I was a Freshman once and I remember I had packed all of my belongings, put them in a trailer, and then a week later, three months later went, "Shoot! I forgot that!" So I made a list of everything that stopped me in my tracks aft3er moving in my first day. These are the 10 things that are absolutely essential, yet often forgotten, when moving into college.
College is hard! Just when you think you've mastered it, something goes wrong. Use this as a helpful checklist to make sure you have absolutely everything you need and not just the things that Bed, Bath, and Beyond says you need on its checklist. (Which if you have not gone on their website and printed their school-based checklist, you should!)
Good luck. This next adventure awaits your arrival!
1. SNACKS!
I know what you're thinking, "oh, I'll just buy those later when I get there". Yea, you could, but if you're going away to college they may not have your favorite snacks there. Or you may not realize just how expensive groceries cost yet and you'll wonder why you didn't pick them up when mom and dad may have still helped you with the cost. Either way, it's good to just have them ahead of time!
2. Extension Chords / Charging Strips
That favorite lamp that you always dreamed of putting on your desk may not reach the plugin that's in the middle of the room. Not to mention you may only have two plugins that you are allowed to use in order to share with your roommate. By the time you plug in your phone, your computer, that cute lamp, the other floor lamp you brought, your fridge, your coffee maker, your cute little Christmas lights that you just had to have from Target...well shoot... You've used every plugin in your room and then some
3. Decorations from Home
You're SO READY to move out of your parent's house and go to college, but believe me, at some point, it'll hit you and you'll miss home, even just a little. So bring some decorations with you to help! It may be a quilt your grandma made, a picture a friend painted for you, pictures with all your friends, maybe even your senior year yearbook, etc. Whatever it may be, you don't have to feel ashamed about bringing things with you from your hometown that you were so desperate to get out of.
4. Shower Shoes
If you have community bathrooms this is ESSENTIAL! You do not want to go to the doctor within the first month because you've gotten some nasty fungus. Go ahead, play it safe, and buy them now.
5. Bathrobe
Whether you have community bathrooms or your own, there will be a day that you forget to bring clothes with you to the bathroom. I almost guarantee that will be the day that your roommate has her/his boyfriend/girlfriend there and you will be too embarrassed to go out, naked, to change. You may not need it every time you shower, but trust me, one day you will.
6. Medicine
This one really got me. I didn't pack it. I went two months without needing it and then BAM I got the flu. By that time I was WAY too sick to get myself out of bed and go to Walgreens. Don't rely on your roommate being nice enough to go get your medication, as mine thankfully did. Not to mention, only you know which brand you like so just go get it now and save it for a raining day. This includes nasal spray, Advil, mentholadum, bath salts, chapstick, etc.
7. Extra Sheets
You'll swear that you'll clean your sheets once a month and then put them back on your bed, but you won't. You'll either not clean them at all - which is disgusting. Or you'll clean them and then never put them back on your bed - also kinda gross. If you have extras it is easier to rip a pair off, put them in the washer, put the new ones on, and then just fold the clean ones and put them in your closet.
8. Blister Band-aids
WIth walking around campus all the time you are bound to get blisters at some point, but that doesn't mean you can just stop walking. These band-aids help cushion the tender area and medicate it while still allowing you to walk. It may just be the best thing ever invented.
9. Headphones
At some point, you'll need to escape the world for a moment and listen to some music without annoying your new roommate and hopefully one day best friend. Headphones can be a great way to help you study, ignore the other conversations in the room, block out snoring, excite your walk to class, or motivate you at the gym. They're so easy to leave behind and a good pair will cost a lot more than you're expecting them to.
10. A Winter Coat and A Pair of Shorts
If you have multiple, you only need to bring one. You can even store it under your bed until you're ready to use it. Especially if your college is in the Mid-West, you will need a winter coat before you think you do. The bad part is, it may snow one day and then be 85 the next week so you need to be prepared for both!
man running in forestPhoto by 
