We all know about the classic pens and pencils, paper, notebooks for school, as well as soaps, bed sheets, clothes, games, and snacks for dorm rooms. There are certain things however which are not too commonly seen in dorms that you may want to consider for future semesters!
1.) Lint Rollers
Now before you go off and say how these are only helpful for getting pet hair off your clothes, let me tell you that these can be a lot more helpful than JUST that. If there is one thing that is a common complaint for dorm rooms, it is bad driers. Bad driers have a tendency to leave a lot of lint all over your clothes despite you cleaning the lint traps. Having these around as a backup can make all the difference. Also, what about when you fall in a patch of dirt and don't have time to wash it. Well, a good lint roller can also get any hard-dirt off your clothes with relative ease and very quickly. It won't be as effective as a wash, but they can be good for a rush.
2.) On-The-Go Tissues
Now picture this, you're in the middle of class when suddenly, your allergies start acting up or you're still recovering from that cold last week. Your nose starts running and you desperately need a tissue. Oh no, the classroom doesn't have any! Well, if you carry a package of these babies around, you'll never have to worry about that situation again. Boxes of tissues are good for keeping in the room, but these babies are nice to carry around and can definitely save you from wiping snot all over your sleeve!
3.) Air Freshener
Let' face it. With two, sometimes three people all living in a relatively confined room together, it's going to start to stink after a while without air fresheners. The reason it's on the list is because you would be surprised how many people don't have these things with them. When a bad stench starts to linger for a while, it begins to spread, and when it spreads, other people outside of your own dorm room will begin to smell it in the halls. Don't make them have to smell that. Keep your room smelling nice with either a can, stand up, or plug-in air freshener.
4.) Personal Safe
Now if you're one of those people with serious trust issues, a personal safe like this might not be a bad investment. The safe doesn't have to be anything too large, just something large enough where you can hold spare cash, jewelry, prescription drugs, etc. It doesn't even necessarily need to be a "safe" per say, just something that you can easily lock up any personal or valuable items in without the worry of other people taking them.
5.) Spare EVERYTHING
This may not be a specific item, but it is something that cannot be stressed enough. When it comes to inexpensive supplies whether it be school-worthy or dorm room-worthy, TAKE A SPARE. This can including schools supplies such as notebooks, common supplies such as air fresheners, things you might need occasionally like over-the-counter drugs, or common things like non-perishable foods.. You never know when something is going to run out, wear out, or simply break while you are enjoying the college life. If it doesn't cost much, TAKE A SPARE. Take pleasure in knowing that you will not have to worry about something running out for a good long while.
These are just a few of the things that you may not have thought about when getting ready for the big move to college. However, there is so much more that could be added onto this list! Be sure to keep these in mind however, because it can make going away from home a little easier.