Helping Your Child Off to College

Today's post is for all those with college bound kids.

When our children enter high school, though we think about them eventually going off to college, we know it’s still a long 4 years away. We know we must first survive those teen years.

Then all of a sudden, the acceptance letters start coming in and our children are faced with choosing which school they wish to attend of those they were accepted to.

As the summer moves on, it’s time to help our college bound teenager begin packing.

So what are some of the must have’s for college?

1. A computer. We found that the kids that did not have their own computers most certainly were at a disadvantage. While the library does have computers, during peak times, it’s very difficult to find a free computer. Knowing a computer is a necessity, it is my recommendation that you begin saving the day your child enters high school. If you save $25 per month over the four years your child is in high school, you’ll have $1200 plus interest at the end of the four years. This will go a long way in helping your child purchase that necessary computer.

2. Bedding. If your child is going to live in the dorm, they will need bedding appropriate for a dorm room. The dorms both of my daughters have been in had long beds. These long sheets can often be found at either Walmart or Target. Contact the housing office and ask ahead of time what size sheets you’ll need. Remember your child at home. Their bedroom was their own personal haven. Help them pick items for their college room that will make their room a haven away from home. I made my daughter an afghan to take with her when she left for school. She still has that afghan today.

3. Bathroom supplies. Think of your teens’ bathroom at home. My daughter who lives at home has a blow dryer, a curling iron, makeup and a whole cabinet full of supplies. Whether your child lives in a dorm, or shares an apartment, they will be sharing a bathroom with others. Help them buy supplies and storage units that will hold everything they want to have with them at school. We searched at Target for storage units that could be carried back and forth between dorm room and bathroom. Consider what towels your teen is going to need. How often do they think they’ll do laundry? How many towels will they need to tide them over between laundry days? Go through their bathroom at home and determine what items can be left, what should be thrown away and what should be packed to take to school.

4. A cell phone is pretty standard these days for those in college. My own daughter has never had a telephone in her room at college or the apartments she’s shared with others. When I was college age, I remember the phone bill coming each month and everyone arguing over who made which calls and then trying to determine how much sales tax each person should pay. Today, the college kids use cell phones. Most plans have free long distance, making cell phone use the ideal way to communicate.

5. Kitchen Supplies. Even when my daughter was on a meal plan at school she still had both a microwave and a small refrigerator. She could store water and leftovers in the refrigerator and the microwave could cook a just purchased t.v. dinner and also heat up leftovers. These were really the only two “kitchen supplies” my daughter had her freshman year. When she moved into a dorm suite the next year, there was now a shared kitchen. She wanted some supplies of her own, so she was not always using someone else’s silverware, plates and cups. We bought some very basic utensils. We shopped at Target, buying very inexpensive supplies, knowing if they got lost or misplaced, we could easily replace them. Remember, this is home to your college student. Helping make them feel at home is the goal. There are many storage units designed for kitchen supplies. Buy a small storage unit that your student’s silverware and dishes can be stored in.

These are some of the basic must have’s for going to college. Consider sending a gift card with your student to purchase those items you may have forgotten or not considered. Sometimes you don’t always know what you need until you get there. If there is a Walmart, or Target, or K-Mart, buy a gift card that your student can use. Help them create their home away from home.

Audrey :)
http://mytupperware.com/audreyoka