Heading off to college can be overwhelming! This list will help to ease your worries. Most of these essential items were the ones I neglected to bring. Make sure to pack them to start your dorm life off with success.
1. Desk lamp (and light bulbs to go with it!)- Not all dorm rooms have perfect lighting for late night homework. I’d have to say mine certainly did not. Make sure to bring a desk lamp for some extra light-and save your eyes the strain of a low light environment.
2. Shower caddy- Imagine trying to juggle your favorite shampoo, conditioner, body wash, razor, shaving cream, toothpaste, and toothbrush while walking to the bathroom. Trust me, it doesn’t work! Invest in a shower caddy.
3. First Aid Kit- The medicine cabinet at home probably had something to fix any bump, bruise, or headache, but Mom won’t be there to restock your dorm room supply. Make sure to buy (or make your own) kit that contains different sizes of bandages, antibiotic cream, and items like ibuprofen.
4. Flash drive- This is one of the most useful purchases I made for college. It was a great way to store presentations for class. I also found my flash drive very useful for transporting documents to printers instead of using my own ink. The best part is flash drives keep formatting the same, unlike many email attachments.
5. Hangers- As soon as I started to put my clothes away in my dorm room, I realized I did not bring any hangers for my favorite attire. Save yourself a trip to the store and a few dollars and bring your own from home.
6. Detergent and Fabric Softener- Guarantee a successful first trip to the laundry room by bringing your own detergent and fabric softener from home. While many schools have vending machines containing these items, it is much cheaper to buy a larger supply.
7. Spiral Bound Notebooks- College bookstores are not the cheapest place to get your school supplies. Bringing a few notebooks from home can surely cut down on college costs.
8. Index cards- Preparing for those first few college level tests can be nerve wracking. One way to ease these nerves is to include index cards on your list of supplies. You’ll find they are a great study tool, and by saving index cards throughout the semester, preparing for finals will be a breeze.
9. Wastebasket- One thing I certainly did not think about when packing for school was a wastebasket. Having a place in your room to throw all those unneeded items is surely something you will appreciate once you get to school.
10. Travel Coffee Mug- Do you need a caffeine fix in the morning? Consider packing a travel coffee mug that you can bring to class.
