Packing for college–what you need to know for smooth sailing on move-in day

Moving into the dorm room is one of your child’s first fleeting steps into collegiate life. What can you, as a parent, do to help make this transition a smooth one? Follow the 3 BEs! Here are some tried and true tips for smooth sailing on move-in day taken from Out to Sea: A Parents’ Survival Guide to the Freshman

10 Must-Haves for the Dorm

If you’ve got a student heading off to college this fall, then you are probably elbows deep in lists and worries. But one thing you don’t need to stress about is what to pack for the dorm. I’ve got you! There’s a complete checklist of what to pack (and NOT pack) in my book Out to Sea: A Parents’ Survival

Gift Guide for College Students

Ho! Ho! Help? Once your kids move away, it’s hard to gauge what they want or need. How do you fill their stockings this holiday season? Instead of guessing, I went straight to the savviest shoppers on the team…our college interns. I asked them to create a holiday wish list to help parents shop for their college students. Happy Holidays from the

College: Then & Now

Our daughter is a senior in high school, so we’re swimming in a sea of admissions brochures and ACTs. Of 529s and budgeting spreadsheets. Of unpredictable emotions and fear of the unknown—ours and hers. And yes, of college visits. It’s overwhelming, a little like buying a car. We’re kicking tires at campuses around the country, trying to help her narrow

Cruisin’ the Midwest

Life’s been a bit of a whirlwind here since Out to Sea set sail. During the past two weeks, I’ve had the privilege of spending time in Des Moines, Brainerd, Fargo, Grand Forks and St. Cloud for book events, speaking engagements and marketing. It’s still a little surreal. And very exciting. I’m not the best at posting my activities and

College Life: Packing for the Dorm

The Three BEs of Moving to College It’s that time of year. Students are loading up their futons and dreams and heading off to college. Parents, beware: This can be an emotional time that requires an extra dose of patience on your part. Here are some practical tips from folks who’ve gone before you—parents who’ve already played packing Tetris in