As the school year comes to an end, and it is now time for seniors to head off to college, it is time to start thinking about what you need to bring to your dorm room. Going off to college can seem scary especially when you start thinking about everything you might possibly need to make your dorm room feel like home. Many students struggle to know what is important to bring to college and what to leave behind. It is good to start preparing what you need for your dorm now like bedding, decorations, shower tools, etc. Luckily you have us to help you know what the dorm essentials are.

When heading off to college you want to make sure that you have everything you might possibly need, but fitting all that in a small room can be tricky, especially since you are sharing with another person. It is most important that you buy a comfortable mattress topper since college dorm beds are very stiff; getting a good night’s rest is important when you are in college. Bella Polson, a sophomore in college advises that “The most important thing is probably really comfy bedding or a mattress pad because usually all college beds are nasty and uncomfortable”. You can purchase mattress toppers on Amazon, at Bed Bath and Beyond, Sam’s Club, and many other stores. Getting storage containers under your bed is also essential to get for your college dorm. Since there is limited space and the beds are up high, you can fit storage containers/shelves to store extra clothes, shoes, food, books, or anything extra you may need to store away. It can be hard to determine what you should take to college and what you should leave at home. Ava Ricca, a soon-to-be college student, advises that should leave “Excessive pillows because you won’t have that much room on your bed, shoes because you don’t really need that many pairs of shoes, only the clothes you need seasonally – don’t bring summer clothes in the fall because it will just take up room you need”.

Although you are excited about decorating your dorm room, you need to be careful about not overdoing it. Polson feels you should “Find a few things that you love and stick to that, don’t buy a bunch of junk that you think you’re going to use but actually won’t. You need to only buy a few things that are easy to move and that will last a long time.” Since you are limited to space you don’t want to clutter up your space with décor.

There are communal bathrooms that you must share with others, so it is key that you bring a shower caddy that you can take with you that contains all your showering needs. You should also purchase shower slippers since the bathrooms are not always the most sanitary. To make your life easier either, you should rent or buy a mini fridge and microwave so you have a place to store fresh food and to be able to cook in your dorm if you don’t feel like going to the dining hall. I hope some of our advice helps you to determine what you are going to bring to your dorm room next year!

Sources:

https://mountsaintvincent.edu/admission/visit-the-mount/campus-tours/meet-current-students/10-dorm-room-essentials-for-your-freshman-year/
https://www.bestcolleges.com/blog/dorm-essentials/
https://collegerealitycheck.com/living-in-college-dorm/#:~:text=You%20will%20live%20close%20to,get%20some%20much%2Dneeded%20sleep.