Blogging the info college students need for dorm smart living, articles, reviews, tips & more!
Feb 29, 2012
Coming this Spring... Get the Dorm 411 on Dorm Supplies from DormSmart Studio Host, Megan Leslie.
Megan is a junior at the University of Arkansas Sam Walton College of Business and co-founding student of DormSmart.com!
Feb 21, 2012
Camp Supplies = Dorm Supplies = BIG SAVINGS... Get the Dorm 411!
By Christi Leslie, Founder & CEO DormSmart.com
Creator of Dorm411.com
Live Dorm Smart Shopping Tip:
Many students, including college bound students, participate in camp (i.e., sports camp, cheerleading camp, band camp, chorus camp, summer camp...) so invest in quality camp supplies that will last and can be easily transitioned from camp life to dorm life.
For example, DormSmart's quality wheeled trunks, waterproof shower bags, and laundry back packs… are durable and can be multi-purposed as both camp and college supplies for your busy student!
Just another way to shop and live Dorm Smart!
Creator of Dorm411.com
Live Dorm Smart Shopping Tip:
Many students, including college bound students, participate in camp (i.e., sports camp, cheerleading camp, band camp, chorus camp, summer camp...) so invest in quality camp supplies that will last and can be easily transitioned from camp life to dorm life.
For example, DormSmart's quality wheeled trunks, waterproof shower bags, and laundry back packs… are durable and can be multi-purposed as both camp and college supplies for your busy student!
Just another way to shop and live Dorm Smart!
Feb 16, 2012
Make or (Spring) Break It: Tips for Avoiding College Travel Disasters... Get the Dorm411!
"If you are planning a spring break trip and need a few tips, then you'll want to read this article by Hannah Purnell of collegeview.com. Hannah gives some great tips for a fun yet safe spring break vacation!" -Megan Leslie, U of A - Sam Walton College of Business
Co-founding Student, DormSmart.com
"...As spring break looms near, college kids all over are gearing up for fun away from the watchful eyes of parents, coaches, and instructors. But kicking back doesn’t have to mean losing control. Here’s how to pull off a spring break trip that’s relaxing, memorable, and most importantly, safe... read on at collegeview.com..."
Feb 4, 2012
What do I pack for a visit home from college over break? Get the Dorm 411!
By Christi Leslie, Founder & CEO DormSmart.com
Creator of Dorm411.com
DormSmart Q & A
To help you pack and make traveling home from college a little easier over break... we've come up with a few tips:
Tip #1 Create a “To Do List”
It is always a busy time on campus before each break. To make life a little easier for yourself, consider creating a quick “To Do List” a week in advance to prepare for your trip home (i.e. prepare your dorm room, packing list, return books, take care of pets…).
Tip #2 Only Pack the Essentials
If traveling home by airplane, only pack the essentials. Most airlines impose hefty fees for additional luggage and overweight baggage.
If carpooling home, remember you have to share the storage space in your vehicle with other students. Depending on the size of the ride and number of passengers, storage space may be limited.
If driving home on your own, remember YOU have to pack and haul everything from your dorm room to your car. Even worse, when you return to campus, YOU have to unpack and haul everything back into your dorm room.
Hint: This may be a great time to invest in a few space saving storage bags to make packing for visits home from college more manageable.
Tip #3 Pack Seasonal Items – Save Dorm Space
If you do have the space in your vehicle, take advantage of it and pack seasonal items you no longer need to create additional space in your dorm room. There will also be less to pack when you return home (move out of your dorm room) for summer break.
Tip #4 Mom
Whether preparing to travel home from college via airplane, carpool, or driving yourself… keep in mind that mom probably has purchased everything you’ll need in anticipation of your visit. If you are unsure about what to pack for a visit home from college, mom is just a phone call or text message away.
As always, live dorm smart!
Creator of Dorm411.com
DormSmart Q & A
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| I don't know what to bring home or what to leave on campus over break? |
Tip #1 Create a “To Do List”
It is always a busy time on campus before each break. To make life a little easier for yourself, consider creating a quick “To Do List” a week in advance to prepare for your trip home (i.e. prepare your dorm room, packing list, return books, take care of pets…).
Tip #2 Only Pack the Essentials
If traveling home by airplane, only pack the essentials. Most airlines impose hefty fees for additional luggage and overweight baggage.
If carpooling home, remember you have to share the storage space in your vehicle with other students. Depending on the size of the ride and number of passengers, storage space may be limited.
If driving home on your own, remember YOU have to pack and haul everything from your dorm room to your car. Even worse, when you return to campus, YOU have to unpack and haul everything back into your dorm room.
Hint: This may be a great time to invest in a few space saving storage bags to make packing for visits home from college more manageable.
Tip #3 Pack Seasonal Items – Save Dorm Space
If you do have the space in your vehicle, take advantage of it and pack seasonal items you no longer need to create additional space in your dorm room. There will also be less to pack when you return home (move out of your dorm room) for summer break.
Tip #4 Mom
Whether preparing to travel home from college via airplane, carpool, or driving yourself… keep in mind that mom probably has purchased everything you’ll need in anticipation of your visit. If you are unsure about what to pack for a visit home from college, mom is just a phone call or text message away.
As always, live dorm smart!
Home From College But Where's My Bedroom? Get the Dorm 411!
By Christi Leslie,
Founder & CEO of DormSmart.com
Creator of Dorm411.com
When you head home from college during break, don’t be surprised if there have been some big changes at home, including your bedroom, read on...
When my eldest daughter, Jamie, left for Radford University she told me repeatedly that she was not planning to come home for school breaks. She wanted to travel on spring break with friends and in the summers take on different jobs, maybe by the beach. As a first time parent of a college bound freshman, initially I tried to hang on tight and force her home, unsuccessfully!
Feeling the loss one afternoon, shortly after Jamie’s birthday, I could no longer bear to look at her empty room so I packed up and stored her things, moved her youngest sister into her bedroom... then turned her sister’s room into a personal space for myself. When Jamie finally came home, she felt a little lost and betrayed, as if she didn’t belong anymore. So here is my advice for both students and parents…
Advice for College Bound Freshman
When you leave for college, remember mom and dad may initially feel a little lost. After all, just 24 hours before dropping you off in your campus dorm room far away from home your mom may have had to help you find a missing article of clothing you just had to take to campus while dad probably loaded all your stuff into the car. Just imagine how scary it must feel for your parents to leave you on campus alone. So while you may be feeling that new found independence of a college freshman, don’t pull a “Jamie” and repeatedly tell your parents you are never coming home to live again. While you may not intend it to be hurtful, it does sting a little. To this day, Jamie and I laugh about it because she has moved home on more than one occasion since leaving for college.
If you do come home for summer break to find your bedroom has been turned into an art or photography studio, try not to take it personally. Maybe mom just needed to make changes to help her adjust to your leaving the nest. If your old room means that much to you and you feel robbed of your space, talk to your mom about how you are feeling but keep in mind that you are an adult now and will soon be moving from your dorm room into your first place so does it really matter where you sleep if it helps mom let go?
Advice for Parents of College Bound Freshman
When your student leaves for college, especially your first born, it can be heart wrenching. While you may feel excited for them, you may also feel a sense of loss. Those feelings should pass in time and be replaced with a new found independence of your own, meaning you have a little more time to pursue your own interests. If those interests require the use of your student’s bedroom you may want to ease them into the transition… Don’t let your student come home from college for summer break and be surprised by the changes, work it out ahead of time. Just remember, most of us felt a sense of loss when our childhood bedroom was no longer ours… it’s a natural progression.
Good luck to your entire family this coming school year and remember to live dorm smart!
Creator of Dorm411.com
When you head home from college during break, don’t be surprised if there have been some big changes at home, including your bedroom, read on...
 |
| Home From College But Where's My Bedroom? |
Feeling the loss one afternoon, shortly after Jamie’s birthday, I could no longer bear to look at her empty room so I packed up and stored her things, moved her youngest sister into her bedroom... then turned her sister’s room into a personal space for myself. When Jamie finally came home, she felt a little lost and betrayed, as if she didn’t belong anymore. So here is my advice for both students and parents…
Advice for College Bound Freshman
When you leave for college, remember mom and dad may initially feel a little lost. After all, just 24 hours before dropping you off in your campus dorm room far away from home your mom may have had to help you find a missing article of clothing you just had to take to campus while dad probably loaded all your stuff into the car. Just imagine how scary it must feel for your parents to leave you on campus alone. So while you may be feeling that new found independence of a college freshman, don’t pull a “Jamie” and repeatedly tell your parents you are never coming home to live again. While you may not intend it to be hurtful, it does sting a little. To this day, Jamie and I laugh about it because she has moved home on more than one occasion since leaving for college.
If you do come home for summer break to find your bedroom has been turned into an art or photography studio, try not to take it personally. Maybe mom just needed to make changes to help her adjust to your leaving the nest. If your old room means that much to you and you feel robbed of your space, talk to your mom about how you are feeling but keep in mind that you are an adult now and will soon be moving from your dorm room into your first place so does it really matter where you sleep if it helps mom let go?
Advice for Parents of College Bound Freshman
When your student leaves for college, especially your first born, it can be heart wrenching. While you may feel excited for them, you may also feel a sense of loss. Those feelings should pass in time and be replaced with a new found independence of your own, meaning you have a little more time to pursue your own interests. If those interests require the use of your student’s bedroom you may want to ease them into the transition… Don’t let your student come home from college for summer break and be surprised by the changes, work it out ahead of time. Just remember, most of us felt a sense of loss when our childhood bedroom was no longer ours… it’s a natural progression.
Good luck to your entire family this coming school year and remember to live dorm smart!
Feb 3, 2012
My Residence Hall Community Bathroom Gets So Disgusting Between Scheduled Cleanings… What Can I Do To Clean It Up? Get the Dorm 411!
DormSmart Q&A Answered by Christi Leslie, Creator of Dorm411.com
and Megan Leslie, University of Arkansas - Sam Walton College of Business
Many colleges such as the University of Michigan provide housing custodians to clean and disinfect residence hall common areas daily such as kitchens, lounges, and community bathrooms. If this is the case with your college, it may be a staffing issue that your resident advisor needs to address with housing officials.
If your residence hall community bathroom is not cleaned daily, ask your RA to speak with your college housing officials about increasing the frequency of cleanings. If budget becomes an issue invite housing officials to your next residence hall meeting… be prepared to take a proactive stance, show housing officials how cleaning the community bathrooms more frequently benefits the college. For example, the overall cost may not increase because the bathroom does not take as long to clean or overall maintenance and remodeling costs may decrease because more frequent cleaning extends the life of the facility.
If more frequent cleaning is not an option for your community bathroom, ask your RA to schedule a mandatory meeting to brainstorm possible solutions with students living in your residence hall.
For example, consider:
Live Dorm Smart!
and Megan Leslie, University of Arkansas - Sam Walton College of Business
Many colleges such as the University of Michigan provide housing custodians to clean and disinfect residence hall common areas daily such as kitchens, lounges, and community bathrooms. If this is the case with your college, it may be a staffing issue that your resident advisor needs to address with housing officials.
 |
| My Community Bathroom Gets So Dirty... It's Gross! |
For example, consider:
- Posting creative signs that encourage students to keep the community showers clean (i.e., While it’s important to wash your mane, don’t let it clog the shower drain or Remove your stray hairs from the shower or we will all be waiting on maintenance for hours…).
- Creating a reward system or contests to inspire residents to help maintain the property. With the proper approach, you may be able to convince retailers, restaurants, even concert promoters to donate prizes in exchange for the free publicity… make it count!
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