Archive through August 16, 2003
TV ClubHouse: Archives: The off to college thread......:
Archive through August 16, 2003
Sia | Monday, August 04, 2003 - 05:06 pm     HIDE YOUR VALUABLES IN PLAIN SIGHT!
With the Can Safe AJAX diversion safe, the bottom screws off and opens the can for a hidden storage area for money, keys, jewelry and other valuables. The can looks just like the real thing. Place it under your sink or in your cupboard to blend right in with the other cleaning items. Use it in the home or RV. Great for traveling. |
Bookworm | Monday, August 04, 2003 - 07:29 pm     Nobody has mentioned a loft. When I was a freshman, my roomate and I each had a loft that went over our desk and dresser. We through our mattresses on our lofts and it made our tiny dorm room seem a tad bigger. If you do build/buy a loft check with the college about room measurements so you will have enough room to sleep up there. Also others in our dorm had short lofts with furniture on top and mattresses underneath. Other dorms at the same college had built-in bunks, so I only used the loft one year, but I would recommend it. I was nice to be able to get in and out of bed without disturbing each other. Lots of great suggestions here!! |
Aus10 | Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 07:41 am     You all are too great! I've got a great list here and I'm sure more to come...however now I may have a problem....how to get it all there? LOL Son is taking his truck (oh why oh why did I ever agree to that?) and it's one of those small trucks..perhaps I should see if I could rent an 18-wheeler...... Bookworm....I just checked with the school, and his bed is attached to the wall??? So no lofting. Apparently it looks like a sofa, then you pull it out and it folds down to a bed? Any other ideas about ways to maximize space? I've got to laugh cause my walk in closet has more space than his dorm room does. Also, thanks for all the good wishes...it actually seems to be a little easier when I'm here talking about him going off. Besides, nobody can see my red puffy eyes on here. Glad to know I'm not the only mom's who's went through this...Hubby said I was being a baby..LOL |
Kaili | Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 07:48 am     Buy it once he's there- it's a lot easier than hauling and shipping everything. I moved across the country so had to buy most stuff there and pay UPS up the butt to send the rest. Unless you can pile stuff into the truck. It's not like he'll have room for a ton of stuff anyway. Is the truck big enough to pull a small U-haul trailer? The truck will be very handy. I was at school until March before I got a car. It was horrible having to bum rides off people to go to the store, not being able to get around (then again the bus system there was pretty nonexistant). I went and bought a new bike just to be able to get places. plus you can get him to drive home and visit that way instead of having to go pick him up or fly him home. |
Sia | Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 11:16 am     Speaking of lofts, there was a room in my dorm that had an interesting display beneath the loft, which was built into an L-shape with one bunk up high and the other up off the at the normal height for a bed. Two upperclassmen in my dorm took particular offense to pink plastic flamingo lawn ornaments and took it upon themselves to remove all that they found as they travelled across the continent. They even lifted some while they were in Canada for a Shakespeare festival!! Anyhow, the girls hung a heavy fishnet (Why? I don't know) on the wall beneath the higher bunk platform and put all the flamingo figurines (I mean the full-sized lawn ornaments!) into the net. It was, um, interesting, and always a conversation-starter. |
Redstar | Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 06:10 pm     If you'd like to get some "letters" from him, and he's not the sort to usually sit down and write, pre-address and stamp a stack of postcards. All he has to do is write a quick note and drop it in the mail. |
Mybbusername | Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 06:41 am     Cinder- I read that article, too...we must be neighbors! |
Cinder | Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 07:35 am     Mybbusername- Nope- but dh hopes to retire in FL (in 10 years) It read it in the St Louis paper. |
Reader234 | Thursday, August 07, 2003 - 03:29 pm     Hi Aus, I'm in the same boat!! My first born heading to college, so thanks for starting the thread!! I wanted to add check with college and make sure they can have all those electronics!! (ours will allow a small frig, no microwave or cooking (george foreman, popcorn etc) of any kind, and get this NO HAIRDRYERS OR CURLING IRONS IN DORM ROOM (can you imagine??? LOL at least the boys shrug it off!!!) My sons college in his bathroom they have lockers to keep stuff in, so he needs a lock there. He also checked into getting a laptop vs a personal computer... not sure what the final descion is, because... HE LEFT TOWN!! Did he pack... oh, no mom will take care of it!! He just got his roommate's name, so MOM called it!! Nice sounding boy, sounds like they will have somethings in common too, lucky son of mine!! (I will explain, not that anyone asked lol) My sons, and my dh went backpacking, it was a 65 mile hike and they were on a list, its a special trek, it ends 2 days late... His school starts Freshman only on the 14th, and move in day is the 14th... I'm getting to call, and write and explain, my son was a counselor at camp, and hasnt come home yet!!! LOL, the joys of boys, they just get along!! (or a female will do it for them... I didnt just say that did I???) lol |
Reader234 | Thursday, August 07, 2003 - 03:32 pm     Oh, may I suggest, Wal mart has these cool laundry bags - they fold up small!! Collapse, they had red, blue... came in 2 different sizes, 1 foot, and the other app 3 ft tall. Bed Bath or Linens and things had circular ones that collapsed but not as good as Wal Marts!! |
Aus10 | Thursday, August 07, 2003 - 08:07 pm     Wow Reader! congrats and keep me posted how move in etc. goes. Son's move in day is the 22nd of this month with about 4 days of orientation things going on till first day of classes. He has a job already, (not work study) but a program specific to his university and major. He's thrilled. He's going to be working on the graduate school campus in his major even though he's an undergrad. He thinks that is so cool.....He's going to be working 20 hours a week plus classes so I hope he can find time to do laundry otherwise he'll have to have 10 of those laundry bags to haul to grandma's to have her do laundry. Tee hee....grandma lives four hours from campus whereas mom lives 20..... |
Sia | Thursday, August 07, 2003 - 10:21 pm     A folding plastic drying rack was an inexpensive purchase I made when I went off to college (over 20 years ago!!) and I still have the same rack! It goes with me on (my terribly infrequent) vacations so that I have a place to dry my bath towels or beach towels. Your son/daughter might be able to use of of them at college. |
Meme9 | Tuesday, August 12, 2003 - 09:20 pm     {{{Aus10 and Reader234}}} Firstborns are hard to let go of! My baby boy leaves for college this year too. Although not firstborn, he is my youngest, and the most hardheaded. LOL He always has to do it his way and doesn't want any help with anything. My daughter is the same but not as intense about it. (It is all my fault...I raised them to be independent, WHAT WAS I THINKING, but really that is the way it should be. I just wished they needed me a little more SOMETIMES.) DD left for college in the fall of 2001,(now starting her junior yr at Purdue)and hasn't moved back home since, she went straight from the dorm to an apartment. She visits, but only for a few days at a time. So, I'm thinking my DS will probably do the same(starting freshman year at Ball State, movein date on the 21). I wasn't as weepy the last time as I am now...hang in there moms, I know we will all make it though this. |
Midlifer | Wednesday, August 13, 2003 - 07:16 am     Sigh, you're all reminding me of the fact that my DD is leaving for her junior year of college in 5 days. You would think that after experiencing this for the past 7 years (my other DD went for 4 years at her college), that I would be used to it. WRONG! I get very sad, feel empty when I view her empty room. BUT.....after a few days....I'm enjoying my alone time with my hubby (older daughter is now married, out of the house), and it isn't so bad. I just wish that the college daughter weren't 3 1/2 hours away. Sigh.... Advice to AUS....don't OVERPACK! By the time they're seniors, they take about 1/4 of the stuff they took as freshman. |
Tabbyking | Wednesday, August 13, 2003 - 02:26 pm     my son goes one month from today. the rooms are only 11 by 13 feet and will have 2 kids in them (they are currently looking for volunteers for putting 3 to a room for a 15% discount--not worth it for us, as the rooms will barely fit 2 large guys). you cannot take any additional furniture, other than a fridge, but we got underbed storage boxes (plastic, and the bed is 9 inches off the ground). my son can take his small fridge (must be under 3.0 cubic feet.) NO loft beds, or raising of the bed at all. no microwave (one is on each floor in a common area). a small coffeepot or one piece popcorn popper is all you can take into a room. we got the small mesh laundry sack which folds up like a sun visor --someone mentioned it earlier--6 bucks at k-mart, ($15.99 in a college catalog). we were also told regular sheets do not fit the extra long twin, but every student we talked to said their regular twin sheets fit fine. we have a load of double bed sheets, which i told my son he could take and just tuck in all the way around! hell, he can use half the width and then scoot the sheet over and use the other half the next two months he goes without laundering them.... LOLOLOL they did tell us at the advising session: "try to tell your freshman that they don't need to bring everything they own with them to college!!" so midlifer is right on about that! |
Aus10 | Wednesday, August 13, 2003 - 04:21 pm     We're leaving on Monday, spending a few days of vacation at grandma's in sunny FL before dropping him off at the campus. I'm dreading move-in day since dad isn't going with us, hope mom has enough muscle to help with the big things.(i.e. refrig and microwave.) We did take your advice tho folks and are buying quite a bit when we get down there. And I decided that if I was going that close to the beach no way was I staying inland...so mom got on priceline and low and behold got a 4 star hotel for a 2 star price on the WATER!!! Yippee! So even if I'm bawling my eyes out after he moves in at least I'll be looking at the beach through the tears..I'll blame it on the salt water. LOL |
Buttercup | Wednesday, August 13, 2003 - 04:45 pm     You're a smart one, Aus
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Meme9 | Wednesday, August 13, 2003 - 04:47 pm     Aus10 sounds like a great plan! I think some dorms have an elevator that you can use to move stuff in(my DD's dorm did). Hint: Look for some strong boys and ask them if they would like to make a few extra bucks helping. Most college kids are looking for extra spending money. |
Midlifer | Thursday, August 14, 2003 - 04:19 am     Oh, Aus, I feel your pain. I'm dreading Monday myself when my DD departs. As I said in an earlier post, after your child settles in and demonstrates that he/she is happy, you'll feel a LOT better. You'll be in my thoughts. |
Aus10 | Thursday, August 14, 2003 - 06:47 am     LOL@meme9....he better have an elevator! He's on the 9th or 10th floor! I'd like to thank all of you for your support and help....it's definately helping! |
Schoolmarm | Thursday, August 14, 2003 - 07:00 am     Reading this thread is going to help me get perspective....you see, many of my neighbors are college students who will be partying late into the morning when they first move in. I need to remember that they all have parents (especially when they are annoying the (%&@#) out of me). After the first couple of weeks, and perhaps a visit from the police, they figure out that they do NOT live in a "student" neighborhood. Advice from the professor: Keep your college students in the dorms for as long as possible, or until maturity kicks in. You wouldn't believe how "not ready for life on my own" many of these kids are! One even asked me why his food was going bad in the fridge....I asked how long it had been there...he said "all semester...doesn't the fridge keep food from spoiling?" This was in December! Give your children some good cooking skills! And, you know, all of the "dumb" things that they do as college students will teach them more lessons than they could learn in one of my classes. |
Reader234 | Thursday, August 14, 2003 - 03:42 pm     Meme9!!! My part of town!! I am a Ball State alum, and dh sis went to Per"dont"!! lol I so agree Schoolmarm, I went off camputs, and moved right back on!! I sure hope my ds learns from my mistakes!! I'm lucky that my son is (brag coming!) an Eagle Scout, and he's been away the last 4 summers living on his own at summer camp - and a really small (affectionate known as) shanty town!! Small wooden structure with Canvas!! Bunk beds, and a storage hanging thing (NOT a closet!!) SO Ds does do his laundry, and he can 'cook', but knows dorm food is so much better than camp food!! Aus our radio station does a farewell to kids going to college, they play all these weepy tunes, so I'm thinking I'll be ok!! The hardest part is not being connected as his advocate!! I'm so used to calling up the school and helping him get his way!! (he is hard of hearing and has an IEP!) now when i've called, I get they cant talk to me (yada yada) so I go on to explain "HE'S ON THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN - NO PHONE SERVICE" they laugh, but I know that will be the hardest part, not being able to support him!! And I've got 2 under bed plastic containers, I've talked to ds new rommie (since ds will be moving in 3 days late!!) he sounded nice!! (keeping fingers crossed rommie can put up with messy son!!) Thanks for cheering me up everyone!! |
Meme9 | Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 01:52 pm     Reader234, then Ball State should be a good one. Congrats on son being an Eagle Scout! Marm, yep, remember all those *** students have moms at home, who hope their little *** student is being good. I still like Aus's idea of making it into a vacation, a girl with a good head on her shoulders! Enjoy!!! Hugs to all that are sending their kids off for the school year. |
Reader234 | Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 02:29 pm     Meme - did you and your son visit Ball State? I was impressed, it sure has changed in 20 years!! (go figure!!) my ds is heading to Illinois State, at one time BSU and ISU were "sister" schools and share the same philosophies/structures... but I dont think ISU has changed in 20 years (this is not a bad thing mind you!! Its very quaint, and they are still making the small school atmosphere a strong point!! And if you are Lutheran, I urge you to check out the Lutheran Campus Group!! I actually helped start that (I had my jaw drop when we visited!!), my ds was impressed with how many guys showed up to say farewell!! (we visited the school the last day before Thanksgiving break! And got more personal attention than I dreamed of!! The Tech dept stayed and talked ds for 3 hours, and AND they showed him how similiar a program ISU has, so if he chose ISU he'd still get a great education!! I'm partial to Ball State!! *G And I so know what you mean about raising independent (not stubborn right!! *g) My 2nd born kinda fits that hard headed category!! Maybe its a 2nd born, but he's determined to make HIS way in this world!! (I'm taking 2 aspirins and waking up when his teenage years are over!! lol - they are good kids tho!! all kidding aside!!) I travel tomorrow, and I think I'm more nervous about driving home in the dark than anything else!! Yep, I may need to take a vacation, in the middle of Illinois!! My own personal vacation!! However, I have to pack up some of ds things!! Its just wrong!! lol, he'll be back to get what he wants, we've just got to get him there!! AND I almost forgot his birthday is Monday!! LOL what a life!! |
Aus10 | Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 03:30 pm     Oh...ISU is soooo cold! Does Bloomington have any trees to break the wind? When son went on his visit to Illinois @ Champaign, he said it was 20 degrees colder there than at home, so I can't imagine how cold ISU is! Makes me kinda glad that we're heading south for our vacation.....where else can I head to parents weekend in October and pack shorts and suntan lotion! |
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