Maybe the only time of year that's more stressful than finals is packing. You're overwhelmed with emotions about going back and finally seeing everyone, sad about summer ending, worried about classes starting again and, most of all, freaking out that you're going to forget to pack something. It happens every year. I spend three days shoving the contents of my room into a suitcase and triple checking to make sure I have everything, yet I still seem to forget some essentials. No matter how hard I try, I never seem to remember what I have to pack, so this year I'm making myself a list. Maybe it will help you out too.
1. Clothes for every single season.
Depending on where you go to school, you could literally experience all four seasons in a week span. So to be prepared make sure you pack your bathing suit and your parka! You can never be too ready to take on the elements.
2. Every pen you can find in your house.
I promise you will lose all of those before the month ends. It's like they just disappear into thin air. Well that and everyone always seems to walk off with the pen they asked you to borrow. So yes, if you don't want to be one of those people that has to ask around the whole lecture for a pen, you're going to need all of these.
3. A million decorations
You had a plan in your head, maybe some pictures saved on Pinterest of really nice dorms where everything is perfect, so you went all out shopping for decorations that will look just lovely in your cramped 10 x 10 dorm room. Nothing makes a room feel bigger quite like filling it with crap!
4. Your bed
Dorm mattresses suck. They are quite literally just springs wrapped in plastic. You could get a 5-inch memory foam gel topper, that will definitely help. But if you're trying to save money and get a cheaper alternative, you might as well not even bother; it will most likely not do much to make that mattress comfortable.
5. That shirt in the back of your closet that you've never worn
When you bought it three years ago, you really loved it, but since then it has done nothing but collect dust. You feel pretty guilty about spending the money on it and never using it so you figure you should bring it to school. Who knows? Maybe there will be a theme party that it's perfect for.
6. Extras of everything
Extra cups and dishes, because after a week you're not going to want to wash the same three over and over again whenever you want to use them. Extra socks, because the laundry room will eat a majority of them. Extra food, because dining hall food just does not cut it. Just bring extra of literally everything.
7. Your pet
Because school is stressful and sometimes you need your dog to snuggle with you. It seems like everyone always seems to forget about this one, although I'm not really sure how you can.
Packing for college never gets easier, whether you're a lost and confused freshman checking things off a list someone posted in your class Facebook group online or a seasoned upperclassman who can't find all the things they brought back at the end of last year. It's all a guessing game, but the good news is if you forget something, you can always make your parents send it to you. So keep trying to shove everything into that suitcase; you will totally need everything in there!
