After four long years of high school it’s finally time to begin your life as an adult. You’ve received your admission letter and it’s time to start preparing for your first year in the dorms. Before you head off to school, there are some essential items you’re going to need.
1. Mattress Cover
Most colleges require that you stay in the dorms your first year if you’re from out of state or even out of the city. You might be in for an unpleasant surprise when you discover the quality and condition of your dorm room bed. A mattress cover is the perfect way to improve your sleeping conditions.
2. Laptop
A big bulky desktop is going to take up a huge portion of what little desk space you have. Laptop computers should be considered an essential item for your first year of college. Having a portable computer for building your club’s website, taking notes during lecture and writing papers when all of the library’s computers are taken, is a must.
3. Printer
Having a printer in your dorm room will make your life a whole lot easier as you navigate your first year of college. Printing at your school library probably isn’t free, and having a printer might end up saving you money as you progress through college. When you wake up in a panic because you forgot to do an assignment, having a printer handy will save you time and stress.
4. Laundry Basket
Unfortunately, mom isn’t going to be around to do your laundry for you anymore. Make sure you have a solid hamper or basket for the long walk down to the laundry room. Don’t hesitate to call your mom for directions on how to do laundry either—you don’t want to end up shrinking your favorite pair of jeans!
5. Hangers
If your dorm includes a dresser, it probably doesn’t have much space and you might have to share it with your roommate. Pick up some hangers in bulk from Target so that you can put the majority of your clothes in the closet to maximize storage space.
6. Shower Shoes
The showers in your dorm building might not be the most cleanly of areas. It’s important that you pick up a pair of flip-flops or sandals that you can wear when you need to rinse off. In addition to shower shoes, a caddie for all of your soaps and shampoos will be incredibly useful as well.
7. Credit Card
Your parents might not be too keen on getting a credit card for their 18 year old son or daughter, but emergencies happen. It’s not a bad idea to get a credit card in your name if mom and dad aren’t open to the idea of putting it in theirs. As long as you use it responsibly, a credit card is a great way to start building credit before your graduate.
8. School Supplies
While you might not be in high school anymore, you’re still going to need some the same basic school supplies. Things like notebooks, pencils, pens, flashcards, and scantrons will be necessary in college. Your school bookstore is going to charge you a small fortune for all of these items; make sure you take a trip to an office supply store before the semester starts.
9. Noise Canceling Headphones
If you get unlucky with a wild roommate who plans on staying up late and making a bunch of noise with his or her friends, headphones are definitely going to come in handy. Noise-canceling headphones are great for when you need to zero in on your studies in the library or on the grassy knoll.
10. Study Planner
Staying on top of your assignments, tests, and projects should be a top priority for you as a student. A daily planner to map out everything is a must. While you can use your phone or computer to mark your calendar, many students find that it’s easier to just write down assignments by hand as they come their way.
11. Tools
Don’t be surprised when your dorm furniture breaks and you can’t get the maintenance man to come for a few days. Make sure you have a screwdriver, hammer, super glue, duct tape, and screws so you can fix anything whenever a problem arises.
Pick up these essential items and your first year of college will be a breeze!
