Away to College
Sending your first, fourth or last child to college never gets easier. I’m sending my sixth child away to college in the upcoming weeks and it’s just as hard as the first one! She won’t be far from home which is a blessing, but I still worry. So here is how I’m preparing her (and me) for this big step to go away to college.
Supplies
The first thing we figured out was what supplies she was going to need when she was setting up her own space in the dorm. While it’s not a lot of room, we discovered a few basic items could go a long way, especially since she has had older siblings that have “been here” before.
- Bedding – We purchased a new set of bedding that included sheets, a comforter, pillow cases, etc that matched her style and personality
- Desk Accessories – While the school provides a desk, we bought items such as a desk lamp, mouse pad, power strip, and a white board
- Closet – Since the closet doesn’t offer a lot of space, we had to get creative. We purchased a tall, thin organizer that still left room for hanging clothes; plus a shoe rack, hangers, and we installed a few hooks for her coats and a robe.
- Bathroom – A new towel set, a shower organizer, personal care items and a first aid kit.
Schedule
While she had already selected her class schedule several months ago when she met with a counselor, we still worked out a daily/weekly schedule so she could visually see the layout of her time. For example, she has classes 8-12 Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays but she’s working Tuesdays & Thursdays from 9-2. Every Saturday she comes home for dinner, laundry and family time. Sundays are still church services, lunch and getting ready for Monday’s classes.
Adjustment Period
We’ve both known that this time was coming, when she wouldn’t be far from home but still not at home every day like she has been for the last 18 years. We’ve had many talks about how different things will be for both her and I! I’ve tried to make sure she knows that she’s always welcome to come home if the dorm doesn’t work out or she needs help or just gets lonely. And I’ve told her that I would like a few texts, calls and/or emails in between visits so I know how it’s going.
As a surprise, I’m putting together a basket for her that I’ll drop off while she’s in her first day of school. I picked up a laundry basket and I’m filling it up with items such as chocolate, snacks, wipes, pain reliever, shaving cream and a new Schick Hydro Silk® Razor. I know this daughter pays special attention to her appearance so a good makeup/hair/outfit day goes a long way for her confidence level! Having a new razor is definitely a luxury when you’re 1 out of 7 kids so I know she’ll appreciate it.
The best part about specifically buying the Schick Hydro Silk® Razor? Walmart is offering a Buy 1 Get 1 free coupon for disposable Schick® razors! So I save money and she feels great using a high quality but still disposable Schick® razor.
Do you have any tips or away to college memories to share with us? Leave them in the comments below!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Schick®. The opinions and text are all mine.
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