Getting into college is so incredibly stressful. Between admissions testing, essays, letters of recommendation and applications, it is a wonder you got it all done. Well, guess what? You have completed all of that and accomplished a big thing: you got in! Now that you can take a sigh of relief, let’s talk about what you are going to need once you get there. You will be in your own space, away from your parents, and you will need some things to make your dorm room feel and function like home.
A Mini Refrigerator
Late night study sessions and early morning classes require fluids to keep you going. Whether it is an iced coffee in the morning before the cafeteria opens, or a water in the middle of the night, a miniature refrigerator in your dorm room essential to ensure cold drinks whenever you need them.
Alarm Clock
After long nights out with friends, a class at eight in the morning is the last thing on your radar. To ensure you are up and ready to attack the day, you need an alarm clock right next to your bed. You may be thinking that your cell phone is your alarm since it has that feature, but it is easy to forget to charge it at night, and that would leave you late to your class or meeting. It is best to just have an alarm clock dedicated to getting you up and going every day so you are where you need to be on time.
Futon
You may be going far from home for college, leaving your friends and family many miles behind. They may have to travel for several days to see you. Or, you may be going to school in the next city over where your friends can easily visit you on the weekends. Regardless of your situation, you are going to need an easy place for your friends and family to sleep when they visit. Futons provide a sleeping space, as well as a couch when not in use as a bed to hang out with friends on. You can also find them relatively inexpensive, which is perfect on a college student budget.
Towels
Having your own set of towels in your dorm room is crucial. They are not provided by your dorm hall. Whenever you go swimming, to the beach, or spill something, you will need them. Some dorms have community bathrooms with showers in them at the end of the hall, while others have a private one that you and your roommates will share. With many people in and out, it is easy for your towels to get mixed up with someone else’s and get lost. Make sure you have towels in a unique color you’ll recognize. You also need to consider how often you will really be doing laundry and bring enough to compensate for that. If you are someone who does laundry once a week at school, you may only need a couple. But if you are someone who is waiting to bring laundry home to do it once a month, you are going to need a few more.
Bed Linens
A basic, but an essential thing you will need at college is a bed linen set. This will include sheets, a comforter or blanket, and pillowcases. Do not forget your pillows! Make sure before purchasing that you verify what size your bed will be in your dorm. Most dorm beds are a Twin XL, or extra long. You can usually find this information in your move-in manual provided by your school, or ask when you go to your New Student Orientation what your school provides. Also, keep in mind what climate your school is in and what you are used to. If you are from Florida and going to school in Michigan, the winters will be kind of a shock, so bring some extra blankets. The opposite would be true if you are used to bundling up for the winters but are moving to a warm climate. Do your research ahead of time so you can be prepared.
Desk Lamp
Getting used to having a roommate is one of college’s unique challenges. It can be difficult to become accustomed to having to take someone else’s behaviors like sleeping patterns into consideration. You may be a procrastinator who studies in the middle of the night, but your roommate may be someone who is asleep before 10 o’clock. This is where your desk lamp will come in. It will provide you the light you require to get your work done, without disturbing your roommate. Trust me, keeping roommate problems to a minimum is going to make your college experience so much easier.
Stackable Crates
Dorm rooms are typically extremely small. Usually, you have space for a bed, desk, and a small dresser. Your bed may be raised in order to utilize the space underneath for storage. Bring some stackable crates along so you can keep what’s important out for you to use, but the stuff you will not use every day out of sight. Less clutter is going to make cleaning easy and less for you to worry about. They will also be useful for anything you buy while you’re at school and need a place to put it.
Decorations
Bring some posters, wall decals, and other decorations to make your dorm room feel like home. After all, this is going to be where you settle in and make some of the best memories of your life. You are going to want this space to feel like home.
College is truly one of the best experiences of your life if you give it your all. These are the memories you will have for a lifetime. Having what you need is going to let you focus on what is most important: getting good grades and making friends.
