What to bring to college?

Dorms are small. Don’t bring a lot of stuff.

extension cords, ethernet cord, one of those plug things that makes a regular outlet into 6 outlets, printer cable if you’re going to have a computer printer in your room, Swiffer vacuum.

We packed clothes in small plastic boxes so she could store things in them. Desk supplies—tape, stapler, etc. First aid kit.

Before you go, learn how to make a doctor appointment on your own, and if you’re going to be on your parent’s health insurance, learn how the plan works.

A can opener and a white/ambient noise maker or CD.

Shower shoes if you have a community bathroom, they are gross! Lots of Cup-o-noodles haha

Condoms.

An open mind, ready to learn, positive energy to succeed.

Parents credit card and a fake ID, you can get the rest as needed with the CC

Good walking shoes. You will spend more time walking to and from everywhere than you ever have.

I got a little plug-in pot with a lid for soup or hot water to make cocoa with. I don’t know if those are allowed in dorm rooms anymore.

A hanging organizer to keep your shoes and stuff. Something like this , ethernet cable, etc. Remember to not bring a lot of stuff. Keep it to the basics. Unless you are going to the school in the middle of the dessert, it’s better to bring less stuff and get more stuff along the way. Most college towns tend to have some sort of Walmart, Target, etc. where you can get stuff

Bring a good attitude. It may be a bit stressful at first, but hang in there. You are going to love the entire college experience and will feel it was time very well spent. Enjoy yourself and learn lots.

a computer lock, so that no one steals it!

Also a rain jacket instead of a poncho or umbrella. I had a lightweight rain jacket, that could be stuffed into a small bag. that was great for walking to class on rainy days. Less bulky than an umbrella and more stylish than a poncho.

I answered this before, but I think it’s worth re-posting, since that was a while ago:

If you’re going far away to school (and flying), a lot of the following stuff you can buy at the nearest target or wherever. If you’re driving you might want to start shopping now and you can fill up a car with your stuff. Here’s a list, in no particular order:

Bedding, towels, and such. Your dorm room will probably have a twin-xL bed, so make sure you buy the right size sheets. Buy pillows when you get there if you’re flying, throw some into your car if you’re driving.

A desk lamp, trash can, alarm clock, laundry basket or hamper. Again, all this stuff you probably want to buy when you get there.

Basic food utensils, a plate, bowl, mug, and silverware. Even if you think you’ll be eating in the dining hall all the time, believe me, you’ll want this stuff.

Sticky hooks for hanging stuff (bathrobe, towels, scarves, coats) on your walls. Dorm rooms never seem to have enough hooks.

If you’re going to have a roommate, coordinate bringing a mini-fridge and/or microwave with them. This is something you can probably live without for a few days, so if you don’t know who your roommate is you can hold off until you get there and meet them. It’s definitely very handy to have both a fridge and a microwave, although if there’s a dorm kitchen with a microwave then it becomes much less necessary.

Games! Definitely a pack of cards, any board games you have and like. Party games like Taboo or Apples to Apples are fun too.

Photos from home. It’s nice to have some printed out to hang on your walls.

Don’t bring a TV! Everyone just watches movies and stuff on their laptops.

Many dorms don’t allow microwaves, hot plates, George Foreman grills, etc. in rooms. Its a wiring/fire safety issue. However, coffee pots are allowed and with a little creativity, it can be used for basic dorm cooking.

I used Christmas lights in one of my dorm rooms, around the top near the ceiling with sticky hooks, for low light studying when my roommate was sleeping. Mine were blue, but the regular ones are still a little less harsh than a desk light/lamp and for sure less harsh than the overhead light.

Plastic drawers. There are two basic kinds, the ones that come in sets and the ones that stack. Depending on the space, you either want the ones that stack (or don’t and can be put underneath a bed and pulled out easier than an under-bed container) or the ones that come in a set. They come in various sizes (width, height) and you can use these to store and to transport since you can just stick some packing tape on them to hold them closed and go with them. Obviously you’ll want to put some clothes and stuff in the drawers the school provides, but you can never have enough drawers and that is a way to a) keep thing you don’t use a lot but need to have handy near or b) store the clothes that don’t fit in the drawers the college provides because there’s no way your stuff is going to fit in those teeny little excuses for drawers.

Bring a TV. You will use it.