What's the one item your child found most valuable to take to college?

<p>shower shoes and shower caddy!!!!</p>

<p>Advil gel caps, zip lock baggies all sizes and duct tape. Ran out of all three before Thanksgiving.</p>

<p>She said the duct tape was used by everyone in her suite.</p>

<p>

Not such a good idea. Read this: <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/16163974.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/16163974.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>(even if this doesn't apply to YOUR kid, you don't want to be suggesting it to others).</p>

<p>A compact tool kit (Target, Radio Shack, Bed Bath and Beyond). Your kid will be the most sought after person in the dorm.</p>

<p>Two alarm clocks. Loud ones. </p>

<p>When it's really, really necessary to get up on time, one sets the second alarm clock for a couple of minutes after the first and places it on the other side of the room, where it can't be turned off without getting out of bed.</p>

<p>scissors........................................................</p>

<p>Mom and Dad's credit card...</p>

<p>a meningitis shot</p>

<p>good desk lamp, fan(s), flashlight, flash drive, those storage cube things that can be configured in different ways.</p>

<p>I made my daughter take this, and she has thanked me several times - </p>

<p>a flashlight</p>

<p>Hangers. Everyone forgets to pack these.</p>

<p>I always give duct tape, tool kits and surge protectors as gifts. Everyone tells me they use the duct tape and tool kits.</p>

<p>Duct tape for things that move and shouldn't - WD40 for the things that should and don't</p>

<p>
[quote]
Hangers. Everyone forgets to pack these.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>For those who are traveling to college by car -- you don't pack hangers. You transport your clothes on the hangers. You simply pull all the clothes and hangers from your home closet off the pole in groups and throw them onto the back seat of the car, on top of everything else you've thrown back there. When you get to college, you pick up the clothes (still on the hangers) and hang them in your dorm room closet.</p>

<p>This was the first (and perhaps the most useful) thing I ever learned from the guy I eventually married.</p>

<p>My son and my husband always say: "if you can't fix it with duct tape, WD-40, or Superglue, it can't be fixed."</p>

<p>I did send small tubes of Superglue (single-use tubes) with both kids. Very useful for covering paper cuts.</p>

<p>I recommend a laser printer. They have gotten really inexpensive and have a lot of printing speed and toner capacity. Inkjet printers never seem to last and if you don't use them regularly the ink dries up and sometimes they won't work even with new ink cartidges. </p>

<p>I am usually very sceptical about over the counter medicines, but I recommend Zicam. Zicam really seems to get of cold in check.</p>

<p>-a couple of mugs and microwave safe plates and some spoons and forks
-an auto-shutoff hot water maker (better known as a hot pot)
-a shoebag
-bed risers
-bedrest with arms (known as a <em>husband</em>)
-a few boxes of tissues</p>

<p>Regarding the cell phones, which have become a necessity, not an option, we had Sprint and really liked the 7pm free minutes (vs 9pm for all other carriers) as well as its good reception here at home. But verizon was by far the best carrier at son's school (tower either on campus or very nearby). So instaed of giving up our 7 pm plan, we pay an additional $5 total per month and all of the phones now have unlimited roaming. So son just keeps his locked onto roam and basically is able to use verizon's tower for all of his calls. Worked out great for all of us.</p>

<p>a digital thermometer, because it's hard for them to figure out alone whether or not they might have a fever</p>

<p>As the parent of a son:
Mom: hangers son: what for?
Roommate's mom: ironing board son and roomate: still laughing since September
Generally speaking any of the items on the posts above come from the girls down the hall (they are smart boys) </p>

<p>Their necessities:
cel phone
computer
television (the bigger the better)
debit card </p>

<p>I think that covers it for them.</p>