<p>We will be driving down to Bama Bound. Will probably let younger son do the sibling Bama Bound while older son does the student Bama Bound. We may even consider doing the Parent Bama Bound (unless we decide it will be more fun to have a Parents’ Time-Out Day in Tuscaloosa…maybe hit Nick’s in the Sticks for that yummy steak we’ve heard so much about :)).</p>
<p>Anyhoo…we would prefer NOT to stay in campus housing. Can anyone suggest some reasonably good, affordable accommodations near campus? (I’m sure this has been covered before, but I can’t find the relevant thread.)</p>
<p>Also–does the student stay on campus with a host-student? Or can he stay in hotel / motel with parents? (Either way would be fine with us. I think DS would prefer staying with host-student on campus!)</p>
<p>I should probably read the orientation site for answers. D’uhhhh! (Have just come to rely on the very gracious people at this forum!)</p>
<p>I just assumed students stayed in the dorms with other BB students. I know my middle son, now finishing his third year, was assigned a room with other incoming freshmen. I paid the extra $17 or so dollars to have bedding provided by Housing. Our son traveled by plane without us so it was much less to pack without bringing his own bedding. </p>
<p>I have made ten trips in the last three years. I prefer the Holiday Inn Express on 15th just east of McFarland (across from the Mall). If you do not smoke, make sure you request a smoke free floor! My least favorite was the MicroInn or Micro Hotel on 15th that sits up on a hill above Home Depot. The parking spots are very narrow and the walls are paper thin. I have stayed at other nicer hotels south of the Interstate but they are not as convenient as the two I mentioned.</p>
<p>LadyD,
I would recommend the parent Bama Bound since you are going to be there with him. You will get a lot of information and feel much more “in the know” when you leave.</p>
<p>The students who stay on campus during Bama Bound stay in a dorm with other incoming students, not with a host student. I’d definitely recommend staying on campus.</p>
<p>I stayed at the Capstone last year during Bama Bound. It’s definitely not the least expensive, but it is very convenient!</p>
<p>I agree about doing the Parents Bama Bound. The information you receive is quite valuable. While you are there, you and your son can set up his post office box and perhaps, an Alabama Credit Union account. (The C.U. account is definitely for convenience.) Meanwhile, having your son stay on campus is a great way for him to meet other incoming students.</p>
<p>Thank you!! Gonna see if I can talk penny-pinching hubby into the Capstone! Sounds lovely. And yes, we will do Parents’ Bama Bound – thanks so much for the tips!</p>
<p>We just stayed at the Wingate and would certainly recommend it. It is not within walking distance but we felt it was still convenient. The building must only be a year old. Got a great Internet advanced purchase price and the FREE breakfast was good. The bedding was wonderful and made for a good nights sleep.</p>
<p>*While you are there, you and your son can set up his post office box and perhaps, an Alabama Credit Union account. (The C.U. account is definitely for convenience.) Meanwhile, having your son stay on campus is a great way for him to meet other incoming students. *</p>
<p>^^^ I will just add that we have found that the P.O. Box is not really necessary. Most kids do not get regular mail, they text and e-mail. I was sending packages via the Post Office but they usually do not fit in the box and then you have to wait in a long line to pick up. I find UPS to be much cheaper. I ship a lot and from the NE. Just my two cents worth.</p>
<p>Here is my two cents worth on the Post Office Box subject:
We tried to get by without renting a PO Box but had to get one midway through my son’s first year. He rarely gets letter mail but I send many care packages using the USPS Flat Rate Boxes. I know my son prefers to get packages at Paty Hall using Care Package Delivery Service because it is very convenient. I tend to use the flat rate boxes because postage is usually cheaper than Fed Ex or UPS. We have also purchased items on line and had the purchases shipped direct to campus. Some e-bay and Amazon sellers only use USPS.</p>
<p>I guess it is one of those things where you just have to decide on a case by case basis. </p>
<p>By the way, if you ship through a local UPS store they have a student rate. Also, students will get a package shipped free when they have earned enough credits. My local store also allows me to use my AAA discount stacked with the student discount. For me, it has always worked out to be less expensive to ship UPS. Depending on where your residence hall is located on campus, Paty can be very convenient.</p>
<p>I like to get mail. The lines for the post office can get long, but they move quickly. Paty is often more convenient for packages, especially since Amazon Prime takes longer to ship to PO Boxes, but for many OOS students and those who don’t go home very often, a PO Box is a good thing to have. There have been times where I’ve needed to receive/sign important documents. If your student has a magazine subscription, it’s much easier and cheaper to have it sent directly to their PO Box. </p>
<p>I would suggest getting a PO Box during Bama Bound as the lines are shorter. The online system for reserving a box doesn’t save much time and opening a PO Box while at a different post office is a complicated process to say the least.</p>
<p>Okay, now I’m confused. Where does mail go if the student doesn’t have a p.o. box? Does mail go to their dorm? Why is the box more convenient? I believe you guys, I just haven’t figured it out yet!</p>
The lines for the post office can get long, but they move quickly. Paty is often more convenient for packages, especially since Amazon Prime takes longer to ship to PO Boxes, but for many OOS students and those who don’t go home very often, a PO Box is a good thing to have. There have been times where I’ve needed to receive/sign important documents. If your student has a magazine subscription, it’s much easier and cheaper to have it sent directly to their PO Box. </p>