College Parent Tips

Create a Comfy Dorm Bed

 in College Parent Tips / Home  tagged college parent by

Create a comfy dorm bed from top left: mattress topper / twin xl sheet set / twin xl comforter set / pillow / squishie / mattress encasement /

The colleges are starting at the end of August with start dates continuing through the end of September. If your child is heading off to the dorms for the first time, this is the perfect time to make sure you have all the essentials for creating a comfortable dorm bed for your new college student!

I now have two daughters in college, living in the dorms. It is essential to create a comfy dorm bed for the kids so they have a cozy, comforting environment for sleeping and taking naps; as well as just hanging out. So, let’s start with the basics!

The mattress in your student’s dorm room will be slightly beefier than a camping cot; no joke. This means you need to add something to it in order to ensure a good night’s sleep. I highly recommend a mattress topper. This one is my favorite.

In order to keep your student’s bed clean, and ensure the mattress topper doesn’t slide around, this mattress encasement is a must-have. I recommend putting the mattress encasement on the bed, leave it unzipped, place the mattress topper on top of the bed and let it expand. Once it is done expanding, you can zip up the encasement which will keep the topper in place and make the bed easy to make.

Dorm beds are typically Twin XL, but always check with your college in order to validate the bed size. These twin xl sheet sets come in a variety of colors to suit your student’s taste. I recommend having two sets of bed sheets since your student will likely wait for their laundry to build up before doing a load.

Of course, the comforter is often the focal point of decoration in the dorm! This cozy comforter set will be soft and warm on your child’s bed. Love it!

Lastly, college kids love squishies! They are soft, huggable, comforting, and add some soft and fun decor to the room. Don’t bring too many during move in, the kids typically acquire more during the school year.

Those are the bare bones for creating a cozy and comfortable dorm bed! Remember to check your school’s rules regarding wall decor, and happy move-in!

Thanks for stopping by,

XOXO
Cathy

Summer internship capsule wardrobe

 in College Parent Tips / General Fashion  tagged capsule wardrobe / investment dressing / outfits by
what to wear to a summer internship summer internship capsule wardrobe

College student summer internship capsule wardrobe from top left: blue blouse / navy blazer / classic black loafer / silver hoops / golf shirt / black tote / navy trousers /

Summer vacation is here! Do you have a college student heading off to an internship with a closet full of college tee’s, sweatshirts, pajama pants, sweatpants, jeans, and shorts? Yup, me too! This means your college student, and mine, will need a few office appropriate wardrobe staples to get through the summer. So, I put together a summer internship capsule wardrobe for my daughter, and yours!

The key part of a summer internship capsule wardrobe is to make everything mix and match, as well as not go out of style. This is important because your daughter can wear these items again next summer, and also when she starts her real job after graduation. They can also be worn for on campus career events during the school year.

I recommend one simple suit. Since it gets warm here in the summer, we opted for a summer suit in navy; not linen, just lighter weight than a wool suit. This way she can get away with wearing it during the school year for on campus career events. A navy suit can be mixed and matched with other pants and the trousers can be worn alone with a blouse for a business casual look. A suit can be broken up into multiple outfits, making it the base of the capsule wardrobe.

To keep things simple, we picked up two blouses and three golf shirts. This is a one-week wardrobe. All of the tops match the navy suit in shades of blue, green, and beige. This eliminates needing to think in the morning since everything matches. After all, college students are not typically morning people.

College students tend to live in sneakers and flip flops, so I would only invest in one pair of comfortable and classic shoes. We went with classic black loafers. She can wear these for years and they are comfortable. Perfect!

One useful work tote is ideal for a summer internship. It fits an iPad or notepad for note taking, snacks, and everything she will need for a day at work. If you have an extra tote to lend her, that’s the best way to go. If not, I would invest in a classic black work tote such as the one pictured. She will get a ton of use out of it both during summer internships and when she starts her career after graduation. It is the perfect investment bag for a college student with big goals!

Shop for a college student summer internship online:

This is a small and timeless summer internship capsule wardrobe your college student can use for years. It can also be worn in formal office environments as well as business casual. Love that!

Wishing your student good luck in her internship, and a fabulous future career!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

College finals care package ideas

 in College Parent Tips  tagged college parent / lifestyle by
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College finals care package ideas from top left: protein bars / pillow mist / squishie / stress balls / chocolates / coloring book /

It’s that time of year again! If you have a college student, they may be ramping up for finals as we speak! This means added stress and added study time. They may need a little love from home in the form of a care package.

When I make a care package for my college student, I like to include something to hug, like a squishie, something that is a treat, like chocolate, something practical, like protein bars, and things which relieve stress such as stress balls, a coloring book, etc. If you include these three categories, the care package you send to your college student will hit all the buttons to help them make it through finals week, and the study weeks leading up to finals week.

You can order these items individually and send them off to your student, or you can gather them yourself and make the box they open special. I like to line the box with colorful foil and place the items in the box. This way, when my daughter opens the box, it feels special. A little bit of thoughtfulness from home can also help to relieve stress in your student’s life! Love that!

College finals care package ideas online:

Your student will get through finals, despite all the stress! As long as you are there for them to talk to, and of course, a care package helps!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy