FocusOnTheFamily

Packing for campus life

Written by Catherine Wilson

Have you thought of everything? Here’s a checklist of some special items your son or daughter may find helpful in their new digs:

• Laptop and printer/scanner
• Land line telephone for their room, or a cell phone
• Bicycle and lock (or money to purchase a bicycle on arrival)
• Ear plugs – in a dorm, these can be essential!
• Alarm clock
• Mattress cover
• Bathmat
• Bathroom tote – handy for stashing soap, toothpaste and other toiletries
• Bathrobe – cozy enough for venturing outdoors in mid-winter. (False fire alarms are commonplace in student residences, since students faced with cooking for themselves for the first time often burn their meal!)
• Flashlight
• Coat hangers
• Message board for dorm door
• Umbrella
• Laundry soap
• Personal tea towels
• Basic first aid kit
• Wet wipes
• Fan – offers great refreshment in a small dorm room
• Sports equipment such as a tennis racquet, ice skates
• Musical instruments
• Insurance - check whether your child’s belongings will be covered under your home insurance policy once they leave home; you may need additional coverage for computer and camera equipment, musical instruments and other big ticket items
• Cookie jar – makes a great parting gift when filled with home-baked cookies. Send a new batch of cookies every month or so as a special reminder of your love!

© 2009 Focus on the Family (Canada) Association. All rights reserved.

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