As an incoming high school senior last year, I had no clue what to bring for my college dorm room. After moving in and talking to friends who had gone off to other universities, I quickly found out what items were dorm room must-haves for any college student. Here are some of my dorm room essentials that have helped me in college.

1. Dinnerware

Even if you plan on eating in the dining hall or somewhere on campus, trust me there will be days where you're going to want to eat something back in your dorm room and you will need to have things like mugs, plates, bowls, and silverware. I got this set of mugs, plates, and bowls and this set of silverware and both have worked out great. The dishes are even microwavable and dishwasher friendly if you are lucky enough to have those appliances.

2. Mattress Topper

If you didn't know, most mattresses provided in dorm rooms are incredibly hard and practically impossible to sleep on. So, in order to sleep at night, you need to get a mattress topper. I got my topper on amazon and am completely in love with it.

3. Storage Bins

Because dorm rooms are so small, you will need to find a way to store all of your stuff inside your dorm. Storage bins I found work out great for this, especially versatile bins if you can find a place to keep them that is out of sight. I found these bins and keep them under my bed, and they have worked out great.

4. Shower Caddy

Since most freshmen don't have a shower connected to their dorm room, you will need to bring a shower caddy and a pair of shower shoes to take with you to the bathroom. I found this shower caddy on amazon and like how it drains quickly and holds all of my stuff. For shower shoes, I brought an old pair of flip flops but practically any sandal you don't mind getting wet works.

5. Trash Can

If your dorm doesn't already come with a trash can, you will need to bring one. Even if you plan on throwing things out elsewhere, you will find times where you need to throw something out and don't feel like walking to the next nearest trash can. I found this can at Target and like how small it is so that it doesn't take up much storage space.