With college acceptances rolling in, it’s no surprise that soon-to-be freshman are doing endless amounts of Google searching their new school, and college life in general. One of the most asked about things before going to college is what to pack and how to pack it. Colleges typically send out packing lists to new students each year, but those tend to be incredibly vague and too generic for most people. If you search online for packing lists, you may find some that work, but you also may find some that are ultra-specific and don’t really cater to you or your future school. Pro-tip: It is always good to do some research on what your school does and does not provide in a dorm room.
With my second year of college nearing an end, I decided to reminisce on my (stressful) packing experience my first year of college, and came up with some things that colleges should definitely be putting on their packing lists.
1. At least three weeks worth of underwear
Trust me, eventually you will get to the point where doing laundry is the last possible thing you want to do. Make sure you have enough underwear for at least three weeks to help prolong doing your laundry. Pro-tip: everyone seems to do their laundry on the weekends which crowds the machines and causes major annoyances, if possible, do your laundry during the week.
2. Dayquil/Nyquil
For the times when you have a gnarly cold, can barely breathe out of your nose, and have a sore throat, all of which will definitely happen at least once your first year (or if you are like me four times in one year). Bringing this with you will avoid you having to drag yourself to student health, or take the bus or catch a ride to a pharmacy outside of campus.
3. Dry Shampoo
For the days when showering seems like a chore, or when you run out of time to shower. Dry shampoo is an absolute necessity for college girls.
4. Storage Space
Chances are, if you are already looking at college packing lists, you are definitely planning on bringing a lot. While I totally over packed my first year, I would tell anyone to take about a third of their clothes out of their suitcases after they pack them. I get it. Being away from home for the first time is a big deal, and it feels like you need to bring absolutely everything. If this sounds like you, make sure you pick up some storage bins to store under your bed, or above your closet, whichever your dorm room has. Dorm rooms are small, without much space, so it is a good idea to buy some clear plastic bins (so you can see what is in them), and keep extra things in there, such as towels, bedding, and food. Make sure you don’t buy them too big or you risk them not fitting in your room!
5. Extra long phone charger
Depending on how your room is set up, you may end up with an outlet pretty far away from your bed. To combat this issue, consider picking up an extra long phone charger. No denying we all keep our phones plugged in next to our beds.
6. Thin Felt Hangers
Don’t even think about bringing clunky plastic hangers with you. Closet space is so minimal, and the thin felt hangers will allow you to store twice the amount of clothing.
7. Hand Sanitizer
College can be pretty disgusting at times. Dorm rooms are a breeding ground for germs, as well as classrooms, the library, and just about any other place on campus. At any given time, you can find someone coughing, sneezing or blowing their nose. While hand sanitizer does not make up for washing your hands, sometimes there just isn’t a sink nearby and and sanitizer comes to the rescue.