What To Buy For Freshman Year Of College

What Can You Buy Then

Before you shop, find out what the college forbids . Have your student check with assigned roommates about appliances and color scheme if they want to set one. Know the dimensions of the room and the size of the bed. And most of all, know your budget. Not everything has to be brand new.

Ten things besides the all-important mattress topper and laptop that many students consider dorm room essentials include:

Notebooks Paper Binders Folders

Some students like to devote a notebook or folder to each class, while others prefer to keep everything together in one binder or five-subject notebook. Notebooks are great for keeping papers together without any stray sheets. If you will need to turn in hand-written assignments, make sure the pages tear out of your notebook cleanly or have some loose-leaf paper available for these occasions. Don’t forget to also pick up some printer paper.

• College Application Tips

Do: Wear A Messenger Bag

A backpack may have cut it in high school, but youll be doing a lot more walking, and your shoulders may pay the price. Wheeler learned in a movement class that the neck pain her fellow students were griping about came from their backpacks. So everyone opted for a messenger bag, which distributed the weight better .

Mossimo Mens messenger bag, $19.99 at Target.com

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College Freshman Advice For Living In Dorms

Dorm life is going to give you some of your best stories from your college years. You’ll definitely have experiences that you’ll remember forever, and maybe a couple that you’d like to forget. Start getting ready to rock dorm living by taking in the following tips:

27. Try to live in the dorms for your whole first year. Some colleges and universities require you to live in the dorms for your freshman year. But even if your college doesn’t require it, you should still do it. Living in dorms is a great way to make lasting friendships and memories. And you’ll have way more opportunities to get involved in fun stuff that’s happening around the campus.

28. Bring enough clothing that you can go a week or two without doing laundry. You don’t want to be worrying about washing clothes several times a week since it’s time-consuming and costs you money. Washing and drying full loads is more cost-effective, and you can likely wash all of your clothes in one load, unless you have new or delicate items to wash.

30. Buy flip-flops. If you have to use communal showers, even if it’s only with a few people, then you should wear flip-flops in the shower. Because not doing so can lead to having problems with your feet that we’ll just leave to your imagination.

Dorm Essentials To Put On Your List

We recommend that you read this post, Dorm Room Shopping: 50 Questions to Answer First, which will guide you through all the Q& As you want to discuss with your teen BEFORE you shop.

The next step is to gather as much insight as you can from their colleges website under Residence Life. Find out what things are provided and what might be prohibited If your student is assigned a dorm with air conditioning, they wont need a fan. No need to load up on things that youll have to return.

Then your teen will want to coordinate with their roommate if they are planning compatible decor and/or want to share a mini-fridge, microwave, or coffee maker as most dorms are too small to accommodate duplicate appliances. An area rug is also popular, but no need to get more than one.

Note: We are a reader-supported site and receive compensation from purchases made through some of these links.

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Ultimate College Packing List For The 2020

Packing for college may seem challenging or overwhelming, especially if youre moving far from home. But knowing how to approach the packing process with a college packing list will make packing far less stressful. Knowing what to pack well beforehand can also help you stay within your available student budget. The following guide will provide some advice on how to pack efficiently and what you should include. Use this ultimate college packing checklist as you pack for the next chapter of your life.

Some Wall Art Or A Painting

Nothing makes a dorm room or student apartment more their own than installing a unique piece of art somewhere prominent.

For something handcrafted and sure to be unique, hit up Etsy. For a mind-bogglingly large collection of art to choose from, check out the appropriately named Art.com. Other great places to try for dorm paintings, posters, and other artsy gifts include Society6, Saatchi Art, Minted, and the MoMA Design Store.

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Things No One Tells You About Your Freshman Year Of College

You already know what not to pack, the biggest misconceptions about your future roommate and the best parts about being a freshman, but what’s freshman year really like? For those of you who are incoming froshies getting reading for your first year of college, here are 10 things no one tells you.

1. You might not find “your people” right away.

Like any relationship, friendships take work — and time. Finding your “group” won’t happen overnight, and that’s completely normal. You’ll make new friends in a natural way and you never know when you’ll form an unlikely friendship, whether it’s you and a classmate bonding over that smells-like-mothballs professor or when you’re standing in line for the bathroom at a house party.

2. Your intro classes might be a snore.

Oftentimes, those “101” classes can give you a major case of deja vu. You might find yourself asking, “Didn’t I learn this stuff in high school already?” While this might be true, that doesn’t mean you should necessarily take this as a free pass to skip out on class. Instead, look on the bright side: Studying for exams just became way easier.

3. You’re not “anti-social” just because you’re not part of Greek life.

Being part of your school’s Greek life can be awesome, but that doesn’t make you “anti-social” if joining a sorority or frat isn’t your thing. There are plenty of ways to meet people and have fun that don’t require pledging.

4. The “freshman 15” is a myth.

5. You don’t HAVE to declare your major.

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Price:$129.99

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Do: Trick Out Your Bed

Youll be surprised how much time youll spend there. Going in, I took college beds for granted…but that was a mistake. Freshmen will quickly realize how important bed comfort is, said Christina Butan, a rising Junior at SUNY Purchase. A mattress pad and a back rest pillow seriously make a world of difference you will be in heaven.

Back rest pillow, $19.99 at Kohls.com

What To Bring To College

Real quick there are two things I want to explain.

Key:

1. * Ive marked items with an asterisk to indicate that I think its a better idea to get these things after moving into your dorm room.

Because those items are either

• bulky to pack
• might spill on your way there
• may be prohibited by your college
• you might not need it right away
• its a shared item that you should touch bases with your roommate before buying
• or its generally something thats better decided on after physically being in your new digs

2. If something is highlighted that just means that its an item that I wouldnt consider to be absolutely necessary or essential to college living.

They are nice to have, but theyre totally optional items to add to a college packing checklist. These items can make a dorm room more comfortable or make your life a little easier.

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Of The Best Products For College Students You Can Get On Amazon

The sun doesn’t need to go to college because it has 28 million degrees, but the rest of us could use some help.

We hope you love the products we recommend! Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. Oh, and FYI prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

All The Things You Might Ever Possibly Want To Bring With You To College

Find out exactly what to bring to college and grab a FREE college packing list PDF!

You and I both know why youre here, so Im going to cut right to the chase

What I have for you today in this post is a college freshman checklist.

Both over and under packing are a worry for most new students, but this list will show you exactly what to bring to college.

Plus, Ill clue you in on the stuff you can leave at home and just not bring all together.

Now:

I want to point out that this a GENERAL college dorm packing list.

The list includes a broad selection of items. Which is why its a great a starting point for ideas!

To minimize the risk of anyone accidentally forgetting something important on move-in day, I went over EVERYTHING . I made it versatile enough to work as a college packing list for guys and girls.

But, we all have our own personal preferences. Tweak it as needed to make it work for you.

FREE printable college dorm checklist for girls and for guys!

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Key Wallet And Cell Phone Locator

Losing track of your valuables can be an absolute nightmare, and not to offend anyone, but college students arent exactly the model of personal responsibility. If your college student is prone to misplacing his things, get him a set of key, wallet, and cell phone locators. Each pack of locators comes with several receivers that you can attach to any object, including your wallet, keys, and phone, but also your laptop, backpack, and anything else you dont want to lose track of. Once you download the compatible app, the receiver beams its exact location back to your smartphone. Even for the more misplacement-prone of college students, a locator will ensure that they never lose track of a valuable object again.

Laundry Hamper Or Basket

Your teen will wash their clothes and they will need a laundry basket or hamper to transport a mountain of dirty clothes to the laundry room. First, think about how much theyll need to carry and how far they have to travel to do laundry. Are the machines on the same floor of their room or in another building? This is one that is lightweight and has a pocket for laundry detergent.

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Items To Check With Your Roommate

There are several things that you may want to share with your roommate. If you are moving into a traditional dorm room, where two or more students share a bedroom, there will be limited space so check space availability in order to be respectful to your new roommate. Things you may want to share with your roommate include: TV, mini fridge, fan or heater, rug, microwave, coffee pot, and cleaning supplies.

If you have a larger, shared space, such as a shared apartment or home, you will share common furniture and likely most kitchen items. Check with everyone on who is bringing what so you dont come in with doubles. Extra tip: Make a list for yourself of all the things you brought into the dorm or apartment so there isnt any confusion at move out.

First Up: Give A Good Clean

Get your new place squeaky clean, and keep it up throughout the year!

• Garbage Can + Garbage Bags

• Microwave
• 1-2 sets of: lightweight or unbreakable Plates, Silverware, Bowls, Mugs, Cups
• Starter Snacks: Think popcorn, tea, nuts, protein/granola bars, some fruit to get you started, and easy to heat soups, oatmeal and other quick meals

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What Should I Use To Pack My Stuff For College

When packing your items, there are many types of supplies you can use. The following are some tips for supplies and packing methods you can try:

• Use bins for storing college supplies in lieu of boxes.
• Break down cardboard boxes and keep them stored in a closet or another space for later use when youre moving again.
• Reuse boxes or bins to store certain items in your room.
• Make the most of the space available in the vehicle by keeping all your heavy items beneath the rest, and keep lighter items such as bedding or clothing in more open areas.
• Keep similar items in the same boxes to make them easier to sort through.

To expand on that last point, try to mark each box and bin with a number that corresponds with the item number on your checklist. For instance, you may have kitchenware in one box thats marked #2, along with #2 next to your list of matching items.

Things To Arrange With The Roommate:

Make sure only ONE of you brings the following items .

1) A small fridge.

Drinks, yogurt, cheese sticks snacking is a necessary thing.

2) A small microwave.

Frozen dinners, baked potatoes, nacho cheese sometimes ya gotta have something warm to eat that is not from the cafeteria.

3) An electric teapot.

This is easier to use than heating water up in the microwave and you can get one for around $15, so its worth it. There are SO many things kids can make with hot water. They may not be nutritious, but these are college students were talking about, after all, LOL. Most dorms will not allow a regular coffeepot in the room, so this makes a good substitute. Your kid can use instant coffee or a special filter that goes in the cup to make regular coffee.

NOTE: Some colleges have restrictions on which appliances are allowed in the rooms. Be sure to follow their rules.

A TV is NOT necessary, yall. Nor is a DVD or Blu-ray player. If you happen to have an extra of either of those lying around the house, then fine, but dont go out and get one. Most kids can watch TV episodes and movies on their phones and laptops, anyway.

Thats literally it for the big things for the room. Dont go overboard. Many dorms provide a communal printer. Music can be played from the computer or phone. An ironing board is not something a college student is going to be likely to use, even if they probably should, LOL.

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Shower And Cleaning Supply Caddies

A shower caddy will become your new BFF after a trip or two to the community bathroom, trust us. Buy one that is mold and mildew resistant like the favorite among college students from the Fine Living Company. The cleaning supply caddy can be simple and sturdy much like the Sterilite Ultra Caddy we used when we were dorm rats. Its big, but not too big and deep enough to keep all of your cleaning supplies.

Laptop Notebook Or Tablet Computer

Whether you’re taking notes in class, doing research or writing papers, a portable computer is helpful. Choose a computer that is easy to use when typing. If you decide on a tablet, it may be worth the extra expense to purchase a portable keyboard to take notes and complete assignments.

Additionally, thanks to cloud sharing systems, it’s often possible to connect your device to the school’s wireless network for cheaper access. You might even be able to use that wireless connection to print assignments from the university computer lab — although an increasing number of professors expect you to upload your documents to a university content management system.

Your computer can also double as an entertainment device. You may not need a TV and a cable/satellite plan.

You can save money by purchasing a refurbished computer or last season’s model, heavily discounted to make shelf space for the latest version.

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