What to Pack for College

What to Pack for College Deciding what to pack when you head to school may seem more overwhelming than trying to get your entire high school career on one tiny admissions application. With a little planning and foresight, however, it doesnt have to be as complicated as it might seem at first. You'll Buy Stuff When You Get There You dont have to plan for your entire academic year when packing, especially if youre on a really tight budget. You can buy pens, extra binders, and lots of other things as the year goes on. Additionally, if you arent sure if you need to bring a small desk lamp or if the school will already provide one for you, for example, just research it in advance. See if the schools website says anything.Check out social media and ask other students.Call the residence life office and ask whats already in the room. Keep in mind, too, that you are building a new life of sorts for yourself. Dont try to duplicate your room at home so much as find things that will represent your time at school. Lastly, this list doesnt include all of the things that should go without explaining, like clothes and a backpack. This is meant to remind you of a few items that you might forget to pack and that just might make your college life a little easier. The Essentials Quarters - Possibly one of the highest-demand items on a college campus. Grab a roll or two before you go.Tip: If you run out, ask a fellow student who works as a waiter/waitress.Detergent and fabric softener - If you buy a big box because its cheaper in bulk, make sure you have a way to carry a little bit at a time. Theres no need to carry 25 pounds of detergent down three flights of stairs every time you need to wash your clothes.Laundry basket, hamper, or bag - Space is usually at a premium for college students, so this should double as a way to carry your clothes from your room to the washing machines.Fabric freshener  - Speaking of that dirty laundry... a bottle of spray fabric freshener like Febreze will keep your dorm room smelling fresh and your roommate happy.Shower caddy - Youll most likely need to carry your shower items (soap, shampoo, conditioner, razor, etc.) from your room and back. A good shower caddy should fit all your essentials.  Shower shoes - The showers at school may not be as clean as the one youre used to at home. Make sure you have something to prevent catching (or stepping in) anything nasty. Robe - Not everyone wants to walk from the shower to their room in only a towel.First aid kit - Something simple will do to help cover up and heal small injuries here and there.Sewing kit - This may seem like a lifesaver when youre on your last pair of clean socks . . . and your toe pokes through them.Small toolkit - These can be a little hard to find, but are worth the effort. A basic toolkit with a small hammer, screwdriver (with different kinds of tips), wrench, tape measure, and a few other essentials will come in handy during your time at school.Hangers - Its no fun to arrive at school with tons of clothes that have to live on your bed or closet floor for the first few days.  Cup, bowl, plate, fork, knife, and spoon - One set should work for grabbing pizza late at night, sharing the 2-liter soda your RA bought during midterms week and eating healthy snacks while studying between meals.Can opener - Theres just no way to get that can of soup open without one, especially when its really late and youre really hungry. Small items for clean-up - Depending on what you prefer, this could be Clorox wipes, paper towels, a rag or two, or a few sponges. No matter what it is, that cup of soda is inevitably going to spill and youll be prepared.Keychain - While you can wait to get this until you arrive, make sure its on your list. Most students have a keychain that holds their keys and student ID; get a sturdy one that will be hard to lose.Extra-long sheets - Check with your school before buying sheets. Most college residence halls have extra-long twin beds, which are a different size than standard twin beds. Youll need a specific size of sheets to fit them.Flash/jump/thumb drive - Perfect for printing at the library, saving your work when working with a group on someone elses computer, and bringing to class for presentations. Have two or three of these on hand in case one gets misplaced.Laptop lock - Make sure your laptop is as protected as possible, no matter how safe you feel.Power strip with surge prote ction - Residence hall rooms are notorious for not having enough plugs. Make sure you can safely plug in all the devices you bring. Extension cords - With rooms being small enough already, the last thing you need is to have to move things around just to reach an outlet.Printer paper - You just finished writing your essay, youre tired, and you want to go to bed. Who wants to spend twenty minutes searching for printer paper?Small fan - Many residence halls dont have air conditioning and can get pretty hot during the summer. A tiny fan will do wonders for circulating the air in your room, even in winter.Umbrella - If youre packing during a sunny day, this may totally slip your mind. But youll be grateful for it the first time it rains on campus.Fridge and microwave - Essentials for most college students. Make sure, though, that you coordinate with your roommate before bringing either of these.Additionally, make sure that whatever you bring doesnt exceed the limitations allowed in your hall. You can find out more about size and electricity limits by contacting your campus residence life office.Cell-phone charger - Oh , the horrors of forgetting this. If possible, get one with an extra long cord; outlets are usually in short supply. If you like to sleep with your phone by your bed (or use it as an alarm), you might not be able to do so if the cords too short. Things Not to Bring There are things that you do want to bring to campus and those that should definitely be avoided. Candles - These are rarely allowed in residence halls, and even on-campus apartments, because of the fire hazard. Even if you arent going to light them, they still may not be allowed.A fridge or microwave that exceeds the size and electricity limits for your room or apartment Hotplate - These are also usually not permitted in on-campus housing.Expensive equipment - You may think that bringing very high-quality stereo equipment will make you a popular student on your floor. That may be true, but doing so may also make you a target for theft. If there are other things youre thinking of bringing, its more important to have a rule for how to decide what to bring with you than it is to worry about whats right vs. whats wrong. Just use that smart brain of yours to make wise choices. Lastly, make sure you know how to keep your belongings safe once you arrive. Who wants to spend all that time packing just to have your things disappear?!