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August 30, 2010

What to Bring to College

Deciding what to bring to college doesn’t have to be a challenge. Use the following lists to get ideas for what you may need to bring to school. Of course, your own needs may vary from the lists below, but these guides will give you a good place to begin your college planning.

Your Dorm Room

Make sure you find out everything there is to know about your dorm room and what it has and does not have:

  • Find out if your dorm is air conditioned or not. If yours is not, bring fans!
  • Find out if your dorm is wired for the Internet. If it isn’t, note the location of the nearest computer lab.
  • Find out the size of your dorm room bed, so you can buy the right sheets.
  • Find out what your school does not allow in the dorms. Many schools do not allow microwaves, hot plates, candles, etc.

Things you (or your roommate) should consider bringing:

  • Bed linens (ask what size bed you’ll have)
  • Comforter/bedspread
  • Pillow
  • Clothes hangers
  • Drinking cups, dishes, and silverware for snacks
  • Poster putty for hanging up decorations (many schools won’t allow you to put holes in the wall)
  • Plastic containers with tight lids for storing snacks, detergent, etc.
  • Headphones/ear buds (so your music doesn’t bother your roommate or neighbors)
  • MP3 player
  • Cell phone charger
  • Prepaid calling card
  • Power strip
  • Desk lamp or bed lamp
  • TV/DVD-player
  • Stereo
  • Fan
  • Alarm clock
  • Electric blanket
  • Small refrigerator/microwave (check with your college for restrictions)
  • Crates or stacking containers
  • Sewing kit, scissors, safety pins
  • First aid kit
  • Paper towel and glass cleaner
  • Message board for your door
  • Flashlight
  • Batteries
  • Umbrella

Toiletries and Laundry Supplies

We’ve compiled a list of toiletries and laundry supplies you may want to keep on hand.

  • For the bathroom:
    • Bathrobe
    • Shower shoes
    • Towels, washcloths
    • Soap
    • Shampoo
    • Shaving cream and razors
    • Small bucket for carrying shower things
    • Hair dryer
  • For your laundry:
    • Laundry basket/bag
    • Laundry detergent
    • Dryer sheets
    • Rolls of quarters

Stuff for School

And, of course, you’ll need stuff for school! But before you go shopping, find out if your school provides any of the following (for example, some schools provide laptops for their students).

  • Computer/laptop
  • Blank CDs for the computer lab
  • Notebook
  • Day-planner
  • Binders/folders
  • Printer paper
  • Writing utensils
  • Dictionary/thesaurus
  • Backpack
  • Calculator