College is starting back up! We sent Sophie back to Boston just this morning. And yes, she’s an old pro at this point, as a sophomore. But there are a few things that I forgot about- and you might have forgotten this stuff for your college child too!
A fan!
Let’s face it- the housing situation at a lot of colleges really just stinks. Colleges are happy to invest those tuition dollars in fancy new buildings and in expanding the administration. But housing seems to get a short shrift. Case in point: many Boston college dorms do not have air conditioning. Perhaps that was ok in 1950 when a lot of these dorms were built. But no longer. And since Sophie is lucky to even have a dorm room, she’s going to have to make do for the next two months. The weather is going to be in the 80s in Boston for the first week of classes.
So she needs a fan- and your college kid may too. We got Sophie the same one that I have in our bedroom. It’s reliable, not too noisy, and it works well. She’ll probably use it for the next three years and beyond.
Amazon Basics Oscillating Standing Fan
Find that Amazon Hub near campus
Speaking of Amazon purchases, one thing you might have forgotten about for your college student is the challenges of package delivery and pickup. I think about the little mailroom in my dorm back in the day. Each room has a little brass mailbox. Packages were rare delights. These days, a letter is probably an oddity- scores of packages arriving every day is more like it.
Last year, it took about 10 days for a package I sent Sophie to go from being “delivered” to Sophie actually picking it up. So what’s the solution? The Amazon Hub! This place is great- Amazon packages are delivered there on the normal amazon schedule, say 1-2 days. Your kid has 3 days (roughly) to pick it up. So waiting for the college mailroom to sort it all out over 1-2 weeks.
Trust me, you are going to want to find this gem early in your student’s four years on campus.
Renters insurance
Insurance is super boring- until you need it. So do yourself a favor and get a renters insurance policy for your student through Lemonade. It’s not expensive (we paid $25 a month last year), and the peace of mind is worth it. You can customize the coverage as needed, and now we know that Sophie’s stuff is protected. And let’s face it, the main concern is her laptop and phone.
I just keep learning more about the tips and tricks of doing the best for our darling college child Sophie. As the years pass, she’ll be the one amassing lots of wisdom on this topic, not me. But while it lasts, I love being part of the process of getting her settled and ready for another year of school. Love that kid so much!!
This post contains affiliate links that may generate commission for Amy and Kate.
