Freshman year taught me a lot of lessons about life, time management, and maturity, but one of the most important lessons wasn’t deep or philosophical at all. Learning how to live on your own (or with one or two roommates), is one of the most important and strangest lesson to learn. Speaking from experience, I can confidently say that you may believe you don’t need something on this list, or maybe haven’t even thought about some of the items on this list, but I can personally attest to the fact that these items are lifesavers! As I can say that I’ve (almost) successfully survived my freshman year, let me share my new found wisdom by providing a list of items I found unexpectedly essential.
1. Utensils.
I can’t count the number of times I found myself looking for a fork or spoon because I was too cheap to buy utensils. There will be nights when you just don’t feel like trekking to the dining hall, days when you're sick, or horrifying moments when you realize that your campus eating arrangements are unexpectedly unavailable. You will always need to eat, and sometimes you will need to eat in your dorm. Unless you’re planning on only eating chips, you will eventually need utensils. Bring them.
2. Humidifier/dehumidifier.
This isn’t as much of a “must have” as some of the other items on this list, but I can personally state that midway through my first semester, I woke up with such dry skin and throat that I actually went out and bought a mini humidifier. While conditions vary from dorm to dorm, I would recommend looking into purchasing a humidifier or dehumidifier, depending on how you feel after the first week in your dorm. It can help prevent you from getting sick and make life a little more pleasant.
3. Vacuum.
We thought we would only use a Swiffer. We were wrong.
4. Less clothing.
This may seem out of place in a list about items you need in college, but minimizing the amount of clothing you bring to college gives you more room to bring the other essentials, and is vital to surviving college without drowning in laundry. You won’t need as many clothes as you think you do. And your style will definitely evolve in college. So ditch packing the extra clothing. It minimizes luggage, provides an incentive to finally donate that sweater you’ve had since third grade, and gives you an excuse to shop. It’s a win-win!
5. Adult coloring book or some way to meditate.
College is stressful, people. Life happens. Find a way to ground yourself and relax, whether this be an adult coloring book, a meditation guide, a prayer book, a yoga mat, a camera or any other essential hobby item. Anticipate taking some you time. Don’t take every hobby you own, or your middle school rock collection, no matter how attached to it you are, but do pick something that will help you relax and is important to you.
6. Strong tape and scissors.
If you intend to hang any kind of decoration, you can't have too much tape. Scissors will come in handy for more than you realize as well. P.S. if your walls are cinderblock like mine, only 3M tape products will stick.
7. A printer.
My printer is a life-saver. Whether it’s a last minute paper, or you don’t want to make a 4 am trek to the library, having a cheap mobile printer (preferably with wireless/Bluetooth) may seem like a luxury but will be more useful than you can imagine. This may seem daunting but it’s not a huge investment! I got mine for free at a raffle, but a quick google search informed me that printers can be as cheap as $30. It’s worth it.
8. A dorm rug and fuzzy socks.
Dorms are not always as climate controlled as they should be.
9. Bathroom and shower mats.
This only applies if you have a suite style dorm, but dorms do not always provide bathroom mats. And a shower mat is almost as important as a towel. Get one.
10. Cleaning supplies.
You will want to clean. Research your room type and figure out what kinds of supplies you’ll need.
11. Lint roller.
Campus dryers are old and dirty. Your clothes will come out linty. Don’t be a hobo. Lint brush your clothing.
12. Microwave.
More important than a fridge.
13. Iron/steamer.
Sometimes you can’t be bothered to fold. See number 11.
14. Headphones or portable speaker.
Music is essential to college living. Don’t be that annoying roommate who always blasts music. Buy a pair of headphones. And I can’t express how many times I’ve wished I had a portable speaker so I could bring my music to a party or listen while showering. Music is important. I believe these are essential items.
15. A guide or map to your city.
Try to find a local’s guide to your college town or city. Especially for a city. You’ll get tired of doing expensive touristy things, and there’s probably so much offered you’re not even aware of. Buy a good guide with a map of the city and transportation options. Google free events in your city. These will be tremendously important about three months into your freshman year, when you realize you’re ready to explore life outside of your campus bubble.
16. Ramen Cooker. Also, a water bottle.
See number one. There will be ramen days. Make it easier on yourself. They’re like, four bucks at Walmart. Water bottles are important but get a cheap one because you'll probably lose it
17. Portable phone charger.
Essential if you live in a city or travel off campus often.
18. Bedside organizer/tray/caddy.
There are some things that you need easy access to. I personally recommend the clip on bedside trays (I didn’t like my caddy, and some of my friends really benefitted from the trays).
19. Mattress topper.
This seems like a no brainer but I was surprised at the amount of kids in college who put no thought into bedding. A good’s night sleep is the difference between a horrible day and a wonderful day. You can skimp in any other area, but make sure your bed is comfortable. Get a foam topper.
20. Color catchers.
I wasn’t always lazy. I used to sort my laundry. Now I don’t have time, and these prevent my clothes from all turning various shades of brown when I through darks, reds, and whites in the same washer.
These are essentials. Get them to make your life easier.
