Going back to school is difficult. Knowing what you need to bring is even more difficult, especially if you’re a freshman and you have no idea what to expect. It can be a confusing and scary time, but having everything you need to get through a whole semester will make it much easier for you. It will get easier after your first semester because you’ll know what it’s like and this checklist might not even be useful anymore. This article will be divided into sections to make it easier for you to follow. I hope you find this easy to follow and useful for college!
You’ll need a bedside lamp in case you want to do your homework in bed instead of at your desk. You might want to bring an alarm clock with a radio if you want to listen to music. A dry-erase whiteboard or calendar would be really useful in case you like writing things down a lot. It would also be useful if you bring under the bed storage containers for any clothes that don’t fit in the wardrobes. College dorms are always hot, so don’t forget your fan. A mini toolkit with a screwdriver, hammer, and wrench would be useful, too!
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You’ll need two sets of twin XL sheets along with a comforter and two pillows. Three towels, facecloths, and handcloths would also be really nice, that way you can have one in the wash, one you’re using, and one available to use. You’ll also need some extra blankets in case it gets cold. Plastic clothes hangers would also be really useful, along with a basket or bag for your dirty clothes. A mini sewing kit, some laundry detergent, and a lint roller would also be nice to have with you.
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Bringing at least two USB flash drives would be really useful. You would also need a stapler, staples, tape, and a tape dispenser. A pencil sharpener, with a pencil holder, and lots of pens and pencils. Being a college student, it would be really nice if you had extra notebooks and folders. Post-it notes and labels would also be useful, maybe even some 3×5 index cards, too. Multiple colored highlighters and paper clips would be useful. Stackable desk trays, with binder clips and a ruler, would help you out a lot, too.
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A laptop is the most important thing. You can bring a printer if you want, but most schools have computer labs with printers you can use. You’ll need an MP3 player with headphones and a couple of extension cords. A surge protector and a couple of 2 prong adaptors will be useful. An ethernet cable for your laptop could come in handy, and a camera to take pictures with would be useful, too. Don’t forget the charging cables for your computer, your cellphone, or your camera, either. They would be useless without them.
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Most of this you could probably find in your college’s bookstore, but it would still be nice to remember to pack them. Pain pills and cold medicine are always useful to have stored away. A first aid kit, with bandaids and Neosporin, would also be nice to have in your room. A shower caddy with shower shoes, shampoo, conditioner, face and bath soap, and hairstyling products would be useful, too. Nail clippers, comb, toothpaste, toothbrush, floss, and razor are also nice to remember.
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This is a little more tricky because you don’t really know what the weather is going to be like until the day of. Don’t forget your undergarments, jeans, shirts, socks, sneakers, and jackets. Sweatshirts and sweatpants are always good to have, and a couple pairs of pajamas would be useful unless you wear sweats to sleep in. You will need a pair of rain boots, two pairs of sneakers in case one gets wet, and a nice set of business casual clothes for those days you need to be dressed up nicely.
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Paper towels and napkins are always important. Trash bags for your mini trash can are good, too. Lightbulbs for your bedside lamp would be useful, too. All-purpose cleaner, wet wipes, and tissues would be good to have. Don’t forget your water bottle, bowls, plates, cups, and coffee mugs. Silverware will also be useful for whatever food you keep in your mini-fridge. Gallon bags and food containers would be great for the leftover food you’re keeping for the next day.
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This is a little more complicated because some things might not be allowed in your dorm. A TV and DVD player would be a good choice. You could use your laptop if you can put DVDs in it, and an HDMI cable if you’d rather. You also might want a mini-fridge, unless it’s provided by your school as a micro-fridge. If you want an area rug in the middle of your room or you want to coordinate your posters or art, you might want to talk to your roommate. A coffeepot and any speakers you want to bring would be good to talk to your roommates about if you’re even allowed to bring a coffeepot.
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There are really only three items in this section that are really important: an umbrella, a backpack, and sports equipment, if you’re a student-athlete. You should get an umbrella that you can either put in your backpack or you can clip to your backpack, that way you always have it. Your backpack should have spots for water bottles on the outside, that way you always have a water bottle with you. And you should keep your sports equipment in a bag, that way everything stays together and it doesn’t take up much space in your dorm.
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