I think the most exciting part about the college application process comes after you’ve been accepted, after you’ve sent in your deposit, and after you’ve shown off your new Insert-Name-Of-University-Here sweatshirt for your whole high school to see: shopping for your new dorm room. It’s crazy to think that less than a year ago, I was scouring the internet for lists of the most important, least important, and most obscure things you should bring with you to college, and now I’m sitting here writing one of my own.
I’m not afraid to admit that I went absolutely nuts buying anything and everything that those articles told me I needed to have. But the truth is, most of it was a waste of money. After living in a dorm for nearly nine months, I haven't used most of what I spent my scholarship money on (sorry mom), and I’m here to show you a few things that you’ll actually need.
Recommended for you
1. CUPS!
Red solo cups, plastic cups, paper cups...literally anything. I totally underestimated the amount of times I'd have people over, or even just the amount of people that I would have over. I only brought two cups and a mug or two with me, and there would be times when my guests would be forced to drink out of decorative mason jars or bowls. Moral of the story: be sure to have tons of cups handy.
2. Water filter
Filtering tap water from your sink will save you so much money as opposed to buying a new bottle of water every time you're thirsty! Also, think of the amazing impact this has on the environment!
3. Refillable water bottle
See above explanation.
4. Coffee maker
I splurged and bought myself a Keurig before moving away for college. At first, I thought I was wasting my money (so did my parents), but I can't even begin to tell you how much cheaper it is to make your own cup of coffee before class instead of stopping at Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks every morning.
5. Vacuum
This is something I didn't think was necessary at all, and I quickly realized my mistake just a few weeks into the semester. if you're lucky enough, you can borrow a vacuum from a roommate/suitemate or someone on your floor, but I think it's best just to buy one on your own. A cheap one will do the trick, and it saves you the hassle of having to bug your new friends to let you use theirs.
6. Broom
This goes along with the vacuum, but if you have tile floor in your room like I did, a broom definitely comes in handy for quick spills or dust bunnies that gather.
7. Two sets of bed sheets
So many people think this is unnecessary, but it's totally not! Whenever I washed my first set of sheets, I always had a second set to put on my bed instead of waiting the two hours my laundry took for the first set to be clean.
8. Extension cord/surge protector
I think I had two outlets on my side of the room - on complete opposite sides - and it made multitasking nearly impossible. Buying an extension cord/surge protector will help in situations like mine when you need to charge your laptop, your phone, use your printer, and have your lamp turned on all at the same time.
9. Laundry basket with wheels
I think I went through two or three different methods of carrying my laundry before I finally realized that a rolling laundry basket like this one made carrying ridiculously heavy loads to and from the laundry room much easier.
10. Drawer organizers
These are so versatile and are a definite must! I used drawer organizers to separate and keep my makeup and other toiletries organized, but they can also be used to keep socks/undergarments or school supplies organized as well.
11. Space-saving hangers
These were a total lifesaver. They're a little more expensive than regular plastic hangers, but I bought them on a whim when Target was having a sale, and now my whole family uses them, too! They make packing a smaller-than-average closet a piece of cake.
12. Foam mattress topper
A foam topper like this one will make your dorm bed reminiscent of the bed you left at home. I was so afraid that I'd get NO sleep when I went to college because of the horror stories I heard about dorm beds, but purchasing one of these was probably the best decision that I made.
13. Command hooks/poster putty
Command hooks didn't work on my walls, oddly enough, but they were great for gaining some extra room inside my closet! And when the hooks didn't work, poster putty did the trick for any posters, pictures, or tapestries I wanted to hang up.
14. Two sets of towels
Similar to the bed sheets, whenever you wash one set, you have another to use.
15. Shower shoes
This kind of seems like a no-brainer, but I noticed that not putting shower shoes on my list made it really easy to forget to bring any. Be sure to buy some!
16. Bathrobe
If you're totally comfortable walking down the hall in just your shower shoes and towel, then be my guest! But if that thought scares you even a tiny bit, a bathrobe is a great alternative.
17. Tylenol/Advil
I was shocked by how often I had friends who were looking for pain relievers because they didn't think to buy any. College will give you headaches. Buy medicine.
18. Nyquil/Dayquil
College will get you sick. Buy medicine.
19. First aid kit
College will put you in some unique situations. Buy a first aid kit.
20. External hard drive
You are going to be doing a lot of papers, projects, and presentations, most of which I recommend keeping for writing samples or for your resume. But all of those files will take up a lot of room on your laptop, so exporting them to an external hard drive like this one ensures that they never get accidentally deleted or lost if your computer ever crashes.
21. Flash drive
I just think flash drives are always important to have! They're super convenient for transporting files from on device to the next, and I always seem to find a use for them.
22. Ziplock baggies
Gallon bags, to be specific, are always in high demand. They're convenient for organizing stuff, keeping that pizza edible just a little bit longer, or storing toiletries if you're heading back home for the weekend.
23. Extra long phone charger
If you didn't have any outlets near your bed (like I didn't), an extra long phone charger like this one makes charging devices super easy regardless of where your outlets are.
24. Umbrella
This is one of those things that you don't even think about because your parents normally keep three or four laying in the hallway, the closet, or in the back of the car at all times. But the first time a big storm hits, and you have to get to class all the way across campus, you'll realize that you didn't bring an umbrella and that you are royally screwed. I'm speaking from experience.
25. Printer (and ink and paper)
This is something you could definitely coordinate with your roommates, but buying a printer as opposed to paying to use the school printers was way more convenient whenever I was running late for class--- or, frankly, just too lazy to go to the library. If you're major involves a lot of papers/printouts, this is definitely worth it.
26. Bluetooth speaker
This is something that's definitely not necessary, but I got pretty sick of listening to music through my laptop or on my phone. By the time second semester rolled around, I decided it was time to invest in a bluetooth speaker, and I seriously used it every single day. They can also be really cute!
27. Refrigerator/microwave
This depends on restrictions that your school may or may not have, but having a refrigerator and a microwave in my room made it so I didn't always have to eat on campus or at the dining hall (which you'll get sick of pretty quickly).
28. Bed risers
Again, this depends on your school, but bed risers will give you more room for storage and space under your bed for keeping things like your refrigerator or extra drawers, etc.
29. Fan
A little desk fan is perfect if you and your roommate prefer the room to be at different temperatures.
30. Laptop lock
I never actually had to use this because my school isn't that big, but for larger universities and dorm buildings, laptop locks will ensure that no one can easily walk away with your Mac or PC if you happen to leave your door propped open.
I could probably go on and on, but these are the top thirty things I think should be at the top of your shopping list. I hope this helped!
