The end of summer is a time of change for students. A semester has ended, a new one is in the near future and during that in-between period, many people find themselves having to relocate to a new residence hall or apartment.

Toward the beginning of August, while sitting on my porch passing time by spying on my neighbors, I watched U-haul after U-haul leave with old tenants and return with new ones. As each unfamiliar face hefted poorly taped boxes of belongings into their newly painted and shampooed apartments, the same thought crossed my mind over and over …

“I wonder what kind of bath products they have in there?”

That’s right. I am a bath product junkie.

I think it started years and years ago when I received my first bottle of Tinkerbell After-Bath Splash as a stocking stuffer. Mesmerized by the non-descript petal-fresh scent, I knew at that moment that my life would be consumed by the search for great-smelling things.

Now a young woman, I tend to shy away from products that smell of oceans and flowers and head straight for the ones that have food scents. I particularly enjoy a good vanilla or coconut aroma, but although they can be found almost anywhere, few are lip-smacking enough to suit my refined pallet.

To find a good bath product that will have you singing in the shower for months, you cannot just waltz into the nearest Walgreens and expect quality to be found at your fingertips. Oh, no. Going online is your best bet, as it allows you to search and search without leaving the house and getting sweaty.

Of all the Web sites specializing in bath products, the best by far is a company based out of Canada called Lush. Lushcanada.com carries all-natural, handmade items including bubble bars (bubble bath in solid form), shampoo bars (which you lather up like a regular bar of soap and mush into your hair for a moisturizing romp) and bath bombs (which come in dozens of scents and dissolve in the bath either before or while you’re in it).

While nearly everything made by Lush is worth its weight in Canadian coins, two items on the menu are must-haves for any bath-time boy or girl. The first is a heavy-duty moisturizer called “Sympathy for the Skin” ($18.95), which is made of almond oil, cocoa butter, fresh banana and sandalwood oil. The second product to be immediately thrown into the cart is a body wash called “Skinny Dip” ($19.95 for a large bottle), containing creamed coconut, white chocolate, clove oil and cedar wood oil. Yummy!

I will admit that I have tried to actually eat tiny bits of these products, and you know what? They even taste good.

Another Web site that offers odoriferous bath items is philosophy.com. If you are looking for a great gift for someone, or to add to your arsenal of supplies, Philosophy has a gift set called “Baked Goods” ($30) that includes four of their 3-in-1 head-to-toe body washes. It’s hard to decide if the cinnamon bun, banana-nut bread, pumpkin pie or chocolate chip wash smells the best, but you’ll have fun trying.

Now, times will present themselves in college life when the spending of $30 on a body wash seems downright sinful in the face of all the Mexican pizzas that money could be put toward. In those tapped moments, actually leaving the house to purchase a few bubbly items is allowed. Bath and Body Works is good for this purpose.

Bath and Body Works comes out with a new line of products every season, ranging from the fruity to the spicy. Fall is an especially good time to shop this spend-thrift establishment, as crisp weather goes hand in hand with food smells in their racks.

I personally would suggest passing up on whatever flowery, bee-attracting potion that they happen to be pushing in the sale bins and heading straight for the end-all-be-all of affordable vanilla products … “Spiced Vanilla.” Most of the body sprays and lotions made by Body Works smell good at first and then die down to a strong and none-too-pleasant alcohol smell. Not this one. From the first whiff to the last, “Spiced Vanilla” reminds me of cake batter spilled on the floor of an apple orchard gift shop. (OK … that made so much sense in my head.)

So, the next time you’re preparing to embark on a good, long shower or bath, remember that I could be sniffing at you from a nearby window, critiquing all of your products. If you smell bad, I’ll be the first to let you know.