College can be a scary thing. It's easy to get overwhelmed when packing to move away from home, and it's even easier to get overwhelmed when you don't know exactly what you should be packing in order to survive without your parents. Many kids go off to college and bring completely unnecessary items that end up just taking up precious space in your cell block of a dorm. Lucky for all you incoming freshmen, I have just the list for all of your dorm room needs.
1. Extension cords
These little babies will literally be your best friends. In my dorm room, my bed was so far away from the outlet in the wall that my charger couldn't reach me. Luckily, my extension chord allowed me to pull my charger closer to me, making all of my late night Instagram browsing easier than ever.
2. Clorox wipes
When you live in a dorm, especially a community-style dorm, it's way too easy to spread germs. Clorox wipes can help you disinfect literally anything and help prevent you from getting sick.
3. Full-length mirror
If your dorm is anything like my old dorm, you will have one tiny mirror by the door. Make sure to bring a full-length mirror with you so you can check out how good you look in your new outfits.
4. Keurig coffee maker
Life changing. Going to Starbucks every day before class can really make a dent in your change purse before long. Buying K-Cups for your Keurig will not only save you more money in the long run, but it will also be more convenient for you.
5. Brita water pitcher
Again, this one is a life changer. Bottled water is great, but it can also lead to spending unnecessary money. Let's face it, we're broke college kids and should be spending money on other things! A Brita is super easy to use and one of the best purchases I've ever made.
6. Foam topper for your mattress
Dorm mattresses are hard and uncomfortable. Do yourself a favor and buy a foam topper for your mattress. You'll thank me later.
7. Mattress cover
Dorm mattresses are also kind of icky. A mattress cover will make you feel clean. Yay, cleanliness!
8. Microwave
My roommate can 100 percent confirm just how much we used our microwave. I used it just about every morning to make oatmeal, she used it just about every other day to make mac n' cheese. It's worth the money.
9. Command hooks
Command hooks are helpful when you want to hang up that full-length mirror that I mentioned before. They're inexpensive and really durable, so I would definitely purchase a few of these trusty things.
10. Desk lamp
This is useful when you don't want to disturb your roommate and turn on the overhead light when you're up late studying at your desk.
11. Desk mirror
I almost always applied my makeup at my desk in my room thanks to my desk mirror. The one with two sides, one normal side and one magnifying side, really came in handy!
12. Plastic bin filled with toiletries
It's always better to be well-prepared, so I always made sure I had backup toiletries that I stowed away in a plastic bin. You never know when you'll run out of shampoo or conditioner, so it's handy to keep an extra bottle or two stashed away somewhere.
13. Microwave-safe dishes
When I was eating in my room, I always preferred to eat out of an actual bowl or plate rather than a paper one. Ensuring that your dishes are microwave-safe will also prevent fires or other mishaps in your microwave.
14. Throw blanket
When I would get chilly in my dorm, I would always wrap up in a throw blanket. It was much easier to reach for my blanket than it was to undo all of my bedding that was already made up.
15. Shower shoes
This is probably the most important item on this entire list. I don't care if you are living in a community-style or suite-style dorm. Please, oh please, wear shower shoes. I can't express how gross the bathrooms can get, so please be cautious.
There you have it, kids: my list of essentials to bring with you to make sure you are comfortable in the dorms. Shout out to Smith Hall for being the place I called home during my freshmen year. You will, but also will not, be missed.
