<p>I would not worry what the kids say about a roll bar for the bunk beds...I would send one along...and also make sure the bunk beds have safety bars under the top mattress. I would also make up a medical kit for every day colds, sore throats, upset stomachs, blisters, etc. I made up a kit in a plastic box with bandaids, topical antibiotic, eyedrops, antihistimine, cough drops, tylenol, advil, etc. Be sure to go over each item with your student so that they understand what and how to use when needed.</p>
<p>Lofts are dangerous. I had a patient who in the first week of school broke both arms falling out of a loft and another patient one who needed a plastic surgeon to repair her face. I have also seen countless other less significant injuries.</p>
<p>A cold kit is a GREAT idea. Theatre programs can be a breading ground for germs. I was sick for about 2 1/2+ months last year and it was awful.</p>
<p>Don't the loft beds come equipped with safety bars?? Kind of shocking, if not.</p>
<p>My S at CMU pre-college was in a lofted bed (his roommate had already moved into the non-lofted bed). It had a rickety ladder, so he would climb up the frame. When he roommate left a few days into the program, he moved into the other bed. When I asked him why, he replied "I kept banging my head on the ceiling in the morning when I sat up." No real damage I hope!!</p>
<p>Youngest Son will be lofting his bed. There is a rental company that the university deals with in which you can rent their lofts for $75.00. You can raise them as high as you want and they do come with a safety bar.</p>
<p>If you are lofting your bed I suggest buying a sleeve of tennis balls. By cutting the balls in have and placing on the posts, which hang down, they will perform as a buffer against head injuries. No bed head!! ;) Sorry for the pun. Couldn't resist.</p>
<p>SUE aka 5pants</p>
<p>In the dorm I'm living in this year at U of Buffalo they said that from now one you can only have your bed raised a little and not lofted due to kids somehow rolling over(?) the safety bars or breaking them and falling out of bed...weird:P</p>
<p>OK, that tears it, I'm with you chrisnoo...I'll recommend the 6" risers to M! Who knew?</p>
<p>bumped for the new crop of students going off on an adventure</p>
<p>My oldest D attends OSU and if you signed up for a loft, they set the lofts up for the kids before they arrived. However; it was up to the kid to dismantle it and return it to a designated place at the end of the year and that was a pain!</p>
<p>I don't think lofts are anymore dangerous than bunkbeds but then, I'm not big on those either but the lofts DO allow you more possibilities with room arrangement and give you more floor space. </p>
<p>If you are going to loft, I would highly reccommend buying a folding step ladder. It was the only way my D could get in her bed without stepping on her roomate because of the way they had their room arranged. The step laddeer also came in handy to reach storage areas that were higher than you could reach with a chair.</p>
<p>I thought maybe we could start a categorized/itemized list that people could just copy and paste and add to. Please feel free to add/change!</p>
<p>TECHNOLOGY:
Laptop or desktop computer
Laptop locking cable (great theft prevention)
ethernet cable
pwer surge strip
all in one printer/scanner/ fax
extra ink
paper
I-pod
voice recorder (for I-pod or other)</p>
<p>PERSONAL - Health:
personal steamer
distilled water
first aid kit
perscriptions (get at a chain where it can be transfered to school)</p>
<p>PERSONAL - MIsc:
photo album
picture of family/pets
coins for laundry</p>
<p>DANCE/THEATRE/MUSIC:
monologue books
notebooks with sheet music
Tap shoes
Jazz Shoes
Character shoes
Dance clothes
Keyboard (you can buy a great little roll up keyboard)</p>
<p>DORM ROOM:
dry erase board for outside dorm roon door
dry erase/cork board for in roon
command hooks
bed risers
underbed storage boxes
folding step ladder
microwave/storage bowls
covered boxes for food storage
drawer/shelf liner
study lamp
extra long body pillow
x-long twin memory foam
x-long twin mattress cover
x-long twin sheets
small garbage bags for paper baskets
a lock box with a locking cable (for storing tickets, cash etc)</p>
<p>ADD - PERSONAL - Health: your favorite OTC remedies for cold, and digestive complaints (Immodium, etc. Even if you never need them, you'll be a popular kid in your dorm!) Vitamins (if you're not already taking them, now would be a great time to start!) For the lades - stock up on necessary feminine products.</p>
<p>PERSONAL - misc: Double check - coins may be a thing of the past. At most schools the dorm laundries, as well as pop/snack machines can be swiped with their student account card - no $$ needed for transactions. (Well - assuming a hard-working student or a loving parent has put $$ in the account!) Ditto on the ethernet cable - take if you're not sure, but many places are going wireless.</p>
<p>extension cords are a must in most dorm rooms</p>
<p>ahh...I love this thread :)</p>
<p>Extension cords are prohibited in many college dorms but power strips/surge protectors (even with 6 foot cords) are not. Check with the particular college or just bring some extra power strips/surge protectors.</p>
<h1>51</h1>
<p>NanE
Junior Member</p>
<p>Join Date: Jan 2007
Threads: 13
Posts: 101 I thought maybe we could start a categorized/itemized list that people could just copy and paste and add to. Please feel free to add/change!</p>
<p>TECHNOLOGY:
Laptop or desktop computer
Laptop locking cable (great theft prevention)
ethernet cable
power surge strip
all in one printer/scanner/ fax
extra ink
paper
I-pod
voice recorder (for I-pod or other) -*EXTRA MINI CASSETTES (?)
*ALARM CLOCK</p>
<p>PERSONAL - Health:
personal steamer
distilled water
first aid kit
perscriptions (get at a chain where it can be transfered to school)
*TOILETRIES
*HAIR DRYER, STRAIGHTNER, CURLER ETC.</p>
<p>PERSONAL - Misc:
photo album
picture of family/pets
coins for laundry
resume/headshots (?)
*MINI BOOK LIGHT</p>
<p>DANCE/THEATRE/MUSIC:
monologue books
notebooks with sheet music
Tap shoes
Jazz Shoes
Character shoes
Dance clothes
Keyboard (you can buy a great little roll up keyboard)
Makeup (stage, etc.)
*DANCE BAG (INCL. FACE WIPES, DEODERANT, ETC.)</p>
<p>DORM ROOM:
dry erase board for outside dorm room door
dry erase/cork board for in roon
command hooks
bed risers
underbed storage boxes
folding step ladder
microwave/storage bowls (<em>CUPS, DISHES, UTENSILS ?)
covered boxes for food storage
drawer/shelf liner
study lamp
extra long body pillow
x-long twin memory foam (</em>OR REG. TWIN (DEPENDS ON SCHOOL)
x-long twin mattress cover
x-long twin sheets
small garbage bags for paper baskets
a lock box with a locking cable (for storing tickets, cash etc)
*SHOWER CURTAIN AND LINER
*RUGS (BATHRM. & BED SIDE)
*HANGERS, SHOE HOLDER (?)
*TOWELS, WASHCLOTHS
*PILLOWS
*COMFORTER</p>
<p>There is a good "basic" college checklist on the College Board site that could be modified to include the MT-specialized items above. It's nicely formatted and you can cut and paste the things you'd like to add and subtract. <a href="http://www.collegeboard.com/parents/apply/college-applications/21383.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.collegeboard.com/parents/apply/college-applications/21383.html</a></p>
<p>I have one D who will be a sophomore this year at U Maryland and my MT D found her sister's suggestions wise...
Have a lighted makeup mirror on the desk in your room. It reduces the amount of time spent in the group bathroom. (I gave her a pump bottle of hand sanitizer to keep on her desk so that she always starts with clean hands before handling her makeup.)
Don't forget a shower caddy with holes in the bottom to tote back and forth to the bathroom. (Linensnthings or BedBathBeyond) My D keeps smallish bottles in her caddy and has large "cosco" sized bottles in her closet for refills. She does the same w/her laundry detergent. The campus stores charges a mint for laundry soap and this way MOM paid for the big bottle of Tide! Before leaving for the laundry room, she pops a little draw sting bag that contains a rolls of coins, detergent, a stain stick and a several drier sheets into her her pop up laundry bag. The laundry bag serves as both hamper and laundry basket. She has a small tote that contains some cleaning wipes, some windex, paper towels and a dusting cloth. She had a rug, so she had a small vacuum which was very handy.
Another bin contained her medicine cabinet w/ cold remedies as well as a couple of ace wraps, disposable ice packs, bandaids, mole skin, triple antibiotic ointment and athetes foot ointment. (She's an athelete!)
My D found that a 25 ft. phone cord was needed last year.
Good extension cords & a power strip were also needed.
Lofters, You'll appreciate a clip on fan, one or two clip on shelves that will serve as your night stand, (Linens and Things) and clip on lights for late night reading/studying. My D had a rail and never had any issues with the loft. She and her room mate lofted, leaving space for a futon/couch, tv stand, coffee table and a book shelf in their tiny room!
My D found that a closet deodorizor that hung on a hanger (Volcanic rock I think) was helpful because she works out every day. Probably wise for dancers too!
Most schools don't allow you to pound nails into the walls. We found the 3M REMOVABLE stick on hooks to be WONDERFUL!!! They are kind of expensive, but worth every penny. Some hold up to ten pounds! She used them for hanging all kinds of things, even a curtain rod!
Lastly, before going to school, D made four poster sized collages of photographs and took them to a copy store to have them laminated. She was then able to hang them with special poster puddy (which was allowed by her school) and walls were covered with photos of friends and family, almost like wall paper!! MT D has done the same, but also laminated three Broadway show posters.
Good luck!!</p>
<p>removable glue dots are awesome too for posters, pictures, etc. Cheaper than the 3M and work well. You can find them on dormbuys.com. A package of 60 is $1.99! Woo Hoo</p>
<p>Hi Kaysmom! How do the glue dots work? Are they hooks, or do they replace the poster puddy?</p>
<p>K</p>