It is hard to believe that summer is coming to a close. Some of us are wrapping up internships, others are spending their last days at the beach, and some are even ready to fly the coup for the very first time. In the whirlwind of saying goodbye to friends and family before embarking on that first trip up to college, you may be too overwhelmed to pack effectively. I remember showing up to school blindly, wishing someone had told me the simple things for my dorm room that would really come in handy. So our Her Campus Colby team decided to comprise a list of things we wish we had brought. We asked girls in from the classes of 2013, 2014, and 2015 for some suggestions, particularly for you incoming freshmen. Here is a list we’ve comprised of some great packing advice:
(Elle Woods arriving at Harvard)
- General Rule of Thumb – Do NOT over pack! You want to have extra space in your room so you can move around and have people over. – Izzie ‘15
- Miss Resourceful – Grab some duct tape. Not only can it fix anything, but also it helps to hang things on the wall and it can make a great ABC party outfit. Plus, there are tons of cool patterns—Hello Kitty, camo, leopard print. You name it! – Laurel ‘15
- Be a Gracious Hostess – Have an air mattress. You never know when one of your Colby friends is going to need to sleep over. And when you have your friends from home come visit, they can be comfortable and will want to come back! – Sophie ‘15
- Cover Up – Bring a bathrobe and extra towels. A Bathrobe is great to have when you make the walk from your bedroom to the shower. Extra towels are also a must, because we never do laundry as much as we think we will, and no one likes the smell of wet towels. –Sarah ‘13
- Sleeping Beauty – Buy a sleep mask. Between the light streaming in on a Saturday or Sunday morning and your roommate getting up to go to class before you, a sleep mask can really make sleeping in the same room with another person that much easier. Not to mention the fact that you can totally channel your inner Holly Golightly and get a super cute pair. – Kate ‘13
- Be Hard as Nails – Grab a hammer from daddy’s tool kit. The walls at school are tough and you don’t want to leave your room bare. Use the hammer to put up posters, framed pictures, even hooks. You’re totally not supposed to put nails in your wall, so make sure when you sign your roommate contract that you write down that there were already tack and nail holes in the wall. Then you won’t be charged! – Michelle ‘13
- Keep It Together – Invest in a cross-body satchel. There’s nothing better than having the perfect sized bag that you can fit your phone, ID card, gum, and lip-gloss in for a night out. You can just throw it over your shoulder, and it’ll be tough to lose it! – Julia ‘14
- Snuggle Bunny – Have an extra blanket. There’s nothing like snuggling up with a soft blanket to watch a movie on a Sunday night during a cold Maine winter. – Annie ‘14
- Stay Dry – Sport some Bean Boots. Every season in Maine can throw you a curve ball. Between the snow in the winter and the mud in the spring, you really want to have something to keep your feet dry and warm. – Shannon ‘14
A few other suggestions we couldn’t leave off:
- Slippers
- Extra pair of shower shoes (flip flops)
- Washable cups and plates
- Travel coffee mug
- A good winter coat (bring early)
- Bean bags
- Refrigerator
- Television
We hope our suggestions help you guys in the packing process! Being organized and prepared as school starts will make your transition from a care-free summer to Colby much easier. Nothing’s more important that being comfortable in your living space. Nervous you’re going to forget something? Have no fear! Waterville is home to a large Walmart and Target as well as Bed Bath & Beyond are only a 20 minute drive away in Augusta. Have a wonderful end of the summer! We’ll see you up on the Hill in no time!
Have any questions? Think we missed something? Leave your comments below!