Here's a list of things I have compiled that are "vital" necessities for your first year of college. Ice cream, dry shampoo and comfy shoes are all important, because some things they don't mention in the welcome packet.
1. Dry Shampoo
I don’t care how clean you were in high school, college will change you. Baseball caps and dry shampoo will become your best friends. Whether your hair is dirty from an all nighter at the library or hasn’t been washed since you got a cranberry vodka spilt on it at the bar, it probably won’t get washed again until tomorrow, maybe.
2. Cookie Sheet
Nothing is better than fresh warm cookies. Easy to make and easy to bake, make sure to bring one of these things. However, if you’re not into cookies, a cookie sheet has endless uses: cookies, mozzarella sticks or chicken nuggets. If your dorm has community ovens this is a must.
3. Extra Undies
You will not do laundry as often as you think.
4. Comfortable Wedges
A night out at bars calls for a cute outfit and wedges and you'll learn to walk in heels in no time. The tricky part is getting a pair you can walk in and don’t kill your feet.
5. Nike Shorts
A girl can never have too many.
6. Computer Stickers
Whether it's your sorority letters, a sticker from home, or a sticker from your college, everyone at school has their computer covered in stickers.
7. Good Pair of Running Shoes
No matter how big your campus is, walking all day from class to class is exhausting on your feet. Make sure to get comfy running shoes to wear to class, and your feet will thank you later.
8. Pictures from Home
Because sometimes you get homesick.
9. Ice Cream
Tests aren’t the same in college, they’re harder and more stressful and cause emotional and physical pain. Sometimes it will feel like the weight of your school work is too heavy to bear, but remember ice cream makes everything better.
10. Drying Rack
This is something that I never ever thought of. However a drying rack for your clothes will be so handy! Especially when the freshman 15 hits, and your dryer shrinking your clothes will only make things worse. If your dorm has enough space for a small drying rack, definetly invest in one. Dryers at school are dangerous: they will rip your clothes to shreds, not fully dry them, or dry and shrink them into toddler clothes.
11. Cross Body Purse That Zips
Game days, bars, anywhere you go its nice to have a good purse to keep everything in, and if it zips it helps make sure no one can reach in and grab anything.
12. Extra Long Phone Charger
Dorm life calls for little outlets and most likely in unreachable places. Especially if you loft your bed, you’ll want a phone cord that will reach all the way into your twin sized bed.
13. Mac and Cheese
Three minutes and just add water? It’s a gourmet meal in your microwave. Mac and cheese saves lives people.
14. Small Umbrella
It may be clear and sunny when you leave at 9am, but by the time you get home at 3pm after class it can be down pouring rain. The lesson here is to be prepared. Keep a small purse-sized umbrella in the side pocket of your backpack, and you’ll thank me when your brand new computer you got for graduation stays dry.
15. Rain Boots
Again, most likely you won’t even know it’s supposed to rain because it’s sunny, or because you’re too lazy to check the weather before your 8am, but getting your running shoes and socks wet is miserable to walk home in and even worse when you have to wear them wet for the next three days until they dry.
16. Plastic Silverware
Bottom line: doing dishes sucks. Save the hassle and go to Costco and get a huge pack of silverware that you can throw away.
17. Blazer
College calls for joining new clubs and taking on new activities and jobs. Make sure you pack a blazer and at least one professional business outfit, you never know when you may need it and finding a cute but professional outfit can be difficult under a time crunch.
18. Small ID Wallet
Your school ID is your life. You’ll want it it close to you and easy to get, ditch the big clunky wallet with a million gift cards and get a small wallet with a place to hold your student ID, minimal cash and a debit or credit card.
19. Extra Phone Charger
Depending on your classes you take, you can be away from your dorm all day long. Bring an extra charger in your backpack so you don’t have to wait until 8pm to recharge your phone.
20. Cheap Sunglasses
Leave them in your backpack. They could get crushed, you can wear them to a football game, you may lose them, or you may forget your regular sunglasses glasses. Long story short make sure to get cheap sunglasses to wear to darties and class, and game days that you don’t care a whole lot about because they can easily get lost, scratched or stolen.
21. Clorox Wipes
Welcome to the world of no moms and no maids. This means cleaning everything yourself, so make sure to get Clorox wipes. They don’t take up a lot of space and are easy to use. Just take one out and wipe everything down. Plus sickness is inevitable in college so start saving yourself from all those germs out there now. Better safe than sorry, right?
22. Power Strip
Between your computer, phone, camera, alarm clock, and so on you’ll need more plugs than you think. Make sure to get a power strip and save yourself the hassle of finding five open plugs.
23. Extra Medicine
You will get sick, I promise. It takes one illness in college all by yourself to build up your immune system and teach you to wash your hands more. Bring extra NyQuil and Advil and save yourself a million trips to the store.
