A Good Laptop

I can't tell you how many times I had to bail people out freshman year because their laptop broke on them. It's worth the investment because if you treat it well, it will last you throughout college and possibly even afterward! Look at Best Buy for student discounts during the summer. I got $500 off my order simply because I was a student.

Shower Shoes

College showers are disgusting, many times not being cleaned for days at a time. Going in there without something to protect your feet will result in something nasty probably growing between your toes. Buy a cheap pair of flip flops, crocs, or legit shower shoes from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Trust me.

A Rolling Laundry Basket

The wheels are the most important feature of a good laundry basket in college. You'll be grateful you don't have to carry your heavy basket all the way to the laundry room as you watch others struggle to do so. A plus is that they help make move-in easier with their wheels.

Mattress Topper

Freshmen have the worst dorms; everyone knows that. It's no surprise that their beds are not the most comfortable things in the world. I recommend buying a mattress topper to save yourself from a sore back.

Power Strip

These are always handy to have around. Hopefully, you won't be like me and only have one plug on your side of the room, but you never know. Try to get one that is flat when plugged in the wall so you can plug it in behind desks or your bed without a large gap blocking your way.

A Printer (With a USB Cable)

University printers are notorious for not printing when you need them the most. Save yourself the headache and invest in a cheap printer to keep in your dorm room. Make sure you get a USB cable to directly plug it into your laptop, so you don't have to fight with the university Wi-Fi that everyone is trying to connect to.

Shower Caddy

Showers are usually not connected to your dorm room, meaning that you have to lug your toiletries up and down the hall every time you want to shower. It's super useful to have something to carry everything in. You can find these at Bed, Bath, and Beyond or any other store similar to it.

A Fan

A Small travel sized fan is a great thing to have, especially at the beginning of the semester. The air conditioning may not be that great (if you even have it) in the freshman dorms. A fan may not cool you off completely, but it's still better than nothing. Plus it makes great background noise to drown out your loud neighbors!

Desk Lamp

Dorm room lighting isn't the brightest. Usually, there's only one light in the ceiling, causing your eyes to strain when trying to read. Get a cheap desk lamp to make reading so much easier on your eyes.

Earplugs

Freshman dorms often have walls that are paper thin, which can make it hard to sleep. Invest in a good pair of earplugs or a pack of cheap ones to help you fall asleep quickly. Even if you don't have noisy neighbors, your roommate may snore, and you'll be glad you have something to block out the noise.