This time last year, everything felt like a shot in the dark. I was counting down the days until I'd be shipped off to college and I wondered all the time if it would be anything like I'd thought be. Would I enjoy my school of choice? Will I be comfortable? Is this place going to be my home away from home?
Thankfully I can say that the answer to all of these is yes. Bowling Green State University turned out to be an amazing choice for me and I am a different person after only just one year there. Part of the comfort I feel, though, that no one really seems to talk about, is because of where I lived. My dorm was a place of solace. In fact, I liked it better than my room at home... almost. And I'll be the first to admit that I had WAAAY too much stuff in that tiny little room, but I don't regret any of the "unnecessary" things whatsoever since they are really what brought my college experience the home-y feeling I was really looking for.
1. Fairy lights/salt lamp
These may serve no practical purpose, but they're very aesthetically pleasing and actually helped me relax when I needed a break from my dorm's harsh fluorescent lights.
2. Photographs from home
Everyone will tell you that pictures of your life before college and your friends who you've now separated from will no longer be relevant, but for me, having pictures hung up was not only cute and brought personalization to my ugly white walls, but also gave me some comfort when I was especially homesick.
3. School supplies
College definitely isn't high school and you won't need a fresh pack of colored pencils and every color highlighter under the sun. That being said, I still brought some of the supplies I had from over the years (gluesticks, a stapler, markers, etc.) and found that they would come in hand at the most unexpected times for both me and my friends and roommates.
4. My favorite books
I am a total book nerd, so I brought a bunch of my favorite books to my dorm and displayed them. They made for great conversation, looked good, and gave me something to do when I had free time.
5. SO. MANY. MUGS.
A big warning for those entering dorm life is to avoid bringing a ton of dishware because you won't be cooking as much as you think. While this is true, I used my mugs pretty much every single day whether it be for coffee or tea or just water, and I don't regret for a second having a bunch. I could share when my friends came to hang, and if you have more than a couple, you can avoid dishes for a few days too!
6. High school clothing
I'll admit, it is a little uncomfy to go out on campus in a Key Club T-shirt from high school. For some reason, it just feels...off. Even so, I'm glad I brought my shirts nonetheless since they became very convenient for days where I wasn't going out in public or I just wanted to be comfy beyond belief.
7. Tapestry
This was the first thing I bought for decoration in my dorm and I'm obsessed with it. It made my room look so stylish and really added the pizzazz that made me want to spend time in my room.
8. Mini fan
My dorm had air conditioning but during the winter it would get warm at night. The tiny fan I had that clipped to my bed was easy to use, convenient, and sometimes worked perfectly for nights where all I needed to sleep was some white noise.
9. Water purifier
The tap water wasn't really bad in my dorm but for some reason, purified water is just better. Do you need it? Probably not. Will you still love it? Definitely.
10. Extra EVERYTHING
Extra shower gel, sheets, clothes, cleaning supplies... you name it, I had some more of it. I really didn't need all of the stuff I had nor did I use all of it, but it was nice to know that I was prepared and wouldn't be stranded if I did happen to need something.
11. Electric tea kettle
I like tea, but I never knew how much of a fan I was until my roommate whipped out this bad boy. It was so easy and quick to use to heat up water and worked great for ramen too!
12. Cute knick-knacks
I, for one, want to live somewhere that looks nice and has cute things that makes it look lived in. All of my little knickknacks were arranged on my windowsill and looked great, so while they really were unnecessary I am grateful I brought them.
13. An overnight bag
This is something I never expected to need but used quite often. You never know when an extra bag will be essential!
14. Nail polish remover
This is totally random but very popular with me and my friends because it was something everyone doesn't expect to want or need.
Pro tip: works really well for getting those magic marker bar scars off the backs of your hands ;-)
15. Multiple pairs of shoes
People stress and stress that you shouldn't bring more of anything than you need but bringing a wide variety of shoes not only made me prepared but made me fashionable, too.
10/10 would recommend if you're debating whether you REALLY need that extra pair of converse.
16. Straws
Unfortunately, I used single-use plastic straws because I was an uncultured fool, but I'm still glad I had them! Coffee and tea were something I had ALL the time and those stain your teeth, so I am not mad that I made this decision.
17. Holiday decorations
Do you need Christmas lights and a mini tree? Nope. But it sincerely brought me joy to come back from class and be immediately brought into the spirit of whatever holiday was closest.
18. Closet organizer hooks
THESE. CHANGED. MY. LIFE. And they'll change yours, too!! I have a lot of clothing so these were a must for me no matter what an article says.
19. Bed rest pillow
This looked good, felt good, and made studying that much comfier. I could've made due just in my bed or at my desk but the comfort level of this thing really made getting work done better.
20. Going out clothes
Listen...you're going to want options. Not only that, but you never know what will be thrown at you or what groups you'll join! Unexpected things like job interviews or parties definitely came up for me so having my fair share on non-casual clothes was a very good choice on my part.
21. Keurig
Again, coffee is EVERYTHING. I wish it were an exaggeration. While I easily could've just gone to Starbucks or Dunkin' on my meal plan, it saved me a lot of time to have my Keurig right there, ready to go.
22. Bedside lamp
I never actually used this to study, but I definitely used it as a soft light to help me see while my roommate was trying to sleep. Plus, the one I had looked cool so points for aesthetic alone.
