What To Take To College

Well now you have made your college decision, you have turned in your documents to matriculate, and now the exciting part: moving to your new place.

Taking on the major independence you’ve secretly dreamed of and a learning to take care of yourself away from home. It’s exciting, albeit mildly frightening, but don’t worry- you’re a big kid now. You have generations before you to help guide you and turn to to ask questions. So don’t be afraid anymore-enjoy this time, celebrate your accomplishments, and just savor the road ahead.

So now that you are physically taking steps toward your college adventure, here is some advice about packing and items to take with you. Now you’ll see lots of packing lists with microwaves, bean bag chairs, full-sized large rugs. But remember these lists, especially found in stores, are meant to entice you to buy everything possible that the store offers. But you’re a college student now, time to learn to budget and learn how to live with simplicity in your little dorm room.

I highly recommend you try to bring as little as possible. All the nostalgic items I took with me to college, that I swore I could not survive without-really could have waited. I also did not realize how small of space you actually get in your dorm room. There’s very little storage space, so you really need to be inventive and maximize those spaces wisely. Under your bed, your desk drawers, sides of your bed post etc.: BE creative.

The key is to figure out what you really need. Pack smart. Really read over your orientation and welcome packets to make sure you know what is Not allowed. Also for accurate measurements.

Clothing is quite tricky depending on your style and geographical needs. Make sure you research your new location so you can get an idea of what you’ll need for the weather conditions. Clothing will take up a majority of your space in your dorm room. Try not to pack too much, because you will end up buying new clothes at your new place. Especially with the college logo items you’ll need for spirit days, sporting events, and for traveling home. Really try to take as little as possible then during Thanksgiving you can bring more or switch out your Summer items for the winter items. If I could re-do this part I would take way less than I did.

(You may need something fun for themed parties, they happen unexpectedly in college. Having a sparkly dress or a little black dress could really save you during those times. Halloween is huge in college, you’ll need a Non-offensive/culture appropriating costume eventually. Make sure you have at least one set of professional looking clothes! You’ll need them for away games, class presentations, banquets, etc. You might need one formal dress. There are quite a few formal occasions during the school year so have something nice, in your wardrobe)

On the other hand, it is a caveat to say that in college Laundry rarely gets done. The machines in dorms always just are crap sometimes. People will leave in a red sock with your whites, take your clothes out of the dryer before their done, steal your clothes/detergent, or the machine will eat your clothes. It’s really a pain to do your laundry in college and expensive! So make sure that the item you pack ALOT of is: underwear!!! Sometimes you’ll be too busy, there won’t be an open washer, or sometimes you’re just too broke. So be nifty and don’t say we didn’t warn you.

First Aid kits are great. When you leave home you don’t realize how many useful knick-nacks you never appreciated. Cold medicine and band-aids are some of these that have just always been around that you never think of until you need them. Just have some on hand. In big-kid land, getting sick-you learn to take care of yourself. Also your professors won’t budge like your teachers did in high school.

Take enough shoes for different scenarios to match your wardrobe. Have your work out shoes, your dress up shoes, and your every day shoes. Above all do not forget your shower shoes!

Well these are just a few items, there may be more. We have been post-grads for some time now, so some aspects of dorm life might escape our memory…Don’t feel too overwhelmed or scared at all. Everyone feels or has felt that way before. It’s perfectly normal to be afraid, but don’t let that stop you. Lookout world, here you come!