When I was coming into my freshman year of college, I made sure I was overprepared and had everything I thought I would need. Throughout the year, I realized there were somethings I could and couldn’t live without. So, I’ve created a small list of my essentials
My first essential is shower shoes. This only pertains everyone who doesn’t have their own private bathroom. Shower shoes are a must because the ground is covered with germs, and especially since we’re in a pandemic you want to make sure you’re being as clean as possible.
My second essential is a drawer set or cart of any kind. I never felt like I had enough storage in my room, and having either of these will help keep your room less cluttered while making sure you don’t have to get rid of anything you don’t have to.
My third essential is a card holder for the back of your phone. Whenever my friends and I would go out to eat, or go to parties before COVID, carrying around a wallet or purse or key lanyard is not always the most functional option. Almost everyone carries their phone everywhere, and by having a card holder I can keep my id’s, credit cards, cash, room keys, etc. in it.
My fourth essential is a mattress topper or pad. They sound extra, but they really do make all the difference. And there are many inexpensive options on amazon or in stores, so you don’t have to break the bank and you get to save your back from the dorm mattresses.
My fifth essential is a shower caddy, specifically a mesh shower caddy. I highly recommend these for people who don’t have a shower in their room because it holds all your essentials. And I recommend mesh shower caddies specifically because they dry really fast and there won’t be a large puddle in the floor of your room.
My sixth essential are command hooks. You can’t poke holes in your dorm unless you want to get fined, so command hooks are the best option. They can hold photos, your keys, wall décor, I even used them to hang my towels on the wall. Most command products are relatively inexpensive so they’re a good option.
My last essentials are a Brita/reusable water bottle. They can be clunky and filling them can be annoying, but in certain places in the country you can’t drink tap water and it is an eco-friendly alternative to using plastic water bottle. Along with being eco-friendly, keeping a reusable water bottle is a much better option than plastic bottles.
All of these items are things I used throughout my freshman year, and most of them I still use now. They’re really useful items to have and some of them even have financial and environmental benefits as well. Your first year of college is a really special time in your life and hopefully this list helps give you a few more ideas on what you think you need for your dorm.