Before heading off for my freshman year of college, I was making lists of all the things I needed to bring. I was preparing decorations for my dorm and figuring out what clothes I was going to bring. While I think I did pretty well on packing my first year, my room was still way smaller than I could have ever imagined. I could tell by the pictures online that it wasn't big at all, but it was still way smaller than I thought. Plus, the pictures will always make your dorm look more extravagant and lavish than it actually is. Incoming freshman need to be prepared on not only what they should bring for their dorm, but items that are completely useless and will just cause clutter in your room.
1. Binders
https://pixabay.com/en/folder-of-files-binders-office-428299/While every college class is different, I've never used a binder in college. Usually, all I've needed for my classes is a spiral notebook and a folder. If you wanted to use one binder for multiple classes, that might be efficient and not take up that much room. However, using multiple different binders is excessive, and they will take up way too much space in your desk drawers.
2. Candles
The last thing you want is to get in trouble with your dorm by breaking the rules. Unless you go to a super laid-back university, chances are you aren't allowed to have candles in the dorms. Not only are they a fire hazard, but you could cause some serious damage to your building if something were to go wrong. Instead, try bringing plug-in air fresheners or a wax melter. You will want some sort of scent for your dorm room because it can get stinky in such a small space.
3. A printer
Not only are printers huge and take up a good chunk of space, but you also have to keep up with stocking it with paper. Nobody has the time or money for that! Just use the designated printers around your campus instead. Whether your school charges you for printing or not, you'll thank yourself later for not packing a printer. Where would you even put that thing?
4. A million decorations
alwaysannawadeThis was an issue I had when I showed up to move in. While you may think you need to bring a ton of knick-knacks and pictures for your walls and desk, you really don't. I think I printed out over 50 pictures to put around my room, and I couldn't even use half of them because of the lack of space I really had. Plus, I brought way too many decorations to put on my desk that it just began to look like a cluttered mess. I would suggest bringing around 10 pictures to put up somewhere in your room, and a few other decorations to put here and there. You want your room to look tasteful, not disarranged!
5. Metal Utensils
images-na.ssl-images-amazon.comTrust me when I say that you will not have the time or the motivation to do dishes on a regular basis. Please, leave the utensils, cups, and plates at home. Instead, bring a bunch of disposable silverware and tableware. It's going to save you so much time and effort than if you brought items you needed to clean on the regular. You might rarely eat in your room, but you may need a fork for the occasional leftovers, or a spoon for the late-night comfort ice cream.
