Get your favorite student ready for dorm life with these gotta-have products and pieces of advice from university experts.
1. DO Your Research:
Shopping for college gear can be tricky, especially if you're a parent with a freshman moving into a dorm for the first time. As retailers start promoting merchandise for dorm life, shoppers can get carried away and end up purchasing more than they planned. According to housing experts at several universities, students moving on campus should always check their school's website and find out what they should and shouldn't bring. Vennie Gore, the Assistant Vice President for Residential and Hospitality Services at Michigan State University says every school and dormitory is different, so it's best to do your research before you hit the stores.
2. DO Know the Goods:
For example, some dormitories will provide appliances for their students. According to Toni Greenslade, the Associate Director of University Housing at Ohio State University, freshman will find a MicroFridge (a combination microwave and refrigerator) in each room. At other campuses, students can find places to rent small refrigerators and appliances so they can avoid a bulky move. Some dormitories have computer labs that are open 24 hours a day, so buying a brand new laptop may not be necessary. If you already have a laptop, you may not need to purchase a brand new television or DVD player. According to Greenslade, more students are watching television and movies on their computers. Continue reading below
Keep grades on the up and up with this cool and useful study tool. The Livescribe Pulse™ Smartpen will record audio from class lectures and sync it up to whatever handwritten notes are taken. A USB connector transfers all data to your computer where it can be transformed into movies or other study tools. The 1GB version can hold up to 100 hours of audio. $148.88, walmart.com
LiveScribe
College students have a lot of gadgets. Help keep them organized (and their wires tangle-free) while they charge. The Your Zone Gadget Charging Station can be used for everything including cameras, cell phones or iPods. $12 , walmart.com
Walmart
A good sheet set can be hard to find, especially when you are looking for a Twin XL. Luckily, TwinXL.com has selections with varying designs and colors, so students can go beyond the basics for a cool bedroom look. Those with school spirit can choose from their NCAA collection while others can pick from a variety of patterns(Mosaic pictured here). $42.95 to $129.95, TwinXL.com
TwinXL.com
For those worried about the potential pitfalls of communal living, this product will help you sleep easy. The Allergy Luxe® Bed Bug Mattress Protector is recommended by entomologists. It helps keeps little insects (like bed bugs) away with security zipper closures, plus it even comes in a twin extra long to fit dorm beds. Twin extra long, $59.99 at bedbathandbeyond.com
Bed Bath & Beyond
Make it magnetic! Keeping track of a weekly schedule is made simple with these decorative panels. The Daily Dot Calendar comes complete with a dry erase pen and magnets to keep things like documents, tickets and photos in place. $69, pbteen.com
PB Teen
Hauling a laptop from the dorm to library can be a hassle. Protect your tech with the BYO by Built NY Sideways Laptop Sleeve. Constructed from neoprene, the material used to make wet suits, this case was designed to help absorb the bumps of everyday carrying. Plus, this sleeve is airport friendly so flying home for the holidays with laptop in tow won't be a hassle. $24.88, walmart.com
Walmart
Since so many dorms rooms come with modular furniture, why not make the living space more zen? Dorm Room Feng Shui by Katherine Olaksen will help you use the art of spatial arrangements to plot out a setup that makes the dorm a calm place to live, study and relax. $10.95, spoonsisters.com
Spoon Sisters
Music lovers will get a kick out of these writing utensils. These pencils are shaped as drumsticks on each end, so anyone can bust out an impromptu solo during study sessions. Sold in a set of two, these sticks have No. 2 lead, ideal for test taking. $10.95, spoonsisters.com
Spoon Sisters
Students can always stay in touch with this mobile device charger. The Duracell Rechargable Instant USB Charger can be taken on the go and used to juice up Blackberry's, iPods and other devices for longer battery life. Plus, it eliminates the "My phone died," excuse for not calling home! $29.99 available at at amazon.com
Duracell
Shed light on your memories. PB Teen's Glass Display Lamp Base has enough room for photos and other displayable keepsakes. The shade is accented with a touch of color from ribbon trim. $35-$79, pbteen.com
PB Teen
3. DON'T Overlook the Land Line:
It's also important to check with the institution to see if it provides phone service in dorm rooms. Because cellular phones have become so common, some schools, like Ohio State, have stopped offering phone service in dormitories, while others, like Penn State, will only offer it if is requested. If land lines aren't provided, it may be time to reevaluate your mobile service plan to make sure students will have plenty of minutes to call home.
4. DO Be Considerate of the Planet:
Be sure to coordinate with any roommates to avoid making duplicate purchases and ending up with more than what you need. David Manos, the Assistant Director of Housing at Penn State University, suggests that students and parents consider the environment when making purchases this year. Thirty percent of all the university's energy bill can be attributed to students in dorms, and simple changes, like purchasing LED lights or using CFL light bulbs can help make a difference.
5.DO Know the Quirks:
Most schools provide you with furniture. In recent years, the trend has been to provide modular furniture rather than the kind bolted down to the floor, so students may be able to move items around once they arrive. Parents and students should also be prepared to hunt for Extra Long Twin-sized sheets, since that's the standard in many dorms across the country.
6. DON'T Forget to Have Fun!:
Of course, campus life isn't all about studying. A growing trend for students is using technology as recreation tools. Bridget LeLoup, a Resident Director at UCLA has seen students go from clunky televisions to flat screens. Recreational activities, like intramural sports teams, help fill out the rest of a student's schedule. Greenslade suggests that they bring along any sports equipment that they may want to use or interactive video and board games they can play with their dorm mates.
As a parent of a junior....if you are traveling with your child, shop for almost NOTHING before you go to campus. Do a web search for the nearest Bed Bath and Beyond, Kohls, or Kmart. AFTER you see the room, go shopping.
IF YOU TRAVEL with your child, buy almost nothing ahead of time. Search the internet for the nearest Bed Bath and Beyond or Kmart or Kohls, and shop once you have actually SEEN the dorm room.
tomcat, ur an ass. you probably did know this stuff. there was some stuff on the side that was helpful. some colleges do not offer phone services right away, or they have to turn the phone line on. Some do not have wifi for the dorms at all, just campus. there were some other good tips. This was for totally new people who were clueless and you obviously are a stuck up prat who thinks they know all. It's nice to know your settled in your dorm if you even have one.
Willnax 01:18:01 PM Aug 24 2009 Report This! Avril Lavignegirl IMPARTIALITEYRequirie our ass girl soul's makechildren from in visible in Biblacal cord bemermaid dress the same becauseFANION problem so they connect boy's UNIVERSEspirit______________________________________________________________________Say what??? Could we try that again in some sort of coherency???
The most fun thing i sent my son and daughter to college with was a kit to grow a Pet TickleMe Plant. This kit produces a dorm plant that will close its leaves and lower its branches when it is tickled. Ofcourse everyone one in the dorm wants to try it..so its a great way for them to meet new people. My own students run to class to pet their TickleMe Plants. Get your own little greenhouse to grow them at http://www.ticklemeplant.com or hundreds of other stores. Your kids will always remember you for this...and get one for yourself!
Noticed that someone found the article I posted with the list for what you need to furnish your dorm room to be helpful..(http://www.celebrationideasonline.com/college-dorm-room.html). Here's another good one about SAVING MONEY ON COLLEGE TEXTBOOKS.. there are some terrific ideas in here about how to save a ton of money on textbooks.. Books are a really big expense and sometimes students don't know about all the options available to let them keep some extra money in their own pockets for other college needs.. check out these ideas.. http://www.celebrationideasonline.com/saving-money-on-college-textbooks.html
