It's time to start thinking about moving into your college dorm or apartment. If you're a freshman, you're probably a little stressed about the thought of it––it can be pretty overwhelming to think about all the stuff you're going to need in a pretty small space, along with all the stuff you'll need for classes. So, as someone who has moved in to a dorm room a couple of different times, here are some tips on things you might need or some tips to help you get through move in day!
Minimize!
I have a lot of stuff, especially clothes and random collectibles that are just for showing off. A bunch of these don't work too well in a dorm room. You might have a small amount of desk space, and you're going to want to use that to do homework and study, not be a showpiece for your things. As for clothes, choose your favorites, because your closet and drawers aren't going to have a lot of room and trying to sort through everything will get old really quick, trust me. I'm still working on minimizing the amount of stuff I bring, mostly because I'm a big 'what if this happens and I need this?' person who goes to college five hours away from home, but trust me, a lot of the stuff you think is a necessity will just take up space.
Organize!
I'm the worst about leaving stuff just laying around, even important stuff that I know I'm going to need. So when I'm at school, I try to give everything a designated area that is neat and easily accessible. Label drawers with what's inside them, get a key holder for your wallet and keys, label storage boxes. This way, when you're in a hurry or you think you've lost something, you can know where it is and don't have to tear your room apart. Also you won't lose any important papers you receive, which tends to happen to me.
Get Help!
You might end up having some pretty heavy stuff, like boxes full of things or a mini fridge or a TV. You don't really want to do this by yourself, especially if you live on the 2nd or 3rd floor of your building. Try to find some people who can help you bring stuff into your room and up the stairs, like your parents or some friends who are free. Some school even have students acting as a moving in team who can be of service to you. You could get hurt trying to do this stuff yourself, so make sure you're not alone.
Talk To Your Roommate!
You don't want to get to the room and start plopping stuff down, or you don't want to walk in and your roommate have stuff everywhere. It's nice to talk to your roommate beforehand and decide who's bringing what, who wants what bed, and anything else that might be important to you or them. It's a good way to start off on the right foot with them, if you show that you care about their preferences!
Decorate!
Dorm rooms have pretty bland walls a lot of the time, and it can be a little draining to be looking at a blank wall all school year. It's nice to bring pictures to stick up, or posters, or paintings, or anything else that can be hung up and a pleasure to look at. I've noticed a big thing now is taking tapestries, large ones, and putting them on the wall where your bed is. It's an easy way to spruce up your room and make it brighter and happier!
