I will be beginning next fall as a freshman in college and I have no idea what to pack. What are some things that I definitely should bring with me to college and what should I leave behind?
AC from MN
If you will have roommates you should work out with them ahead of time what they can contribute, this saves you and your housemates from have multiples of everything.
If you will have a kitchen you should find out who has what kitchen items.
You may need:
For yourself you should bring:
You should bring a few comfort items, things that will make you feel at home. A photo album is nice to have so you can show your new friends your family, you when you were younger, your best friends, your pets, your town, etc.
I think it is most important to remember that you will have to pack everything up more than once if you move home for the summer, or to a new dorm, apartment, or house sometime during your college years. I moved at least four times in a two year period when I was in college.
If you are going a long way from home be sure to have some extra money to buy things that you may have forgotten, thrift stores are great places to get almost any household item.
Something else to think about is not bringing items that you would be really upset if it were lost or stolen. My first week of college, the majority of my clothing was stolen out of the washing machine. So I would advise you to not leave your clothing unattended in a public laundromat, bring your homework and do it there.
Good luck. (01/16/2006)
By Stellaluna
I'm sure the school supplied you with a list. My son is in his first year of college. The list helped a lot. But like the other post, check with your room mate. You don't want 2 of everything. You won't have room. Also find out if it is carpeted or tile, so you know if you need a small vacuum or mop and broom. Find out where outlets are and storage space. We made a lot of runs to Wal-mart that first day and we had everything on the list and Wal-mart ran out of stuff. (01/16/2006)
By B
Be sure and find out if the beds are regular twin or XL twin size. You don't want to bring the wrong size sheets.
Also, bring toilet paper. Some dorms don't supply it.
Under the bed storage bins are nice to have and maybe one of those cardboard drawers in the closet for underclothes and socks. They don't hold anything really heavy, but are great for organizing small items. (01/16/2006)
By Cheryl from MO
You should pack some rolls of quarters. They are needed for vending machines and laundry. (01/16/2006)
By Martha
You should definitely plan on bringing at least two sets of sheets and towels, a blanket, bedspread, and pillows. You might also want a back rest pillow so you can read or study in bed. If you are going to live in the dorms, you probably won't need to have things like pots and pans and dishes, but you might want a coffee maker, or a hot pot. You should think of things you might like to have around for decorating your room. And if you are going to have to share laundry facilities, you might want to put name tags in your clothing (or use a Sharpie to write your name in it.)
When you bring things, think of things that you know will make your stay more comfortable. On the other hand, don't bring anything valuable. If you have to share a communal bathroom, you might want to bring a small bucket or basket that you can use to carry your toiletries to and from the bathroom. Also plan to take a robe, slippers, and comfortable clothing. Make sure you have an adequate supply of laundry soap, too. You might also want to have a radio/CD player, and even a television. If you don't want to have hassles with your roommates over phone bills, you might consider using a prepaid cell phone. The long and short of it is that you should think of things that you regularly use at home, and go from there. HTH (01/16/2006)
Something to also think about taking, especially if you're taking your own computer and even if you're not, is a couple of extension cords. Room set up might not have the plugs where you can get to them and have enough room for everything.
Also, speaking of computers, you'll need extra disks for saving your work if you use the computer labs. It's easier and usually cheaper to buy them ahead of time, than buying disks at the campus store. (01/16/2006)
By Krissy
Check with your college before packing all of those cooking supplies. My son's school (Emory University in Atlanta) does not allow any type of cooking in the room except what can be done with a microfridge (a special type of microwave and fridge built together). A lot of universities don't allow hot plates or even George Foreman type grills because of fire hazards. He does have kitchen privileges across the courtyard and down a flight of stairs, but in reality it isn't convenient except on long weekends when he may not come home. Do take a small fridge if your school allows it even if you only use it for drinks. (01/19/2006)
By Christine
The most handy stuff I used:
Our dorms each housed 4 people in 2 side bedrooms with a central room. The central room had 2 movable desks with desk chairs and 2 sitting chairs. Your dorm may be different. But many people would stack the 2 desks in a way so that we could put a TV in the desk legs.
Usually your dorm will have a meeting discussing the rules of the dorm and QandA the first week of school. Then you'll find out if you can cook ramen noodles in your room or if you have to go to their kitchen.
(01/24/2006)
By Chuck R.
A tip for making extra space in a dorm room is to take cinder blocks (concrete blocks) and put them under the legs of your bed. My daughter and most of the kids at her college did this and she was able to not only put extra things under there, but she was able to fit a dorm size refrigerator under there, too. (01/24/2006)
By suzanne
No one really talked about clothing. Make sure you bring some fun clothes to dress up in because lots of times there are formal parties or Halloween parties and it's always good to be dressed right. Calling cards to call home and some stamps help. Definitely quarters, extension cords, and batteries! I found it easiest freshman year to order all my bedding on-line and have it shipped to my school (places like jcpenney.com have free shipping deals usually.) (Just check on your school address.) Most things you can also buy once you get to school, like your shower stuff and all the CVS stuff. It's always a good idea to be well-stocked on medicines for things like colds, headaches, and stomach aches. Also, don't forget some things to decorate your room with. It's good to check with your roommate so you can match. Good luck, you'll love college! (02/19/2006)
By kc
I also would suggest a couple of powerbars with circuit breakers. I know in the dorms at my college, there tend to be quite a few power outages, especially at the beginning of the year when they are trying to get the power load right.
Also, anything you can find to save space is a must. Clear plastic drawers for storing clothes, pens and pencils, dish detergent, medicine, etc. are also great ideas. These come in a variety, from small desk organizer size to almost dresser sized ones. I also have a hanging closet organizer that hangs over the bar in my closet. It has an adjustable number of shelves and works well to store my jeans and t-shirts that I can't hang.
Don't forget laundry supplies, detergent, fabric softener, and color catchers are wonderful things. I suggest getting fabric softener sheets instead of the liquid stuff because it saves space. Also, Febreze is a wonderful thing. It helps not only with stinky carpet, mattresses, and other dorm issue things, but it's a great way to freshen up clothes that smell stale.
I'd also suggest, strongly, buying a fitted mattress pad that fits your bed. You never know how old your mattress is, how clean it is, or what the person who had the room before you, did on the bed. (04/28/2006)
By H
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