Alright. I’ll admit it. As a junior, I’m a little too old to be worrying about freshmen. But frankly, nobody else should have to deal with the same nonsense I did as a first-year college student. The following is a set of recommended items all freshmen should have in their dorms or in their lives.
1. A Sturdy Pair of BootsDepending on where you are, the type of boots will change. I’m writing from the snowy nonsense that is Ohio, so a set of waterproof winter boots with traction may LITERALLY save your life. Ice patches take no prisoners. Go to like… an actual camping store if you can. If you’re so worried about fashion that you’re willing to risk a broken collar bone, maybe go to school somewhere warm.
2. Clorox WipesSo, dorm rooms, or frankly, any shared living space, are disease factories, and you’re really likely to get sick when you live in a petri dish that happens to be furnished with an early 80’s striped carpet. A container of Clorox Wipes, and a can of Lysol, can keep you in class longer. Wipe down door knobs, fridge doors, shared printers, and locks. If you’re as neurotic as I am about getting sick, put your roommate in a “Lysol Cube” when they get sick by literally spraying a box shape around their bed with the aerosol.
3. Air FreshenersSo, dorms are not only disease breeding grounds, they are also great smell trappers. Whether it’s athlete B.O or questionable substance fumes, pick a comforting HEAT-FREE (don’t burn your dorm down for the sake of warm vanilla) air freshener. If you’re sensitive to scents, clean linen is a good way to go. Put it near the door to your dorm—guests will be impressed by how good your dorm smells.
4. Hot Water MakerThis is where it gets a little tricky. Every dorm is different on their policies concerning heat sources. Denison, for example, allows kettles if they automatically turn off. Keurigs are also a great go-to, if you don’t mind drowning in plastic. But when it’s 4 am and you want a cup of tea, not having to stumble down many flights of stairs for lukewarm-microwave-water is an amazing feeling.
5. Printer
Want to make a bunch of friends really fast? Get a printer for your dorm. This is a more expensive item than the previous four, but when it’s 5 minutes before your first class and you haven’t printed your paper yet, it will be worth the lump cost. (Tip—make a pact with your roommate(s)—trade printer usage rights for them pitching in to buy ink.)
6. Sleep MaskYou’re all ready for bed, snuggled under your Twin XL comforter, ready to catch some Z’s, when your roommate sits up suddenly and remembers that they forgot to write that essay. Their laptop may be on the other end of the room, but BOY IS IT BRIGHT. Shut it out with a simple sleep mask (Amazon has like 50 different types in 50 million colors) and wake up as well rested as the other zombies you take Psych 101 with.
7. Stuffed AnimalI’ll come out and say it. I still sleep with a stuffed animal. His name is Clint and he’s my favorite rabbit. So many things are so unfamiliar when you first start college, that having a buddy from home to sleep with will just make it easier. Plain and Simple. Even if you’re trying to remake yourself (we’ve all been there), you can’t be “the new you” if you don’t get any sleep. Also, if Toy Story turns out to be real, your childhood companion may be REALLY MAD if you leave them behind.
8. Fire Drill Friendly PajamasPicture this—it’s 4 am, and you’ve totally crashed after a super dope hangout session with your friends. You’re like three levels deep into dreaming when suddenly—the fire alarm rips you out of sweet sleep. Time to rush down four flights of stairs and out onto the quad. You look down. There’s a gigantic hole in the crotch of your PJ pants, and there’s no way to hide it now. Save yourself some trouble, and get a set of PJs that you’d be willing to be seen in public in. My go to set is a David Bowie (RIP) shirt and a set of striped pants. They don’t need to be attractive in any way, just functional pieces of fabric to cover up all the bits that should be protected from the cold of night.
9. Carpet SquareOkay, hear me out. I know lots of dorms are carpeted, so it sounds crazy that you would want more carpet. However, having your own carpet square under your bed is such a nice way to add a personal touch to your area, as well as create a pseudo barrier between you and your roommate. And there’s something amazing about stepping onto a soft carpet first thing in the morning. It’s worth the furniture slogging at the beginning and end of the year.
10. Storage ContainersYou never realize how much stuff you have until you have to cram it where it can’t fit. Whether they hang, stack, or just sit there, you’ll feel so much better when you have a place to put all the stuff I just listed.
Obviously, all people, dorms, and schools are different. But in general, you’ll be better off if you have some of these items. Good luck!