With the academic year coming to an end, high school seniors all over the country are choosing their next path, and with that comes choosing where to live in college. When it comes to living in an on-campus dorm, everyone has different opinions on what to bring and not to bring.
Having spent the last year living in Landis Hall at FSU, here are my absolute must-haves or things I couldn’t live without.
- Mattress Topper
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From the second I lied down in a dorm bed during my admitted students’ overnight stay, I knew a mattress topper was a must. Dorm beds might as well be a concrete block with how hard and uncomfortable they are. To save yourself from any sleepless nights, make sure to buy one for a twin XL.
- Desk Hutch
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With limited space in a dorm room, building upwards helps maximize storage without feeling bulky. Keeping a clean space is key to productivity, and extra space above my desk to store materials has saved me from feeling cramped when getting ready or doing homework.
- First Aid Kit
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Whether DIY or bought online, you never know when a first aid kit will save you. Never underestimate the inevitable first-year sicknesses. Being in a new place could make you susceptible to illness due to high stress and packed environments.
Having medicine for common problems was a must for me. No one wants to go to CVS to get medicine when they’re already sick or just need a Band-Aid.
- Extension Cords
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With dorms being a confined space, there’s usually one to two outlets in the entire room. If you want to charge your phone next to your bed, extension cords are essential. In fact, my extension cords have extension cords plugged into them to reach farther.
- Ottoman
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To maximize storage space, raising the dorm bed high and putting dressers or bins under it saves space on the floor, making the room feel bigger. Once your bed is raised, the next problem is getting onto it.
Sure, you may be able to jump up, but are you going to want to do that every time? An ottoman is perfect to give you a leg up onto your bed. I recommend getting an ottoman with storage; never underestimate how many places you’ll need storage. It won’t be too much!
- Over-the-door Mirror
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Unless you know you’ll have the extra room, don’t get a standing mirror. An over-the-door mirror is perfect for tight spaces. Remember, everything can be multi-purpose. I have a mirror that opens to store jewelry; it’s perfect to open, grab the jewelry I want to wear, and then admire the finished look after I close it.
- Laundry Basket (with Wheels)
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I remember watching countless TikTok videos while I was making my dorm packing list, and every video had a different opinion on mesh laundry bags versus wheeled laundry baskets. As someone who used both this year, a wheeled laundry basket is by far superior.
The mesh bags are awkward to carry, and when the elevator to the laundry room breaks for a month, you’ll be relieved to roll your laundry up and down the stairs instead of carrying it.
- Air Purifier
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Many of the dorms on campus are old, and who knows what’s in the air or what previous students were doing in your room? Smells travel, and when someone on your floor inevitably burns their food while they learn to cook for the first time in a dorm kitchen, an air purifier saves your room from smelling their cooking failures.
- LED Vanity Mirror
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If we’re being completely honest, the lighting in the dorms isn’t ideal. When I’m doing my makeup, I like to see every detail.
Before coming to school, I never used a vanity mirror, but when I went home for winter break, I missed my LED mirror and wished I had brought it home with me. If you don’t use one already, it’s life-changing. Personally, I prefer to use a smaller vanity mirror, but many of my friends use bigger ones and love them.
- Fan
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Despite having a thermostat in the room, I’m not convinced it actually does anything. With how hot FSU gets in the fall and summer, a fan is the perfect addition to any dorm room. Despite what everyone says, it doesn’t have to be a Woozoo fan, which tends to be on the more expensive side.
Some things should just stay at home. Personally, I regret bringing multiple notebooks, clothes I never wear at home, and too many pens. As a professional overpacker, my dad told me over and over that I was packing too much for college.
Maybe he was right, but I’d rather be overprepared than underprepared.
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