My son starts college life in the fall. A new chapter in his life...and ours. Yesterday, he got a letter from the University (forwarded from Arizona)with his dorm and room assignment. I don't know much about the dorm to which he was assigned. I do know that it was around when I went to college there. It was old then, I doubt it's gotten any younger. It's doubtful that it has air-conditioning but I'm sure that it has running water.

Along with his dorm and room assignment, a packing list was provided for our entertainment. I must say that I did have some warning about a few of these items. We received a letter last week warning us that regular twin sheets will not fit on the beds in the today's dorms. What a racket! Sometime since I left the University, someone has replaced all the regular twin beds with X-long twin beds. Fine. Apparently, students are now taller then they were when I went to school. I can accept that. Maybe. But then, they send out a brochure from a contracted company that tries to sell you a "dorm-in-a-bag" with all the sheets, towels, pillowcases, hampers, pillows, etc., etc. that you just can't live without now that you plan to move into a college dorm room and all for the really cheap price of $200. Now as I reviewed the list of items that you receive in this package, I must say that the cost isn't all that bad for all you get but upon review HTP and I noted that we really don't think we need all that stuff. Regular pillows don't fit on their x-long beds? I have pillows. Regular towels won't work? I have all kinds of towels. A hamper? Can't he just take one of my clothes baskets? That's what he uses now. I was able to get x-long sheets...250 count (the sheets that were part of the package were only 180 count...perfectly adequate but?) at a store. I have a few comforters and blankets that will fit. So...end of story, I saved $150 and tossed the letter.

I didn't toss the packing list letter. I'm still laughing about that one. "What's a bath basket?", my son asks. Good question. I think it's a basket that you use to tote all your stuff from your room to the communal bathroom and back again each morning when you want to take a shower. "I have to bring an iron and an ironing board?" I think this must be a form letter. No. You don't need to bring an iron and ironing board unless you feel the sudden urge (hasn't happened in the entire 18 years of his life thus far) to iron something. I don't think I've ever bought him any clothes that need ironing. My own ironing board and iron are currently collecting dust in the closet. Years of dust. A bathrobe? I do think that my son does own a bathrobe. I bet it still has it's original price tag on it. I'm going to have to see if this is a co-ed dorm. He may just have to get used to having to wear one of those "bathrobes"...in public. Rubber flip-flops? OK. I can't imagine him actually wearing them but I'll go out and get him some. And some Desitin too because I don't think he'll actually wear them.

He moves to the dorm on September 4th. HTP and I plan to head back to Arizona in October. This will allow for a full month to get #1 son settled into his new dorm room. He'll have to get a good look at his new room to see what he'll really need to pack and what he needs to leave here. Space will be at a premium. I have my doubts that everything that #1 son imagines that he can bring to college with him will actually fit into half a dorm room. He will be sharing for the first time in his life. This is going to be really interesting to witness.

Murphyism of the Day

Measure once, measure twice, and it still won't fit.