What to bring (and not to bring) to your college dorm as a freshman

Students usually know some of the usual essentials that they should bring to college as a freshman, especially with parents that also went to college, but it’s hard to think of everything.

Check with colleges to make sure you know what is/isn’t allowed

The first thing you should do is check with your school about what items are and are not allowed. With my school, there was a list of specific items not allowed in the college dorms. You should consider talking to a current student about what to pack. They can tell you about the “do’s and dont’s” and “must-haves” in your dorm.

That being said, don’t rely too much on parents and friends who attended or will be attending other colleges; the rules can differ from place to place. For example, one school might not allow microwaves, and another might have specific regulations about what size of refrigerators is allowed.

Comfort and Decor

It is important that you feel comfortable in your dorm; after all, you will be living there for the next year, and nothing screams dorm room life like the uncomfortable twin XL mattresses. A quick fix would be a good mattress topper, as well as other good quality bedding. Furthermore, although your dorm room will be furnished with this, additional storage containers and organizers can be useful when trying to keep your space clean and organized.

Your dorm is going to be your home for an entire year, so it’s important that you feel at home in your space. Customizing the space to your personal taste is a great way to feel comfortable in your new room.

As discussed, space management matters a lot in dorms. Closet organizers and hangers keep your wardrobe neat and tidy, giving you more room.

Hygiene

One of the most notorious things about college dorm life is the communal bathrooms. It can prove difficult to carry all of your belongings from your room to the shower and vice versa. A shower caddy makes it easier to bring all of your bathroom essentials over in a single trip. In terms of grooming, you should try to research in advance and pick out potential spots to get a good haircut. Alternatively, you could ask friends and upperclassmen; it may be too long of a wait until winter and summer breaks.

Another big consideration is laundry; you’ll be surprised at how many students will not know how to do their laundry, which is fine. A good laundry bag will prove useful, especially if the laundry rooms are far from your room. For me, the laundry rooms were on the other side of my residence hall, so investing in a backpack-style laundry hamper was a smart decision and made it easy to carry and open doors simultaneously.

Your dorm room storage probably isn’t the biggest, so packing your entire wardrobe wouldn’t be a smart idea. Some students opt to buy clothing racks to work around this issue.