College Dorm Shopping

It’s college dorm shopping season! With a daughter, it’s typically an in-depth experience where you have check lists to make sure they’re fully prepared to be on their own. Some of the lists are provided by the college, and some by the greedy stores who are trying to convince you that your child needs everything from a hover board or small pony to help them get to class, to a priceless sculpture on a marble turn table as their room centerpiece. The list the college provides spells out what NOT to bring, because apparently they’ve had problems in the past where people have brought leaky fish tanks, explosive material, fireworks, waterbeds, deep fryers, and exposed heating elements that required a rescue from the fire department. But this way I don’t have to say no to these things, so those that ruined it for everybody have actually helped me out. Shopping with daughters doesn’t just involve hitting multiple stores anymore, it also involves cyber shopping, chatting with other girls, or Pinterest to see how they want their pictures, lights or tapestry they plan to hang. They can turn that bland, concrete room into an oasis…for a small fee. Sons? They just want to bring a pillow and a couple of t-shirts. That’s it. Every time I go to the store, it’s either moms shopping exhaustively with their daughters, or moms one-stop shopping alone for their sons without them because they do not care to take anything to college. Girls want to pick out their shower caddy organizers to help them carry their shampoos and soap back and forth to the shower. Boys? They just want to use their arms. Don’t even call it a caddy. Or an organizer. It makes them physically sick to their stomachs. The answer is always a no. Don’t need it. The girls love the big display of colors of sheets to pick from. Boys? I don’t need sheets. Just a pillow. They say they’ll just grab a blanket from home when winter hits. Girls pick out the foam bed toppers, boys are just now learning what the difference is between a top sheet and a fitted sheet let alone what a foam topper is, and they’re still not interested. They never noticed they’ve had 2 sheets all their lives. Every night. All the Moms’ fears about their children making it on their own with their observational skills seemingly lacking is now looming much larger. Girls are checking out the rooms online to see if they can fit the dresser under their beds or how big the closet is so they know how many clothes to bring. The boys will never unpack their suitcase. That suitcase has now become their dresser, hamper, and means to transport their limited interest in clothes back and forth between school and home for the holidays for the next 4 years. If the Moms unpack their son’s suitcase on move in day, rest assured that is the only time the closets or drawers will be organized, or even have clothes in them. Once it’s worn, back in the clean suit case it goes in a free for all with survival of the fittest clothing going on. Good luck college shoppers out there! Be forewarned!! Thankfully my boys weren’t quite this bad or as mentally checked out and my daughter didn’t go crazy and break the bank with her room, hopefully yours won’t either! Take some Tylenol and patience, you got this!