Jul
23
What to Bring to College:
Posted in General
This is my own personal guide on what to bring to college! Keep in mind I’m not an official “college must-haves” spokesperson, this is all just my own opinion and advice, and whatnot!
This year I’m going to be a Sophomore, and although I will no longer be living in the dorms, my sorority house is the next best thing! I am personally quite an over-thinker, so in turn, I definitely over-think when it comes to packing! At times packing can be exciting, and then again it can be quite daunting. It’s not like you’re just packing an overnight bag and reminding yourself to not forget your toothbrush! If you’re like me and your hometown is a few hours away, you’re packing to actually LIVE there almost full time. So you can’t even let yourself forget the tiny, nitty-gritty things! But one thing to be cautious of is to not overdo it. You may feel like you have to pack for EVERY possible situation that might come up. But trust me when I say, no you don’t. There are stores right off campus so if you need something for that rare situation, it will be there waiting for you, which I learned from experience is a lot better than trying to stow away anything and everything possible in my tiny dorm room!
So here are my absolute MUST HAVES when packing for school in no particular order:
- Bed in a Bag- usually found at Target or Walmart, and have a comforter and sheets all-in-one! Don’t forget: Twin XL!
- Alarm Clock- obvious essential. Need to wake up for those 8am classes!
- Desk Lamp- also found at Target or Walmart, many have cool compartments that can hold pencils and things as well!
- Laptop- definitely a more expensive item, and all based on preference. Great for typing up papers, taking notes, and of course just trolling the internet! But if you don’t feel the need for a laptop, Iowa offers many on-campus ITC Centers free for students to use!
- Shower Caddy- How else do you expect to get your shower necessities down the hall to the bathroom? I suggest finding one with NO metal part, that way it doesn’t rust after getting wet a few times! Can be found at Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, and of course Walmart!
- Futon- I personally suggest lofting your bed when living on campus, it gives you TONS of extra space! It also allows you to have a place for friends to sit, and sleep if they ever stay over! I know I crashed on some of my friends futons if I stayed over too late and had an early class the next day! Or even if friends from home come to visit!
- Hanging Shoe Holder- this is a great item for your closet! It keeps all the shoes you’re not currently wearing up and out of the way! I found mine at IKEA!
- Pants Hanger- These are great for hanging up your pants. It holds multiple pairs of pants, and if you fold them neatly it can be very compact! They even sell similar ones for skirts! You can find these at The Container Store, Target, Walmart, and Bed Bath & Beyond!
- Storage Bins- Preferably medium sized, they fit great on closet shelves to hid away and food, cleaning products, or any other necessities you don’t want just sitting out! They either come with open tops, or you can buy some with lids! I found mine at Kohl’s and IKEA!
- Clorox Wipes- These are so handy! I used mine to clean our room’s sink, or to even just wipe down the surface of my desk. So many different uses, they come in so handy!
- Lock Box- aka a mini/portable safe. Great for storing away important documents, checkbooks, jewelry, and electronics! I found mine at Office Max.
- Laptop Lock- a combination lock with a cord that can attach to almost anything. I had my desk under my bed so I attached it to my bed. So when my computer was on my desk I could just slide in the lock no problem. And if I wandered out of my room for a couple minutes to talk to friends or use the restroom, I wouldn’t have to worry about anyone snatching up my laptop!
- Bunk Bed Shelf- This is great for attaching it to your bunk without anything permanent. That way your alarm clock, kleenexes, pretty much anything you need by your bed you’ll still have it! I found mine at The Container Store.
- Febreeze- not that your room will necessarily be stinky at college, but sometimes if parents or friends are coming over, it’s nice to have a fresh smelling room.
- Laundry Basket- there are all different types, laundry bags, the classic bin, or even ones on wheels! But either way, you’re going to need some kind of thing to get your dirty clothes from your dorm room, to the laundry room. I suggest and opaquely colored one, unless of course you don’t mind people seeing all your business…
- Make-up Mirror- Girls, you may not think you need one, but I don’t suggest you wait until you and your roommate are trying to use the mirror at the same time to find out…
Those are all my basic necessities for dorm life! Not including clothes and any other more personally preferred items…
Now here comes just some tips and advice from a now former freshman:
- Don’t over pack. You don’t need as much as you think you do. Try to bring things with multiple functions and purposes, over things that are one trick ponies.
- Leave your door open. During the first couple weeks of school, it’s the best way to meet people who live on your floor. And if you walk past someone’s room with an open door, don’t be afraid to pop your head in and introduce yourself!
- Go to all your lectures. Trust me, it’s tempting to skip a lecture or two when they don’t take attendance. But don’t think just because they don’t take attendance that the information won’t be on the exam. It will be.
- Don’t be afraid to eat alone. Many times you and your friends schedules won’t line up and you’ll find yourself alone at meal time. So don’t be embarrassed you don’t have anyone to sit with. Trust me, you won’t be the only one by yourself in the dining hall.
- Join your dorm’s ‘association’. I lived in Slater, and it was called “U.S.A” aka The United Slater Association. Don’t let the silly names fool you. These associations have a lot to offer at a minimum price. At just $20 for the entire year, your residence hall’s front desk can offer you unlimited movie rentals, board games, sports equipment, and cleaning supplies.
- Do your homework the day you get it. It’s really easy to put off doing your homework when you only have class twice a week. But take advantage of large breaks between classes to get your homework done. Waiting until the last minute is what stresses you out majority of the time, not the homework itself.
- Learn your bus routes. Buses are free to students, and if you’re running late to class they can become your best friend. So learn your routes to make sure you end up where you need to be. A tip specific to Iowa Cambuses? Blue to Burge, and Red to Reinow. The Blue Route will take you to the Burge Residence Hall and goes counter-clockwise. While the Red Route goes to the Reinow Residence Halls and goes clockwise.
- Learn to take naps. Might sound silly, but if you stayed up too late the night before, a 10-20 minute nap can do wonders!
- Make time for yourself. Being at a new school with new friends can all be so exciting and of course you shouldn’t let this time in your life go to waste! But remember it’s ok to turn down plans and take some time for yourself. It’s good to have some alone time, that way you won’t become socially overloaded. Not taking time for yourself can cause you to stretch yourself too thin and can cause you to become really stressed and exhausted. I learned that the hard way.
Well there you have it! My list, tips, and advice when it comes to college! This was definitely a more lengthy blog so if you stuck through it until the end I applaud and thank you! This whole blog was all from a student’s point of view and I hope you found it helpful! Best of luck!
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