- Oct 11, 1999
- 25,195
- 0
- 56
* Check the Residence Halls webpage for guidelines, recommendations, restrictions on appliances, etc. I believe my school has pretty much everything you need to know on living in the dorms. If she will have a roommate: Headphones, earplugs are a must IMO
* Get info on the dorm layout online. Here they are mostly two person and extremely small, so a lot of people build lofts, which parents usually help with. The dorm webpage should have info and restrictions on lofts.
* addall.com for textbooks. Check if you can access her schedule's book info online, otherwise she could email professors the week before class, or wait for the first day of class . Best way of identifying the correct book is from the ISBN number. If you are helping her pay, well hell however it is getting payed for, college textbooks are a ripoff, so you will want to get books this way. You can pay $150/semester instead of $500/semester.
* Definitely get her a flash drive. Cheap, convenient, lots of uses.
* Cell phone: check price of a higher minute plan versus Skype, landline in dorm room, etc. If she is like most college students, she'll use her cell a lot.
* Printer: Check with the department, but most schools have laser printers and some scanners all over. You pay significant lab fees anyway, although some schools have per-page printing fees.
* If she ends up with a bicycle, you'll need a lock. My school has one of the safest campuses in the country and unlocked bicycles still get stolen all the time.
* My last recommendation is for you to PM me pics.
* Get info on the dorm layout online. Here they are mostly two person and extremely small, so a lot of people build lofts, which parents usually help with. The dorm webpage should have info and restrictions on lofts.
* addall.com for textbooks. Check if you can access her schedule's book info online, otherwise she could email professors the week before class, or wait for the first day of class . Best way of identifying the correct book is from the ISBN number. If you are helping her pay, well hell however it is getting payed for, college textbooks are a ripoff, so you will want to get books this way. You can pay $150/semester instead of $500/semester.
* Definitely get her a flash drive. Cheap, convenient, lots of uses.
* Cell phone: check price of a higher minute plan versus Skype, landline in dorm room, etc. If she is like most college students, she'll use her cell a lot.
* Printer: Check with the department, but most schools have laser printers and some scanners all over. You pay significant lab fees anyway, although some schools have per-page printing fees.
* If she ends up with a bicycle, you'll need a lock. My school has one of the safest campuses in the country and unlocked bicycles still get stolen all the time.
* My last recommendation is for you to PM me pics.
That's something she'll have to know from the school. They may not like it if shelves were hammered onto the wall, in which case, a cheap shelf should be just fine. I got a good plastic one that's holding my printer that can print up to 13" x 19" paper and it handles it and my food well.
just do what my parents did: give her some money and let her figure it out. She has a car so its no big deal.
IronWing
No Lifer
- Jul 20, 2001
- 72,828
- 33,856
- 136
Depends. If doesn't have a bike now and not much history of riding then, yea, a cheap bike should do. Ask her if she would ride one before buying it of course. If she has a history of riding then get one that will last. Baskets or panniers are handy. I spent nine years in college with a bike as my primary transport and the milk crate strapped to the rack was the handiest thing about it.
xanis
Lifer
- Sep 11, 2005
- 17,571
- 8
- 0
I would advise against buying your daughter brand new towels. They can and often do get ruined so you'd be better off giving her some spare old towels you have at home.
As far as food and toiletries go I would just go buy everything at Costco/Sam's Club/BJ's and save yourself the hassle of continuously having to buy stuff and take it to her.
Jeeze dude thats way more than what I got, and my parents thought they decked me out to the nines.
- Oct 11, 1999
- 25,195
- 0
- 56
- Oct 11, 1999
- 25,195
- 0
- 56
if you have lofts, a futon would be a good choice, make sure it'll fit though.
all the beds at my school came pre-lofted.
all the beds at my school came pre-lofted.
roguerower
Diamond Member
- Nov 18, 2004
- 4,563
- 0
- 76
All the stuff depends on where she's going to school. On my campus a bike isn't really necessary unless you have to get from one end of campus to the other in a hurry. As for everything else, jeez, got enough electronics? Personally, I'd say forget the TV and just let her keep the laptop. Unless she's really good about keeping it off (same goes for the roommate) it'll be on 24/7 and be a distraction. I agree, a futon is nice and make sure she has all the essentials before you get there. 2 bath towels, bath robe, shower shoes, shampoo, soap, etc. I can guarantee that any store in the vicinity is gonna be mobbed during move in weekend.
Oh...and where is she going?
Oh...and where is she going?
slugg
Diamond Member
- Feb 17, 2002
- 4,723
- 80
- 91
Unless she's a computer science and/or computer engineering major, she does NOT need a new computer. 90% of students don't even need a laptop - or even use their laptop LIKE a laptop. Most "laptops" end up on a desk in their dorm. That being said, don't let her talk you into buying her a new computer.
*BUT* it's definitely a good idea to buy an extended warranty for her laptop! I wouldn't recommended it for a desktop, but definitely for a laptop.
Software - wait til she's AT the university before she buys any required software (MS Office, for example). Universities, usually, offer this type of software at a severely reduced price! For example, I bought Visual Studio 2008 Pro upgrade ($450 ish) for $25. I also received Windows Vista Business for free.
Printer - Universities let their students print for free under moderation. For example, here at USF, we can print 30 pages a day. Yes, this is more than enough! Plus, her school's printers will dominate anything you could buy for her.
Flash drive - definitely! Get something that can be put on a keychain and doesn't have a cap that can get lost. I'd recommend a SanDisk Cruzer Micro (super cheap) with at least 1 gb.
Backpack - get her a comfy and AWESOME back pack. Assume that there will be 3 textbooks, two binders, and a bunch of pencils/markers/pens/crap all over the place. Maybe some space for a little snack? Her backpack will be her LIFE between classes.
Text Books - Amazon.com, used if possible.
Birth control/condoms - No offense, but you're not living in the real world if you don't consider this seriously.
^^ other than that... all I can say is let her have fun!
*BUT* it's definitely a good idea to buy an extended warranty for her laptop! I wouldn't recommended it for a desktop, but definitely for a laptop.
Software - wait til she's AT the university before she buys any required software (MS Office, for example). Universities, usually, offer this type of software at a severely reduced price! For example, I bought Visual Studio 2008 Pro upgrade ($450 ish) for $25. I also received Windows Vista Business for free.
Printer - Universities let their students print for free under moderation. For example, here at USF, we can print 30 pages a day. Yes, this is more than enough! Plus, her school's printers will dominate anything you could buy for her.
Flash drive - definitely! Get something that can be put on a keychain and doesn't have a cap that can get lost. I'd recommend a SanDisk Cruzer Micro (super cheap) with at least 1 gb.
Backpack - get her a comfy and AWESOME back pack. Assume that there will be 3 textbooks, two binders, and a bunch of pencils/markers/pens/crap all over the place. Maybe some space for a little snack? Her backpack will be her LIFE between classes.
Text Books - Amazon.com, used if possible.
Birth control/condoms - No offense, but you're not living in the real world if you don't consider this seriously.
^^ other than that... all I can say is let her have fun!
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