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atomom, I snorted tea all over my laptop reading your post!
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Me too, me too! Way too funny.</p>
<p>I haven't read this whole thread, but I would offer two comments:</p>
<p>a) I'm laughing at the thought of a teenage boy being organized. That's just not the way they are wired.</p>
<p>b) Be aware that, although it is unspoken, this is a very frightening time for kids. Life as they know it is coming to an end.</p>
<p>^At our senior picnic, all the choir kids (myself included) suddenly burst into a chorus of "It's the end of the world as we know it". :)</p>
<p>My D will be heading back for her second year. It's a 14 hour drive, so no turning back if she forgets something. She is incredibly organized, and we had a blast last year shopping for everything we thought she would need. She knew exactly what she wanted, so that made it easy. She got a storage unit and left alot of things at school this summer. We're leaving after dinner on Saturday to drive part of the way. We'll finish the drive on Sunday. I only wish I was as organized as she is!</p>
<p>We've got a 9-hour drive...we'll leave the 22nd and drive straight through. Move-in is the 23rd. :)</p>
<p>I haven't started packing too, been too busy with stuff at home tht I totally forget about college packing.
I was hoping tht this thread will be some sort last minute guide to what essentials you can't leave without for college lol.</p>
<p>Skygirl-
Packing tips:
Remember to bring cellphone charger, laptop battery and charger, power cords for the printer, clean underwear, some cash and coins for laundry (unless your school uses the cardkey machines), powerstrips/extension cords and a desk lamp. The rest is optional. :) I am assuming you'll remember your computer and cellphone. Few college kids forget those!</p>
<p>HGFM-
Thanks for the kind words. Your long post looked like a lot of feelings were being let loose as you wrote. Thats a good thing. I know my s is wearing the clothes he likes, adn I would be fine if the clothes were packed at the last minute. It would jsut be nice if <em>something</em> (sheets, towels, blanket, hangers, whatever) got put in the duffle or plastic containers. For that matter, it'd be nice if he even took the duffels out of the storage area!</p>
<p>My S leaves for his 3rd year back to school in about 2 weeks. He shows NO signs of packing & I suspect it will probably start (like always) the night before he leaves (with washing of clothes shortly preceding that). So far, the strategy has worked OK for him. We have only had to send him a few priority mail flat rate boxes in his 1st year & none last year.<br>
Before he & his sister went to Taiwan for the month of July, they were busy packing the night before the flight, so it seems to be the way they operate. Because he has to fly, we try not to have him transport much more than clothes & of course the laptop & cell phone with power cords & chargers. We suspect he & room mates will need to acquire some furniture this year, since he'll be moving out into an apartment.</p>
<p>Hey, SkyGirl. It's nice to see a post from you. I thought of you the other day, and wondered if you would be leaving for school soon. Hope your summer has gone well.</p>
<p>My son is going to fly and take a big bag to check as well as a carry-on bag. He is going to try to pack light. In addition to jym626's great list of essentials he will bring along an alarm clock, a bar of soap, shower sandals, a towel and washcloth, toiletries, his extra contact lenses, sheets, some pens and a minimum of clothes. If there's room in the suitcase he will bring a blanket now. He is planning on doing laundry weekly so will plan accordingly plus throw in some extra socks and underwear. We're dividing his closet into a section for clothes he wants to take and clothes that will stay at home. Whatever will fit he can take now. I will probably end up sending a box with more bedding and a suit, etc. His school has some functions where he will need a suit. I think it would probably be good if you had one business type outfit.</p>
<p>As part of his orientation program, they're taking the students to Target. We're making a list of things to buy then like hangers, StainStick for laundry, kleenex, a wastebasket, more shampoo, etc.</p>
<p>My son also heads out in two weeks leaving us the proud owners of an empty nest. Check that, we'll still have the dog. We have to make the trip to the mall for extra-long sheets one of these weekends and, on the night before we leave, he will probably want to do some laundry. I have visions of him tossing stuff out of his bedroom window onto the driveway two storeys below (well, maybe not his good guitar) for us to cram into the back of the minivan a few minutes before we leave. </p>
<p>This move will be a lot easier than daughter with her two double basses, acoustic guitar, electric bass guitar, amplifiers and bicycle in addition to all the normal stuff. We won't even need the luggage carrier on top of the van or the bike rack on back. What's more, he got a ground floor room where she always seems to be on at least the third floor of a building without an elevator. Hallelujah.</p>
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<p>Both of my sons have followed in my footsteps. I let them feel the stress, not me. If they forget something, too bad. If it needs to be mailed, I'll get it to them when I have a chance.</p>
<p>Going away to college is one of our culture's rites of passage into adulthood, so I believe in letting the students feel the stress and figure out how to react to it.</p>
<p>I also let my sons be responsible for shopping beforehand to get what they thought they needed. I also took them to a store after they moved in.</p>
<p>My mom did much of the shopping for me when I went to college, and I remember that I was resentful about this, not appreciative. She also got things that she would have loved, but that I didn't care for.</p>
<p>It really is fun doing the shopping oneself for such a major transition in one's life. Even though neither of my sons typically enjoy shopping, both enjoyed shopping to get things for college. They also seemed to take a lot of pride in being responsible for this.
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<p>I totally agree.
I take the position that nobody will starve (they have meal plan) or run around naked, so I just don't care. I did buy them new comforters because the ones they had need to retire to the trash. Other than that, I am not concerned. They are there to study, they need their laptop and books. The rest I plain do not think is pertinent to their college success. My d organized her stuff quite well and she managed to fill the van completely. I asked her what happens if she have to attend school in Europe, how is she going to manage with two suitcases and she rolled her eyes at me. ;)</p>
<p>jym-definitely. :) Not many of my friends are actually "moving out" for college, so it's hard to share anxieties with them. Yay for CC. :)</p>
<p>WashDadJr packed at the last minute, and we shipped the stuff he forgot. No worries. He didn't die.</p>
<p>My D will be heading off to college in January & is already looking forward to going to the outlet mall there & also picking up what she needs at Target & other LA stores rather than trying to squash everything into suitcases. We went up with S to move him in so we plan to go up with her to move her in as well. We will take her shopping so SHE can choose her things for her new dorm room--I know she's looking forward to it. My folks just left it all to me when I went away to college in the dark ages & it worked well for all of us that way.
We are glad S decided not to bring up too much stuff, so he could see how everyone dressed & outfitted their places before he acquired too much "stuff." He has basically stuck with his favorites--t-shirts & cargo shorts plus athletic shoes.<br>
We were surprised that he asked us to send him up a suit in his 1st semester of college. Did you know you can fit a suit into a priority mail, flat-rate box? I was surprised--also fits a tie, socks & dress shirt, all NEATLY into the same box.
He does prefer the rubber slippers from HI over those he found in LA, so I've sent him a few pairs. LA does have a huge selection -- nieces in Pocatello and East Bend have a harder time getting special HI items, so I've sent them some care packages.</p>
<p>HImom...can I come too? I LOVE the Outlet Mall, but I don't get to go as often as I'd like.</p>
<p>2blue,
It sounds like the trip to Target has become a mandatory part of every college's orientation week!</p>
<p>Yes, I know they will live, but when they forget stuff it ends up costing us more (they don't exactly bargain shop) or we have to pay to ship the forgotten items. Their sloppiness ---> our hassle.</p>
<p>I just remembered I need to buy air freshener. DS met his roommate this summer and said he doesnt wear deodorant :eek:</p>
<p>Oh, and emote away, YGFM. This is a safe place to bring that little red dump truck.</p>
<p>Oh-- and whats with you males?? It's bad enough that you have trouble getting organized to pack stuff from home, but when it comes time to pack up everything from school to bring home..how do <em>some</em> of you (note to s and H) forget to check the dresser drawers and leave copious amounts of boxers and tshirts behind!! And a stereo speaker?? The list goes on..... sigh...</p>
<p>jym:</p>
<p>I remember picking S from his summer camp dorm. He swore he was all packed. I looked under his bed: there were tons of socks (and empty soda bottles). He and his roommates had obviously not checked. We've gotten used to his idea of "all packed." It really means things thrown every which way into boxes of dubious strength.
Many colleges around here run buses to the local Target for students who have forgotten things or decided to buy things locally. I think the things to check most carefully are the electronics and accessories. The rest is not that important.</p>
<p>^^^ yup, agreed, Marite. If I'd gotten to go to DS #1s graduation (still boo-hoo'ing over that one..) these items would not have been left behind. He'd actually bought one of those robotic vacuum cleaners that roams around the floor(forgot what they are called- and not sure why he got it other than for the engineering entertainment value, as there was no visible floorspace in their room under all the junk!) -- anyway, the vacuum got left behind too, but one of his roommates retrieved it. Something else got accidentally left on the curb--- a whole box of FIREWORKS that were bought on a drive out there. Someone was probably happy to stumble across that bag.</p>
<p>Ahh-- just remembered the name of the vacuum-- a Roombah. That sucker was expensive, and my s bought 2... one to use ont he minutae of uncluttered floorspace, and one to take apart to use/play with the robot.</p>
<p>"Yes, I know they will live, but when they forget stuff it ends up costing us more (they don't exactly bargain shop) or we have to pay to ship the forgotten items. Their sloppiness ---> our hassle."</p>
<p>Ss used money from their savings and jobs to buy clothing and things for their dorm room. They also paid if I had to ship things to them that they'd forgotten.</p>
<p>Result: Sons are excellent bargain shoppers, better shoppers than I am.</p>
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Ss used money from their savings and jobs to buy clothing and things for their dorm room. They also paid if I had to ship things to them that they'd forgotten.
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S#1 is an incredible bargain shopper. I bow at his feet. S#2 would either do without, or would buy what he wants at whatever price he chooses and I wouldnt know (he'd pay for it from allowance or savings). DS#2 has no patience for shopping (like my H). The faster they can complete a purchase and get out of a store, the happier they are.</p>