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woman painting pattern on white wall with yellow paint
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8 Essentials Every Girl Needs in Their Dorm

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Amy Kulp
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar SCAD Contributor
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SCAD chapter.

For many of us, dorm life is not our ideal way of living. Your privacy is pretty much gone, space is limited, and you have to deal with having another person (or three) and all their habits pretty much 24/7. It’s hard getting used to everyone’s schedules and adjusting from having an entire room to yourself to living 10 feet away from your roommates with a cubicle size area for all your things. Luckily, there are a few essentials that will make dorm life a little more bearable:

1. A Quality SteamerI don’t know about you, but I tend to hit “snooze” a few more times than I should. Because of this, I’m usually left with about 30 minutes to get myself looking human for class, and not like I just rolled out of bed. Having a steamer in my room has been the biggest savior! I typically don’t have time to iron that cute shirt I planned on wearing that’s been sitting in the clean laundry bag for four days, and being able to have my steamer heating while I get ready is such a time saver. I use the “Shark Press and Refresh” steamer, which is a little bit pricier than most, but its portable and it works wonders! I highly recommend having a steamer so that your clothes look fresh and neat.

 
2. Fun Coffee Mug
As most college students know, coffee is what keeps everyone going throughout the week. I absolutely love having a huge, fun mug in my room for days when I don’t want to go out to get my caffeine fill. Plus, it’s nice to have a little touch of home. Plastic cups and paper plates are great for our living situation, but sometimes you just need to feel at home and relaxed. I found the perfect mug for me at TJ Maxx for only $5, and it’s adorable too! 
 
3. A Stash of Notebooks
I’ll admit it- I’m a notebook junkie. I probably have about five notebooks on my desk right now, and I love every single one. It’s great to have a variety of sizes available. I have one pad of paper that’s for lists, some small notebooks for when I have a meeting or class where I will just be jotting a couple things down, and some larger ones for classes where I’m copying down a lot of material. Notebooks can range in price, but most of mine have been from places like HomeGoods or TJ Maxx, where they are usually around $4-$5! 
 
4. Good Pair of Scissors
As tempting as it is to grab a pair of scissors from the dollar section at Target, they typically won’t last and you’ll probably end up getting frustrated when you are in a hurry and your paper just won’t cut. I personally am a huge Kate Spade fan, so when I was getting ready to buy all of my desk essentials, I was planning to go for all gold accessories. I ended up finding a pair of gold scissors on Amazon that are really great quality, and heavy duty. They definitely were a great investment! 
 
5. A Few Inspiring Words
Whether it be a note from a friend, some lyrics from your favorite band, a poster, or a plaque, it’s important to have positive energy around you while you work. I have a small plaque on my desk that has three simple words on it “Be Awesome Today”. And as simple as that is, it’s a great reminder to me to work my hardest and not to give up. Whatever your go to motivation is, keep it in eyesight. I promise it will make a difference!
 

6. Decorative Books Amidst all of the overpriced textbooks we have to get for classes, it’s always nice to have a few books that aren’t so “scholarly”. I’ve started a collection of fashion related books that are just as intriguing as they are beautiful to look at! Among my favorites are “Things We Love” from Kate Spade, “Le Shoppe Guide” (featuring the must see shoppes in Paris), and “Coco Chanel: An Intimate Life”. Having a few books by the bed that are fun helps me to get some reading in, as well as being beautiful decoration as well!

 

7. Glam File Folders Juggling project sheets, syllabuses, and notes can sometimes be a little overwhelming, and not to mention easy to lose. I’ve come to really enjoy having some file folders on my desk to help keep me organized. Most sets come with 9 file folders in 3 styles, which works out perfectly for a school year. (3 Quarters, 3 Classes each). Having a system in place helps me to stay on top of things and make sure I don’t misplace anything important. Plus, there are so many styles out there that it’s easy to find some that will brighten up your workspace in a pinch!

 

8 Fluffy BathrobeMy last essential is something I can’t live without- my pink fluffy bathrobe. Mine is bright pink with white polka dots, and probably the softest material I have ever felt. Not only is it great to have around the room with other people when you get out from the shower, but it’s so warm and cozy that it works great for just sitting in bed doing homework or catching up on some Netflix! I personally love having one because it’s just so cozy and comfy. 

 
 
 
 
 
Having these eight essentials in my room has made dorm life just a tad bit more bearable for me. Hopefully you can try some of these out if you don’t have them already. Comment below what your favorite essentials are! 
 

 

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Amy Kulp is a Senior at Savannah College of Art and Design, majoring in Fashion Marketing and Management. When she's not writing for Her Campus, she is either working on her own styling business, shopping, or performing in theatre productions. When she graduates, she plans on moving to New York City and working either as a personal stylist or as a creative director with one of the many fashion houses New York has to offer. 
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