine (Emergen-C, Nyquil, Dayquil, Sudafed, Ibuprofin/Advil/Aleve, Flonase)
Bandaids (My daughter needed hers after the first night of house activities!)
Kleenex
dish soap, scrub sponge, dish towel
Dishrack for drying/storing
snacks
Fuzzy slippers
Flip Flops
Hanging organizers for doors and closet
Towel racks to hang wet towels?
Scissors
Masking Tape
Sharpie Markers
Woolite packs (for girl LOL)
Computer/Printer
ethernet cord -10 footer (this may be dorm specific - not sure)
School supplies
desk organizers
Calculator
Printer paper
Swiffer dusters for quick dusting
windex wipes for computer screen
Water bottle
To Go mug
Pack of AA batteries
Command brand hanging strips for fairy lights or posters
Update to add: printer is optional. My D has one but didn’t use it much her first year. Her friends seem to need it more than she does
@JBStillFlying Very helpful, thanks! Just to confirm, the school is not responsible for cleaning the rooms but they will maintain the bathrooms and public spaces in dorms, correct? I should really know this, but for the life of me, I don’t recall whether I cleaned my room in college, much less shared bathrooms. I just remember using old, coin-operated washing machines/dryers!
Bathroom cleaning depends on the living arrangements. In a suite, the kids are responsible. Either way, 409 or bleach wipes is never a bad thing. Those room odor absorbing beads are good too. By the end of the year, you’ll just be happy if they washed their sheets (once in a while). I would add Command hooks and hangers to the shopping list.
@JBStillFlying …nice list, excellent attention to detail! :-bd
Definitely add those hangers. Not sure why it wasn’t on my list.
One of my kids also bought an old fashioned clock with an annoying bell alarm because she didn’t trust her phone to wake her up.
Another bought a Carl Angel-5 Pencil Sharpener and a Swingline Stapler. She was going for the quality office supplies.
@JBStillFlying Thanks so much for the exhaustive list!!! You’ve just made my life, 100 items easier!
A few questions:
Dorms : are the rooms 'warm enough; or would a space heater be an additional necessity?
Thanksgiving - do classes typically run through the end of day Wednesday before TG and do most students leave campus / go home for the TG holiday?
I know parents leave campus at the end of Convocation; is it wise to stay in the vicinity for a day or two during O Week, ‘just in case’, or just pack up and get out of Dodge as soon as Convocation is over!?
And a ton of other questions I have not even thought of yet!!!
When you’re downtown, eat at Remington’s! So good!
My D’s dorm experience is Max - and yes, the rooms are warm enough - no need for a space heater. For Thanksgiving, my D’s classes did run thru end of day so she flew home very late Wednesday (arriving after midnight). It seems like (from my D’s friends) most leave/go home or, if home is very far, go home with a friend or travel to more local family.
I think it is best to leave at the end of Convocation - the kids are very busy. Any other questions, feel free to post - lots of us (current and former) parents here as well as some students.
My kid’s in BJ and if anything the dorms are too warm. Although I was worried that being from SW Florida he’d be cold (he’s never lived in a house that even had a radiator so that thing in his room is a novelty), he has only had to turn the radiator knob to “on” once or twice this year.
Thanksgiving is tricky. Just to be sure, son’s flight wasn’t scheduled until late Wednesday afternoon and technically all his classes did continue through that Wednesday. Informally, many of the classes just didn’t happen - but none of this was announced in advance so plans could be made or changed. It would be a risk to schedule flights prior to Wednesday afternoon until your student gets his schedule since some profs seemed stickier about this than others. That said, that gamble would have turned out to be OK in son’s case this time.
It’s totally fine to leave immediately after Convocation unless you just want to do things in Chicago without the expectation that you’ll see your kid. The kids are busy and the parents are strongly encouraged to vacate. If you leave right after Convocation, you could easily Uber Pool with the other parents heading out to the airport, too.
Unsolicited advice:
- don’t count on being able to get last minute housewares at the Hyde Park Target. It’s a mini-Target and by Saturday afternoon the shelves will be bare and it will look as if it were ravaged by a raiding party.
- if you’re flying in for O week, Southwest allows two 50 pound bags free of charge plus a carry on so that’s a nice option if you have stuff you’d like to bring. We ended up only checking one bag each because we’d shipped boxes in advance. IMO it did cost a little more to ship things in advance but it was totally worth it. We shipped UPS and could track to make sure every box got there prior to our arrival. If you do that, just know that some of the dorms only have stairs so don’t pack boxes that are larger or heavier than you’d want to lug up several flights of stairs. Same for luggage.
-Hangers, duct tape and ziploc baggies turned out to be unexpectedly useful.
Space heaters won’t be allowed (fire hazard) and absolutely won’t be necessary. An electric fan if in an older un-A/C’d dorm will be most welcome for warmer days.
Wednesday classes will be in officially in session the day prior to Thanksgiving. At least one of my D’s classes was in session that day. Schedule late afternoon or evening flights to be on the safe side.
They strongly encourage all good-byes to be said before your student goes into the Chapel for Convocation. They are going to be quite busy afterwards. No doubt some families still hang around campus or the area but there really isn’t going to be any time for socializing with your student. O-Week is a wonderful, immersive experience. Best to pack up and get out of Dodge - but do cheer your student on during the procession following Convocation and attend the parent reception that afternoon if you have time. I think a lot of parents who fly in leaving the following morning.
There is (or will be in Sept.) an app for the family for OWeek programming (there’ll also be printouts). We ‘stalked’ him to see what he was doing that week lol. UChicago also have another app for OWeek exclusively for the students. I downloaded it, but couldn’t sign on because a cnet id is necessary. Strangely, throughout OWeek I did get notifications/triggers on my phone when each event would be starting, even though I could not login, so I was able to see what events were happening.
My son is in Max P and the rooms are definitely warm enough.
@momo2x2018 - My son is in North and they have opened their window quite a bit this winter b/c it is too warm.
My son was able to head home much earlier than we thought over Thanksgiving break since his Wednesday classes were cancelled. He also has had no Friday classes so this has made it easy for him to fly home for long weekends. With a couple courses (HUM, CIV) having papers due instead of final exams, he has been able to leave earlier for winter and spring breaks as well.
We use Midway for my son’s flights - much cheaper Uber ride to/from dorm and Southwest doesn’t charge for bags. When I fly out, I tend to go through O’Hare since I stay in the city.
@uocparent @JBStillFlying @caymusjordan
Thank you for your responses; I have made mental note of the Midway advice re Uber & Southwest (
re TG - given TG is such a short break, maybe we will fly out there and make a mini-vacay. It seems like a lot of effort on S’s part, for what will essentially be, two days!
@momo2x2018 When my D was a first year, she was in one of the university choirs and they had a concert the weekend before TG. I flew out to hear it and also offered to take her and friends out to dinner. Only one friend attended - the rest were having their special house TG meal that evening (bad timing on my part). This is just what my D’s house does, but I’m betting that many others do the same, as international and other students really can’t go home for just a couple days. Your student will be in great company. Flying out there is an excellent idea - your schedule might be more flexible and allow you to travel sometime before Wed. evening, and no stress to get back to class by Mon. morning.
Never mind. I found the thread I was looking for