Well you knew it would come eventually….the wonderful bundle of joy that was your blessing 18 years ago is flying off to the land of the “College Campus”. So how do you prepare emotionally for leaving the love of your life, turning around and walking away so they can begin their own lives…you prepare their nest! Off to Target, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Best Buy and The Container Store! These are the immediate rites of passage. Keep the parents busy preparing the kids new home away from home while they are busy socializing, adjusting and preparing for their first sojourn into the eventual shock of reality. I’ve done this 3 times…and it is always a mix of love, emotion, devotion, completion, accomplishment and sadness. Here are some tips I wish I’d had.
Tips:
1. Dorm beds need Twin XLG sheets! You will need to find them on-line as most stores, with the exception of BB&B don’t stock them. Good news is that nowadays there are chic and stylish sheet selections. You can definitely be creative and embrace the new found independent sense of style that is emerging in your collegiate.
American Flag Twin XL Bed Set, $169 from Urban Outfitters.
2. Rugs, most colleges will specify how big your rug should be on their website, but if they don’t, generally 4×6 or 5×7 is a safe bet. These rugs will provide warmth for the cold little tootsies that are waking up early to get to the 8am class that only freshman enroll in.
Virring Rug $9.99 from Ikea.
3. Pillows….pop with personality and can provide sentimental connection.
Plus One Pillow In Pug, $44.99 from Mod Cloth.
4. Lighting…in my family we call these Gypsy lights and they can be changed depending on the mood or holiday! These little lights that can be static or flickering provide a soft approach to the sometimes glaring overhead florescent lights that most dorms offer for optimal studying success.
Mix and Fla-mingle String Lights, $19.99 from Mod Cloth.
5. Laundry Storage….and you will need a lot of it because laundry will not be in your college students top 10 must do’s each week!
Large Tint Stacking Drawer $14.99 ea from The Container Store.
6. Wall decor! From clocks to expressions of personality dorm walls are the mirrors of every collegiate’s true directional purpose…even if it’s only in the immediacy.
We Are Young Flag, $34 from Urban Outfitters.
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Photos courtesy of Pinterest!