Are you sending your kid back or off to college soon?
This year is a little bit different from sending my last kid off to college for his freshman year. I have been feeling a bit uncertain, especially with the threat of COVID-19. I wanted to make sure my son was prepared in case he or one of their roommates needed to quarantine.
A go-to-bag for college students is the perfect bag to have in case your college kid is asked to quarantine. Some colleges have asked students to bring a “go bag” with certain items ready in case they are instructed to move for quarantine and isolation purposes.
I wanted to share some simple ideas you can use to help back a go-to-bag if your college kid is asked to quarantine.
Activities
- Reading books
- Coloring books
- Other activities to keep your college kids occupied
Clothing
- 2 changes of comfortable clothing ready to go (others can be brought but having 2 ready at all times is good for your college kid to be prepared).
- Pajamas
- Underwear
- Socks
- Bras
- Flip flops or other slide-on shoes
- Extra pants and t-shirts
Electronics
- Phone and phone charger
- Laptop and laptop charger
- Kindle or other reading devices
- Power strip
- Extension cords
- Other electronics, such as TV, gaming systems, headphones, etc.
Food & Drinks
- Refillable water bottle
- Favorite snacks
- Protein or granola bars
Medical & Hygiene
- Several cloth face masks
- Digital thermometer
- Hand sanitizer and hand soap
- Disinfecting wipes or cleaning rags and disinfectant cleaning solution/spray
- Medical gloves
- Pulse oximeter
- Air purifier with HEPA filter
- Over the counter medicine for fever-reducing, cough suppressants, and saline spray.
- Cough drops
- Extra prescription medication
Toiletries
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Face wash and moisturizer
- Comb or brush
- Chapstick or lip balm
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Body wash or soap
- Deodorant
- Feminine hygiene supplies
- Towel
- Contact lenses and solution
- Lotion
Other Essentials
- Pillow
- Blanket
- Set of sheets
- Tissues
- Laundry detergent pods in a sealed bag
- Plate, cup, bowl, and set of silverware
- Printed out phone list and emergency contact information
- Identification, medical card, and credit card
- All school work, books, school supplies, calendars, calculator, etc.
- Suitcases, flattened boxes or storage bins to pack all possessions if necessary