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Style > Decor

College Dorm Room Essentials

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Dickinson chapter.

As an incoming freshman, I knew the basics of what was needed at college, however, found my parents and Amazon Prime being my best friends as packages were constantly being sent to me at school. After going on Pinterest, I thought I had thousands of ideas of a “perfect” dorm setup, but found small details left out, once I moved in. So, as a now incoming junior, I’m sharing my list of college essentials you may have missed.

 

  1. Mattress Pad: A key point for bedding in college to enjoy a bit of relaxation on the old college beds!

  2. Lights: Whether it be string lights or lamps, small lights around your room make a dorm room, a dorm room!

  3. Microwave: Campus food gets old pretty quick. If it’s easy mac or something else, a microwave in your room is beneficial!

  4. Plastic Utensils: You’ll need to buy way more than you think!

  5. Mini Fridge: Food and drink storage is crucial!

  6. Speaker: For singing in the shower or dance parties with your roommates!

  7. Blankets: Lots and lots of blankets for when the air conditioning is too high, the heat goes out, or for a fun movie night with your friends!

  8. Step Stool: If you’re like me, and loft your bed as high as it can go, it can be hard to climb up and jumping up gets annoying after a few tries!

  9. Pillows: Other than the basic pillows on your bed, find some decorative pillows to spice up your room!

  10. Command Strips and Hooks: If you’re looking to hang up posters, pictures, or canvases, these will become your best friends!

  11. Mugs: You’ll learn that coffee, tea, or hot chocolate are must haves before class!

  12. Dry Erase Board: Use this to keep track of your schedule, write notes to friends, or fun quotes!

  13. Extension Cords: Many dorm rooms don’t have nearly enough outlets!

  14. First Aid Kit: For the small injuries!

  15. Desk Calendar: For keeping track of your class schedule, clubs, due dates, and events!

  16. Pictures: Don’t forget about your family, friends, and pets!

  17. Hand Vacuum: Dorm rooms somehow collect a lot more dust and dirt than your room at home!

  18. Mini Steamer: For special events or for the clothes you accidentally put in your drawer!

  19. Desk Organizers: By the end of a semester, the inside of a desk gets messy!

 

Happy packing!

Odessa Elmore

Dickinson '21

is a current sociology major, interested in working on policy changes in education and health.
Julia Mercado

Dickinson '20

Julia is an English major who just loves to write. You can normally find her looking for the next Netflix original to watch... or coming up with her own script ideas. With Her Campus, she hopes to reach out to other college women like her!