Move in day can be such a hectic ordeal. Students moving in with the help of their parents will argue about what to bring and what not to bring. Those who move in without assistance will struggle with trying to make sure they did not forget a handful of important items. For many of you, months were spent compiling a list of things you were bringing and obsessively checking the list of items that you and your housemates were bringing to make sure that everything you needed would be there. Stocking up a house is very difficult: from bedding and cookware to cleaning supplies and photos for the wall, making your college dorm feel like a home for the next nine months is hard. Even after you put all of that work into compiling lists and gathering items for your big move in day, we all forget (or adamantly refuse to buy and then regret) some small and/or large items that really would be nice to have.
1. Full length mirror.
This is extremely important for those of you who cannot leave the house without seeing your outfit, and sometimes your roommates are not there to snap a quick pic so you can see what you are wearing.
2. Mattress pads.
College mattresses, let us be honest here, suck so much. I have no idea how they clean those things, if they even do. But you have no idea who slept on it last and they are hard as a rock. Get a little more comfy with some padding between you and that slab.
3. Extra blankets.
Late at night and early in the morning are the times it can get really cold at college, so extra blankets help keep you content. Make sure to bring plenty of extras, because no one wants to lug their blankets into the living room every time they want to sit on a couch and be warm, or take their blanket outside and then get it dirty.
4. Sticky notes.
When it comes time to leave reminders for yourself, bookmark a page in your textbook, or just do something cute and creative, sticky notes are a necessity. Have a really important meeting on Friday? Write it down and stick it up. Want to make a collage of weird things everyone has said? Pop that mural onto the wall.
5. Hangers.
You get a dresser and a closet, and you bring a bunch of clothes. Unfortunately, you have four hangers and a lot more clothes than that to hang up. Hangers allow you to see your clothes quicker and also aid in keeping wrinkles away.
6. That really cute sweatshirt hanging up in your closet at home.
It gets cold, especially at night or early in the morning, and that means it is time to start wearing a sweatshirt -- except that really comfy one that you would totally wear with anything is back at home because you did not think you would want it until October.
7. Band-Aids/First Aid Kit.
We all make mistakes. Whether it is from stumbling around drunk, an accidental knife slip in the kitchen, or those weird injuries that just somehow show up, Band-Aids are an absolute must -- especially those really cute ones, because it is a little too late to go and purchase some as you have blood dripping down your leg.
8. Dryer sheets.
Clothes get that static cling which is ever so annoying when you have long hair that becomes staticky as well. Pop a dryer sheet in when you dry your clothes and you can eliminate a lot of that static cling.
9. Speakers.
For the jams outside or when you are home alone, the itty-bitty built-in speaker on your phone is substandard. Bring a portable speaker and make college a lot more fun, since everyone can jam out together with the tunes cranked up to eardrum-blasting levels.
10. Air mattress.
If someone sleeps over in your dorm or you sleep over at someone else's dorm, you may want to have something nice to sleep on, instead of cramming into that tiny bed that colleges supply. Air mattresses are easy to inflate and easy to transport, plus, you know where it has been.
11. Trashcan.
Garbage builds up everywhere. Your desk, your floor, your bed -- everywhere. Garbage laying around means bugs and creatures scampering around. With a bin at hand, at least garbage can be out of sight and out of mind until you have to take it out. Surprise inspections will never be an issue.
12. Slippers.
It gets cold inside at night. Those tile floors will freeze your toes off, but since college does not begin in winter, no one ever thinks to bring slippers. Your feet will get cold, believe me.
13. Body pillow.
For those nights when you get a little lonesome and you need something to cuddle with, a body pillow is the way to go. Cuddling with a regular pillow or a balled up blanket just does not suffice. Plus, your roommate may not totally be down with cuddling.
Obviously, there are so many other things that students will forget to bring with them to college. The items differentiate based upon the types of housing offered and the grade that the student is in. This list is based upon items that I, or people around me, realized that we needed or had to go out and buy.
