After months of resume building, application writing, and waiting to receive dozens of decisions, you have finally made it; you’ve been accepted and you’re on your way to college. Now you can take a breath. Except…not really.
Undoubtedly, going to college for the first time for your freshman year is incredibly daunting. You are essentially being thrown into a completely new environment, usually without knowing anyone, and have so many more responsibilities to take on with little to no guidance. While you are probably incredibly stressed about all the new, nerve-wracking experiences to come, you may be wondering, besides bedding and school supplies, what the hell do I even bring?! Well, for the future college freshman out there, here are ten somewhat random, but amazing college dorm room necessities you never knew you needed, because I surely didn’t!
A Headboard/Headboard Pillow
Unlike back at home, you likely won’t have room for a futon or couch in your dorm room to hang out on. So now, in college, not only is your bed a place for you to catch some zzzz’s, it is also going to be your go-to hangout spot, whether that be to do work, watch TV, read a book, or just scroll through Instagram. So, you’re going to want to have the comfiest, most homey bed possible, and the best way to do that is to get a headboard or headboard pillow so you’re able to lean back and relax at any time of the day. Find them here.
A Planner
Because you will be taking on so many more responsibilities in college and won’t have your parents there to remind you when to do things, you are going to want to have some organized way of keeping track of your activities and to-do lists. If you’re more of an online planner type of person, definitely go for the iStudiez app. You can record of all your school related assignments and even input your professor and GSI’s names and office hours if you ever need extra help. If you would prefer a physical planner check out some trendy ones here.
A comfy pair of slippers
I actually cannot stress this enough. When packing, I thought it would be a good idea to not bring slippers to save room for an extra pair or two of cool, fun sneakers, and wow, did I make a huge mistake. In the first two weeks, I saw my roommate wearing the comfiest slippers, and so I immediately ordered a pair online, and now I live in mine. Grab them quickly here.
An Amazon Prime account
Amazon Prime is probably the best thing to hit the internet since its existence, especially if you’re a college student of any age. Amazon has anything imaginable, from textbooks to Halloween costume accessories to toiletries to snacks and even real, refrigerate-able food. And, if you’re not convinced enough already, you can order all of this stuff right to your dorm room within two days and will receive free shipping just for being a student. What could be better?!
A waterproof speaker
This seems kind of random, and it is slightly, but trust me, having a waterproof speaker only enhances your college experience. You won’t ever have to worry about showering without music, and because it’s waterproof, it is even more delicate so it won’t break when you drop it. And, on top of all of that, the sound is still great. You can find a reasonably priced one here.
A Swell water bottle
I highly recommend getting a Swell water bottle. They are insulated, stainless steel water bottles and will keep your liquids hot for up to twelve hours and cold for up to 24. This is amazing because what college student actually remembers to fill up their water bottle with cold water every few hours!? In my experience, I haven’t met many. Not only are Swell bottles practical, but they are also stylish. They have such cute designs ranging from marble to ombre to emoji-covered! Buy one here and know that you’re also help supporting a great cause of providing clean water to vulnerable communities around the world.
A blackout shade
Honestly, this isn’t something I would EVER think to buy for college, or in general, but it’s seriously a game changer. In college, you’re going to nap all the time, and often at odd times of the day. If you ever need to nap during broad daylight because you stayed up super late to study the night before, a blackout shade will be your best friend. They’re super easy to install with hooks and you can find them here.
A reed diffuser
Your college dorm room is essentially your school year home. You will sleep, hang out, do work, and eat in your room. Because you do so much here, it can sometimes get a tad smelly. Instead of spraying an overload of perfume after eating chipotle in your room, I highly recommend buying a reed diffuser so that your room constantly smells good. There is honestly nothing better than coming back after a long day to a refreshing smell of lavender (or whatever your go-to scent may be). Find some bank account friendly ones here.
Steamer
You probably came to college not knowing how to iron, right?! If you’re like me and the answer is yes, definitely buy a steamer. Not only is it super easy and quick to use, but it takes up basically no space in your dorm room. They are price friendly and you can check them out here.
Polaroid camera/Polaroid printer
While this is definitely not a necessary purchase by any means, having a polaroid camera or polaroid printer will only enhance your college experience because you can take cute pictures with your new friends. I am a huge fan of the polaroid printer, which you can find here, because you can take normal pictures on your phone and then later connect your phone to the printer via wifi and in milliseconds have a polaroid picture to hang on your wall! However, a typical polaroid, which is a slightly cheaper option, is still great too. They come in tons of cute colors and you can find them here.
Images Courtesy of: Juliette Sibley