It’s getting close to the beginning of school again, and I can’t help but notice so many of my friends from high school excitedly posting comments about dorm shopping. Seeing as I am an ever so much wiser soon-to-be sophomore, I figured I’d impart a couple pieces of my unending knowledge onto you, to make the start of college a bit easier. At the very least, knowing some of this would’ve made things simpler for me.
You’re going to need a lot more snacks than you think. Go ahead and grab some canned ravioli. I know you think you’re going to eat healthier this year, but when you miss the cafeteria’s hours and you’re going to be up late studying, you’ll want something a little more hefty and comforting than an organic granola bar. I promise.
Bring at least one old blanket, or stuffed animal, or pillow. Getting new stuff for your dorm is super exciting! You can coordinate everything and make your comforter match your pillows which match your pencil cup. You’re so on top of things. But you’re also going to want something that reminds you of home, especially if you’re going far away. Sometimes you just need something soft to bury your face in. Grab that old Powerpuff Girls Blanket.
Buying school supplies is a lot more interesting in college. Of course there’s the super expensive textbooks you’ll use a couple times, but I know you’ve all heard enough about those. There’s not a suggested materials list or anything like that. You need to know how you work best for each class and get the materials that’ll help you do that. If that means a binder for English and a graph paper notebook for Pre-Calc, sweet. Go for it. If you’re going to use the same notebook for all subjects and you think that’ll work for you, I support you. It’s your choice, just make sure it’s the best option for you.
As the year goes on you’ll start to notice something interesting changing in the way you think. Your choices about how you dress, how your room looks and what color you want your phone case to be start to be a lot more dependent on what you want and a lot less on what you think other people will think is what you want. You stop letting yourself be defined by what you think other people see you as. If you wanna rock that PPG blanket because, let’s be real, Blossom is bae, then you go for it. On the other hand, if you’re just feeling chevron, awesome. You don’t have to settle for what you think you should be.
College is an amazing experience, and your freshman year won’t be one you’ll forget. Be sure to enjoy yourself, be open to trying new things (as long as they’re safe sweetie), and you’ll have a great first year.
