<p>I am going to try and spread out the initial expenses for DS to dorm at UA. As OOS student, he probably won’t come home all that often.</p>
<p>What will he absolutely need to start? With the holiday sales, I would like to pick up as much as I can.</p>
<p>I would like him to dorm at Blount, as it is cheaper than the suites, although I can’t really tell from the price sheet what it would be. ?? </p>
<p>I have told him, if he can come up with the extra expenses of the suites, he could probably choose Ridgecrest South. So, don’t know if the dorm selection itself will affect anything. </p>
<p>Sheets, blankets, pillows, mattress topper, any acceptable small appliances he might use (iron, coffee maker, small clothes steamer), dishes, cups, flatware (some of these things he might coordinate with roomies), towels…</p>
<p>First time freshmen tend to bring a lot more items than they will actually need. Living in a shared room, he wont need to bring as much as someone with their own bedroom in a suite or apartment-style dorm as there simply isn’t enough space for two students to bring everything they might possibly need. In addition, one needs to balance the sale prices they see now with the cost of shipping the items to Alabama. In addition, there are plenty of stores in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham which are bound to have everything one needs at prices comparable to your hometown. Some parents also have the philosophy that they should send their student down with just a few things and bring down whatever else they need during family weekend or when the student comes home for breaks.</p>
<p>My advice would be to pack like one is going on a business trip and vacation for 2-3 weeks, some linens, basic cooking utensils, school supplies, and a couple things to personalize ones living space. Students will acquire a lot of other stuff such as can koozies, t-shirts, pens, etc. during the school year. It’s not recommended to bring clothing with the high school’s name on it such as t-shirts, letterman jackets, etc. as the student is now in college.</p>
<p>I waited until the summer sales for college students and sent everything with free shipping via two big orders from Walmart and Amazon. Tina in the UA mailroom was great and held onto the orders until DS arrived and was able to pick them up. DS just got on the plane with two suitcases containing his clothes. We made the tradeoff that he could have his own room in honors housing but we’d save on airfare with fewer trips back and forth during the year. So far he is very happy with the deal.</p>
<p>Also, keep in mind that we will have a Bed Bath & Beyond in Tuscaloosa this spring, and students also tend to ship to store there and then pick up. Thus far, they’ve used the store in Birmingham, but I imagine some will ship to the Tuscaloosa store as well.</p>
<p>Apart from the “Traditional” stuff, here is what one will REALLY need:</p>
<p>Umbrella
Tools (not excessive, but a couple of screwdrivers, hammer, pliers, etc)
Polarized Sunglasses (the southern sun is a bright one, important to protect eyes)
Ethernet cable (the Wi-Fi is terrible)
Funnel
Kleenex</p>
<p>Best advice I received: if you are driving is to place all the items in the car to see if they fit. If the stuff doesn’t fit you can’t bring it! :)</p>
<p>Your S could also bring: a Halloween costume, decorations, warm coat, gloves, scarf, and rainboots. S probably will need a nice blazer, slacks and dress shoes. There are dances, events, presentations, etc. Don’t want to have to “panic buy” these items especially if your S is hard to fit.</p>
<p>The real problem is bringing too much. Been there, done that. My D brings less stuff every year. Roll Tide!!</p>
<p>I don’t have a kid going just yet but last year I noticed that 3M Command Strips go on sale right after Christmas. So do Christmas lights if guys put those in their rooms. Command Strips are what schools usually require for hanging posters and they are expensive in the school bookstore. Congrats to your son!</p>
<p>Funny about the funnel. My son mentioned that he never has used the pizza cutter once, but they have used the funnel several times. To fill water bottles, add ice tea or lemonade mix or use powered milk to make last minute milk for cereal or for soups ( yuck). </p>
<p>My son says his bed at campus is more comfortable than his bed at home. I bought all the padding and extras for his campus bed. LOL</p>