I remember shopping for my college dorm room a year ago and I was so confused on what to buy. I knew that I would end up forgetting important things and I walked around stores frustrated and clueless. Here is a list of 10 items that I believe are important to get you through not only your freshman year, but any year away at college. Also, keep in mind that if you do end up forgetting something, you can always go to a store to purchase it or order it online; just because you're away at school, that doesn't mean you're forbidden from buying anything. One of the positives about living in a dorm room is that if you need something, there's usually someone on your floor or in your building that is willing to lend it to you!
1. Swiffer
Trust me when I say that your dorm room floor is going to get very dirty, very fast. Your dorm room is basically going to become your house, and between you and your roommate and all of the people that are going to hang out in there, it is bound to need to be cleaned often. I recommend that you purchase the dry cloths instead of the wet cloths because the dry picks up all of the dust and hair.
2. Safe
In college, people are going to be coming in and out of your room and sometimes you may not be able to lock your door for whatever reason. This is why I suggest purchasing a safe for your dorm room so that you can keep all of your valuables (computer, jewelry, etc.) away from others when you are not there to watch. Better safe than sorry.
3. Plastic containers/utensils/cups
Having plastic containers comes in handy for when you want to "steal" food from the dining hall or warm up leftovers. Utensils are important to have for whenever you are eating in your dorm, whether that be takeout or microwavable mac & cheese. Cups are useful to have for any occasion, but they particularly come in handy when pre-gaming.
4. Speaker
This is not a necessity but I added it to the list just because I think it's a good item to have. Playing music while getting ready for a night out is mandatory, and having a good quality speaker makes everything better. It is also fun to play music while you are in the shower!
5. Air freshener
Dorm rooms usually end up smelling bad because it is such a small space and pretty much everything is done in there. Therefore, I recommend buying either a plug in air freshener or a spray air freshener.
6. Hand soap
If you are going to be using a community style bathroom, which most freshmen do, then the school will probably provide hand soap. A lot of the time, though, that soap isn't very good or it is all used up by the time you get there. To save you from dirty hands, bring a bottle of hand soap to college so that you never end up in a sticky situation.
7. Umbrella
It is bound to rain while you are away at school, and it usually ends up happening at the worst times like on a Monday morning when you are about to walk to class. Bringing an umbrella will prevent you from getting drenched and looking like you just went swimming right before class.
8. Desk lamp
You may plan on always going to the library to study and do your homework, but the truth is that you're often going to be too lazy to walk there and you will end up doing your work at your desk. Dorm rooms always have bad lighting so I suggest buying a desk lamp for extra lighting while doing homework.
9. Full length mirror
Many dorm rooms come with small mirrors, or no mirror at all. Having a full length mirror definitely comes in handy when you are choosing your outfit for the day or a night out.
10. Fan
Dorm rooms are small, stuffy, and very few of them have air conditioners. Having a fan is extremely important to get you through the hot first few weeks of school as well as during the winter when the heat is on way too high.
