<p>All you upper classman and parents of out there - what are must haves that we might forget but shouldn't?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>A surge protector for the laptop.</p>
<p>I’ve said this before, but rain boots!! Everyone was rushing to get a pair from Target once the winter started asserting its presence. </p>
<p>Also, maybe:
-Something to hold your Panther Card in that allows you to take it out/put it back in quickly. You’ll have to do this a lot since it has to be used every time you want to get into your dorm building, use a pass/dining dollars at Market, ride the Port Authority for free, etc.
-Bringing a small printer is convenient because if you don’t have one you will have to print to a lab and go pick it up.</p>
<p>A dish set and silverware. Very useful. Can opener… And yeah, definitely rain boots.</p>
<p>Thanks - but a question - how do you convince a 17 year old boy to get rain boots?</p>
<p>Well, what’s his gripe against wearing rain boots? He could get a pair of Timberlands or something (expensive though!), they don’t have to be the plastic kind that go all the way up the leg that people first think of when they think rain boots. </p>
<p>Anyway, even if he’s completely resistant to the idea, it’ll only be a matter of how much he wants to put up with wet pants hems and socks to convince him to get a pair.</p>
<p>Okay I have NO idea what kind of rain boots are acceptable/useful for girls, since around here it’s never wet… just snow or ice. I’ve heard of wellies but after a quick google search they look ridiculous haha. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>Schritzo - no idea why he is so resistant. I figure when he is sick and tired of being wet he’ll get himself a pair.</p>
<p>(1) Brita water filter- I got sick of constantly drinking icky tap water all the time and it’s a cheap way to get a drink!</p>
<p>(2) Tupaware- great for storing leftovers, because sometimes that Chinese food just does not last in the boxes they give you :P</p>
<p>(3) Vitamins- random, but it keeps the cold and flu away, especially when you’re only running on Starbucks, 4 hours of sleep, stress, and a lowered immune system. And being sick in college SUCKS! I got the flu and unless you have a super awesome roommate, they can’t cater you all day.</p>
<p>One tube of the Clorox wipes, speaking of the flu. My daughter’s suite had to be one of the first sites of H1N1 at Pitt last fall. She escaped.</p>
<p>And for guys, take a look at some of the waterproof shoes. LLBean has them. Merrill makes them. Lots of companies have them. One other thing I remember from my home ec classes is that wool stays warm when it is wet, so a couple pairs of socks with wool might be useful a little later in the year.</p>
<p>The meningitis vaccine thread reminded me that every student should take a thermometer. Temperature is a great indicator for when medical attention is needed. If it is 102+, go to the clinic. And the Pitt police will pick up a sick student and transport him/her to the clinic.</p>
<p>Why a surge protector? Laptop power supply should handle it. Never seen a business traveler use a surge protector for laptop.</p>
<p>Also you might want to have lots of $1 bills if your kid likes to buy from vending machines. A lot of vending machines either don’t have a place to swipe your Panther Card or the swiper doesn’t work and all the nice drinks end up being in those machines.</p>
<p>The power supply/adapter of the laptop provides some protection but it doesn’t hurt to have extra protection especially on an expensive piece of equipment – one that you don’t want to replace when you could have prevented it. </p>
<p>The surge protector is pretty cheap and many are built into the power strips. Hubby plugs his laptop into a surge protector when he travels. Frankly I would pay the $20 for a surge protector versus the hundreds of dollars to replace the laptop :)</p>
<p>Surge Protector - check!
Tupperware & Dishes - Great idea - would not have thought of that.
Rain Boots - been working on it
$1 bills - adding that to the list
Clorox Wipes & Thermometer - also good ideas I would not have thought of. The list gets longer and longer.</p>
<p>I also have to keep remembering that he is in a city and has easy access to what he needs so not the end of the world if I forget something.</p>
<p>Must me the mother in me.</p>
<p>You are right that the kids have easy access to what they need. One year we totally forgot to pack any hangers. My daughter just went down to the local Rite-Aid or CVS and stocked up. Also, if your kid is living in Towers, you might want to buy a nice shower curtain and adjustable bar because the closets there are open (no doors). I feel that an open closet looks messy all the time, but your son may not care about this!</p>
<p>^You’re right… I had to go to the Rite Aid/CVS for hangers too.</p>
<p>How funny that he wanted hangars and I don’t think he’ll ever use them</p>
<p>How big of a place is there to hang clothes, even? All I can remember from pittstart was a few wire shelves, I don’t even remember a clothes rod?? (I’m in towers)</p>
<p>There’s definitely a clothes rod, but I’m not quite sure how it’s placed in the closet. There are wire shelves, as you remember. Also, there is an open space, where my daughter put the microfridge that we rented (which is a microwave/freezer/fridge combo, so it’s not too small).</p>
<p>Maybe someone else can describe the Towers closet better than I can.</p>