<p>Hi, I'm a mother of an international student of class of '11.</p>
<p>Now it is time to prepare for the new school life in US
and I'm very excited about it as well as my D.</p>
<p>I've found the student-suggested packing checklist.
<a href="http://apps.carleton.edu/student/housing/housing/faq/packing/%5B/url%5D">http://apps.carleton.edu/student/housing/housing/faq/packing/</a></p>
<p>This is a list what we need, thanks, but that's a lot!
How many suitcases or boxes do we need?
Can we buy those items during the international student orientation?
If possible, I want to save the number (or size) of luggage to bring or send across the sea.</p>
<p>Also, I don't know how much I, as a mother, can help our kid.
Do the parents often go with their kids when the school starts? How about the international students parents with little English?
Honestly, I don't want to be a drag to my D at the start of her new college life. Thats why I'm now wondering to get 2(or 3) air tickets to Minneapolis or one.</p>
<p>I hope this is a right place to post.
Any suggestion or advice is welcome. Thank you for your patience to read this through!</p>
<p>The vast majority of students have their parents (or at least one parent) come with them when they first move in. I wouldn't worry about that being any kind of a drag at all. There's also a Parents' Weekend a few weeks into the fall trimester that is generally pretty popular. </p>
<p>Most people who fly to Minnesota buy basic supplies in Northfield (usually Target) once they arrive. There's plenty of time to do this. Aside from clothes and my laptop, there wasn't a whole lot I brought with me. You can also ship things to Carleton and pick them up when you get there, though I'm not sure when the post office will open for the term.</p>
<p>Americanski, thanks for your reply. I feel relieved I can fly to Minnesota with my D. Still wondering about the winter clothes, when in Carleton, we do as Carls do.</p>
<p>You can also order items online from Bed Bath and Beyond (and other sellers) and have them shipped to Carleton. </p>
<p>As for winter clothes, the key is wearing layers. There are clothing stores and resale shops in Northfield. Or your student can take the shuttle to Mall of America for shopping. Or you can send items from LL Bean or Land's End. There are plenty of Minnesota natives who will give advice on what to wear!</p>
<p>Thanks, fireflyscout! Mall of America for shopping or Bed Bath and Beyond, LL Bean and Land's End for online order..sound great! They must be all international friendly. That helps us a lot!</p>
<p>I think that no matter how prepared our kids are for college, he/she will appreciate having mom or dad(or both) there to help move in. I also think that it will put the parents' minds at ease to walk around the campus, see the sights and the dorm rooms, etc. Both my husband and I will be driving our daughter to school and we are really looking forward to it.<br>
After our daughter was accepted ED, I bought her a new down winter jacket from the LL Bean catalog. I found that catalog really helpful because they give you the Fahrenheit range of temperature the coat will keep the wearer warm. Also, the coat was on sale because it was off season. You can also find the LL Bean site online.</p>
<p>For all of those forgotten items, there is also Target store located fairly close to the campus. I know that my daughter is able to get there from time to time, either by car with a friend or via public transportation or a campus shuttle (I can't recall which is avaialble, but she gets there somehow!).</p>
<p>pearl--There are special orientation activities for parents to attend during move-in, and a specific time when parents are asked to leave (so you don't embarrass yourself). We still laugh at what my son told my husband when he inquired about the parent nametags. "Dad, you won't be here long enough to need one!" :p I'm glad my son had a parent with him the first time to help with all the banking needs and such, but he moves himself in and out now. We just pick him up at the airport.</p>
<p>janineny - I'm also really looking forward to visiting campus. Thanks for telling us about LL Bean online shop. My D can shop there when the season come...that means not with the SALE tag, but we don't care. Winter clothes are too bulky to bring or send across the ocean.</p>
<p>LKADmon - Thanks! I'm happy to know that TARGET is close to the campus. </p>
<p>texastaximom -Thanks for sharing your experience with us! I feel more light because I'm afraid I'll be emotional at that time.</p>
<p>Could anyone share the experience of the International Student Orientation? From the website, international parents will be asked to leave after this orientation, before the New Student Week activities.</p>
<p>During International Student Orientation, your child will be taken to both Target and the Mall of America. ISO is very comprehensive, think of it as a crash course in American living. Your student will also be taken to get a social security number, and will go on field trips to visit attractions and restaurants in the Twin Cities. Probably anything you are thinking of doing with your child is something they will also be doing during ISO. </p>
<p>The international students bond very quickly and the upperclassmen internationals will probably throw them several parties. They are allowed to move into their dorms, and Parrish house becomes their de facto hang-out place. Many internationals come to Carleton without their parents and do just fine due to the intensive orientation. </p>
<pre><code>In fact, your student will be kept so busy during orientation you should not plan on spending much time with them. I am not trying to dissuade you from flying to America with your kid, just recommending that you fly in several days before ISO starts, and that you not feel miffed if your child would rather hang out with their new friends instead of you, as it should be!
</code></pre>
<p>farmergirl - thank you for your comment! it helps me a lot. it is more natural my student wants to spend time with her new friends. i'm now planning to fly there with her and her luggage 3 days before the ISO starts, for thinking about the jet lag. i'll stay at the hotel in northfield until the ISO parents dinner ends. ok, i won't chase her! still i'm really looking forward to visiting Carleton college!</p>