Dorm Room Musts -- Guest Post

Dorm Room Musts: What to Pack for the College Road Trip

As you pull out of the campus parking lot, your child happily sets up his or her dorm

room and gets ready the first week of college classes. Although waving goodbye to your

little 18 year old can be a little scary, college is an exciting time for both parents and

students. Whether your child is enrolled in courses from South University or will be

studying at Arizona State this semester, here are some helpful tips when packing for that

all important college road trip.

Bedding

Many dorm rooms use extra long twin mattresses. Extra long sheets can be tricky to track

down sometimes, so definitely check ahead of time to see if your child’s new bunk will

be regular or extra long.

Another good idea is to invest in a good mattress pad. They don’t call them dorm rooms

for nothing. A comfy mattress pad can make all the difference in a good night’s sleep and

will also cover an older mattress to keep things clean for your student.

Documents

After you move in your child, they may periodically need important family documents

such as:

•Driver’s License

•Health Insurance Card

•Certain Health Records

From time to time students will be checking in with their college enrollment office. Make

sure they have the right copies of necessary documents and that they have memorized

their social security number.

Electronics

While there are some essentials such as a reliable lap top and a phone, there are many

electronic devices that are really more luxuries than necessities when it comes to dorm

room life. Most students probably will not need a TV in their room. Many dorms have

common areas already supplied with televisions, cable and DVD players. Having a TV in

their own room can be distracting and take up space .

Another nicety but not requirement is a tablet. Although they are becoming increasingly

popular and can be useful, they are not yet a staple for surviving college life. A laptop

or notebook are already portable for taking notes in class and meeting to work on group

assignments. Many students already have smartphones and multiple mobile gadgets

might be redundant. However, this is really up to the student and how plugged in he or

she wishes to be.

While extremely convenient to have right under the bed, printers can be another added

expense with the cost of ink. A simple alternative is just walking over to the college

library where there are plenty of high quality printers to use for a few cents per page.

Once again, this probably depends on the student’s preference and particular major as an

increasing number of papers and assignments are now turned in digitally through college

websites.

Some electronic accessories that will truly come in handy are a good pair of headphones

and a couple of thumb drives for storage space and transporting presentations.

Making a Home

In the rush of finding shower supplies and school materials, it is important to remember

that your child’s dorm room is going to be home for the next nine months. While teens

will be out at class, in the stands of a basketball game or busy with friends, they will still

spend a good amount of time in their rooms. It is nice to make them feel like home with a

few bright posters and colorful blankets and pillows.

With these and a few other basics, your student will be ready to move right into the

college life.

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