<p>Alright, the deposits are in, AP exams are almost over and school is winding down ( D's graduation is 6/24). My eldest son is 14 yrs older than the middle one, my D, and, for the life of me, I can't remember what went on surrounding his departure for college! Of course, he went to school in the middle of a sheep pasture in southern Vermont, so I have a feeling that it must have been entirely different.
I've noticed that D logs onto the college web site and checks things out- can you believe that they have the orientation week info posted already?!-or looks at the FaceBook group, but it seems like I am the one starting to obsess about what she will need to take with her in the fall. So, I was thinking that we could start a thread concerning what needs to go in the car for college. Do you take it all with you or do you ship things and then send more as needed for the change of seasons?Oh, then we'll have to get it back home too. I traded the minivan for a sedan last year, so UPS might become a valuable friend! She'll be a 4.5 hours away, so those 4 day breaks are do-able, and the train does go back and forth, albeit not on time..
What kind of room will your D/S have- double, triple (mine will have a double with another girl)? There is a kitchenette on each floor, so no microwave ovens needed for her and there is a big kitchen on the main floor which means she'll need a pot@some dishes.Do they need things for snacks when gathering for movie night?. How do you decide who takes the 'fridge&who takes the TV? What about rugs and curtains, color schemes,etc? Fans? How many sets of sheets? Do you send one of those Memory Foam mattress pads?
Are these things even important to the kids or am I thinking too much like a Mom? My head is swimming...Aauuuggghh!!</p>
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<p>Perhaps after digesting that one we could add anything that specifically pertains to music majors here.</p>
<p>My son knows his roomate so that helps some. Also, he has gone away to camp for 8 weeks each summer since he was 7 I think so we’re kind of used to this type of packing. Remember a few things so that you don’t stress. You are not sending your darling d off to the wilderness. Anything you forget or she might need can be shipped (overnight if need be) or purchased locally. That said, we are sending 3 sets of sheets, his own pillows, two extra blankets and initially probably a month of sundry supplies (shampoo, soap, laundry stuff, etc). He’s been doing his own laundry for ages so that’s not a problem. He will have a checkbook at a bank that we both have access to on our ends and there is a cash machine on campus for that bank. his laptop, instruments and we have a microwave and fridge. His roomate is bringing a TV. We are sending a phone for the room with an answering machine (probably a waste with the cell and all but just in case). Two sets of towels, probably a case of popcorn and couple cases water or such. Close to two weeks of clothes. I’ll probably also get him a small 2 drawer filing cabinet for music and such. He has an account with the local music store through the school. Duct tape and a set of tools. He can decorate on his own. Anything else ?</p>
<p>My minimalist son doesnt even have his own printer at school. He uses the campus computer room. But NEC is only two buildings, so I think that makes a difference. If the computer center were a hike away he might have wanted that printer.</p>
<p>I like that idea of the two-drawer file cabinet for music. I am going to suggest that for next year.</p>
<p>DS has a filing cabinet for his music but it is really two SEPARATE drawers that happen to stack. They were much easier to carry than a single two drawer file would have been. One year, he actually put them side by side.</p>
<p>That’s why the filing cabinet hasn’t been bought yet I’d like to see how everything else fits first before deciding on the stack ratio.</p>
<p>I’ve been fretting about this too! My son wants to take his cello, his keyboard, his electric guitar, his acoustic guitar, his good speakers, his sub-woofer, and a powerful computer! He couldn’t care less about clothes or anything else. Obviously, some of it will have to stay home, and some will be purchased online and shipped there (keyboard.) Can’t decide between a laptop or desktop. And all this all the way across the country - no car for us. And what goes there, eventually will have to come back… (although I do see summer storage for some of it in his future.)</p>
<p>As for a printer, my older son made it through four years of college without one. But it was in sunny Southern California!</p>
<p>Wow, that A-Z list is CRAZY!! Everything but the kitchen sink?!</p>
<p>From experience from my older S1, as little as you can get away with but… enough clothes so that they don’t have to do laundry too often, that is one chore that the kids avoid until the very last second, boys and girls included. Don’t think that girls are any better at keeping their things neat, clean or organized. S1 (now 24) has shared a house and apartments with different young women and men and you wouldn’t believe what slobs the girls were. Even the roommates in grad school were totally disgusting to the point that my S decided to move out to his own place. I was shocked when I saw the place! He thinks he is very neat but only relative to his roommates. I don’t think these kids ever had to lift a finger at home.</p>
<p>I would say one very important thing they need is a good personal first aid kit that you put together with any over the counter meds that your kid would possibly need (including tea bags and soup packets for when they are sick, they wont feel like going out to get anything once they don’t feel well, and they WILL GET SICK!) and lots of antibacterial for the room. </p>
<p>Also, a personal file box for all important personal papers to be kept organized such as banking info, warranties, insurance papers, important papers related to their instrument. A list of important contact numbers. I can’t tell you how many phone calls I have received over the years about lost credit cards, wallets, phones, etc. And this is from a kid who is very organized. I can’t imagine what my musician son will be like. </p>
<p>We have decided to take the long drive to take him to school even though we live so far away, 1400 miles!. We have so many items for the dorm room just sitting here, I don’t want to have to buy everything new. We can ship linens and that sort of thing but all of the storage containers, refrigerator, etc. we can stuff in the minivan that we will rent 1 way. By the time we would get finished paying for excess and oversize baggage on the plane, it will be worth the one time drive.</p>
<p>The printer is a luxury and it takes up space. Definitely coordinate with the roommate to decide who is bringing what. A tv is nice but there will be one in the dorm or a friend’s room and it will be a distraction. They will be very popular if they have a tv. </p>
<p>I would definitely say an egg crate mattress pad makes a big difference in the comfort of the bed. The mattresses are usually pretty thin and flimsy. A hypo allergenic mattress cover and cushiony mattress pad too. They make 6" risers to put under the feet of the bed which will add extra storage space under the bed. They can put a file drawer and single bookcase under the bed this way, along with storage containers.</p>
<p>Before I forget, be sure to check out the specs on the computer the school suggests, because you may not need all that they list. For instance, CIM posts specs for a Mac and for a PC, but, since the school is affiliated with Case Western, the machines are the same ones that are required for engineering students! One of the administrators old me that the music students did not need anything near the power that was stated on the site and that, even though the price through the school were great, we should save the money and get one for about $500 less! The important thing there is the Ethernet card and everything else could be scaled back- love saving money, especially now!
As she headed off to her last AP exam this morning, D asked me to look into “shoe storage items”, because she HAS to take at least 50 pairs with her in order to be sure to have the right ones for the oufit!! Before you hyperventilate, yes, she does have that many pairs and many more besides- but at least half of those used to be mine, which is what I get for buying all of those really classic designers in the past!! I think it’s safe to assume that she will be packing considerably less in the footware department, but what about storage things? I will be getting those risers to make extra room under the bed, but I have been hearing about some sort of new shoe organizers available and the other day, I came across a “new” package of those hangers that drop down&store 5 items in the place of 1, so I grabbed those. I seem to remember the importance of message boards on the door but I never thought of sending a box of meds&tea, so thanks Slovesviola. D knows how to do laundry but I have no idea what to send along for that! Good grief, I had forgotten all about a printer! Would it be OK to call the school and inquire if one is really needed or if they can print in the building music school somewhere? I could get myself a new one and send her with the old one? Or maybe she should have a wireless one? That may not be an option since the dorm is not wireless-the rest of the campus is, but not the music school side! I’m sure D won’t think curtains important but rooms don’t look finished without them! I’ll never get this right…
She will not have a car at school-others are bringing them, despite being told not to by the administration, so I am left wondering how she will get anywhere to buy anything she needs or runs out of. Fiddlestix, I’ll be sending you a PM on this one since you are familiar with CIM.</p>
<p>Beyond just regualr stuff in the A-Z:
You really have to find out what kind of room configuration you are going to have and how much space. Even with music, DD took some of her basics and then I sent her others if she needed them. Once she wanted one song in particular right away, I just scanned it in and emailed it to her. But mostly she got her music out of the school music library. She needed her language dictionaries, but other books stayed home. </p>
<p>She did need her keyboard, used the headphones to work out music so she did not have to get a practice room for that. Absolutely needed a recorder to record lessons. She could also record a practice session so she could share with professor if needed to work an issue out. </p>
<p>She is a singer, needed much more in long and dressy dresses. They went to operas and concerts and dressed up. She had multiple dresses for performances. We tried to do shoes that would go with several different ones to cut down on shoes. Lots of wraps in different colors to go over those skimpy strapped dresses. So she cut back on other clothes to make room. She only took the seasonal essentials. Wore lots of jeans and simple tops. But needed raincoat and boots. Check the weather.</p>
<p>Dorm rooms are not very big anywhere, so cut the clutter majorly. They will not wear the same clothes they have been wearing…chances are, a whole new style will emerge. Shoes: walking, sandals, exercise, dress (avoid high spindly heels, most voice teachers will veto them.) Do not send anything with your child you need for them to bring home in one piece (except for musical instruments, which we will assume they know how to nurture appropriately). Do put together a kit for first couple of days of typical ailments (cold, flu, gastro-intestinal, headache, cramps). Scissors, tape, hard-backed legal pads, colored plastic folders, printer paper (do a direct delivery from Staples). Collapsible laundry basket and laundry bag. Laptop, not desktop computer. Good luck. (Performance majors might have a direct conversation students already there to find out what musicians wear in different performance situations and plan accordingly.)</p>
<p>Re: performance majors and clothes…remember, they are also need “dress up clothes”…black slacks, dress shirts, ties, tux and accessories, dress shoes. My kid was had an iron and ironing board that he USED. His closet was very well organized with his concert clothes.</p>
<p>His rule of thumb (and I loved it) was…tell these kids to put everything they THINK they will need in college in one room (living room or family room). THEN take only HALF of what is there. It still will overcrowd most dorm rooms and the kid won’t use half of what they take. </p>
<p>The first year, we moved DS using our van and a car…both so loaded you could NOT see out of the back windows…only two people could ride in the van. This year we will move him home in that same van…but it will have seating for four people and will hold some apartment furniture. He has really scaled down what he has because he knows what he uses and needs.</p>
<p>Both S & D found that having a printer on hand makes it a lot easier - D was having a problem where her first class met before the computer lab with the campus printers opened in the morning.</p>
<p>Those little plastic thingies you put under the bed posts to raise it up a couple of inches (bed risers?) are terrific for opening up tons more storage space. D brought a lockable foot locker to store her photo equipment, but I’ll be interested to see if it goes back to school next year.</p>
<p>“They will not wear the same clothes they have been wearing.”</p>
<pre><code>This is so true. And Thumper is right -----take half of what you think she needs. Five pairs of shoes are fine. You run the risk of alienating a good room mate by asking her to accommodate fifty pairs of shoes.
</code></pre>
<p>I’m big on the emergency medical kit mentioned above as well as giving your student some sort of organizational system for their finances. There are plenty of extra expenses for music students and they need to keep track of what has gone where. D was very popular among other vocalists and musicians as she owns a garment steamer–a great item that saves on dry cleaning as well as the wear and tear on formal duds.</p>
<p>DS was popular because he had his own little vacuum.</p>
<p>S is the fourth (and last) kid going off to school. We’ve learned that less is more. </p>
<p>The aforementioned medical kit is a must-have. </p>
<p>A good lint brush is indispensable, especially for those black tuxes.</p>
<p>Speaking of keyboards – does a vocal performance student really need one if there are plenty of available practice rooms (and I know there’s a big IF). Is this something vp’s can do without? Will it just consume space in the room? What’s your experience? We’ve heard from one parent that it’s handy for working out music. What do the other parents and singers say? Any advice as to what make/model keyboard and/or which bells and whistles (no pun intended, sort of). All advice eagerly considered!</p>
<p>Your vocalist does not need a keyboard. D had one the first year and NEVER used it. She didnt like the sound or the key action. She had gotten pretty used to the Steinways in the practice rooms.</p>
<p>Thank you, musicamusica.</p>
<p>DD does not use it to replace practice with the piano. She uses it to work out music in her room. She does not have to spend the time in practice room for that part. It probably depends how your student learns music. DD is dyslexic and it takes her a while to pick apart her music before she starts singing it. She can do that part with the keyboard and headphones. She has always used a smallish keyboard for that. If that is not what your student is used to, it may not be needed.</p>