College is the first time many students will be far away from their home. It can be a traumatic time for some students and parents but it can also be a fun and exciting time for both of them. The key is to be prepared. Study the school that you are going to be attending and figure out as much as possible the local culture, the student body, the nearby attractions, facilities, and infrastructure. Also, tour the places that offer housing. One of these is the dorms. If you’ve decided to live in a dorm, you have to be prepared not just mentally and emotionally but also in more practical terms. Make sure that you have the gear that you need to adapt well to your dorm.
Here’s a quick checklist of the things that you can bring to your dorm. Of course, make sure that you are well-aware of the contraband items and other items that are prohibited from, not just your dorm, but your campus as well. Having these in your dorm room might not only get you kicked out but might damage your future career as well. Check out this quick list of things that you need to bring to your dorms so you are well-prepared.
Essentials
Laundry bag
A laundry bag is important because you don’t want your clothes lying around on the floor. You don’t know who your roommate will be and if you are very careless with your clothing, you might be in for some drama with your roommate. Also, laundry bag helps with the taking your laundry to the laundry room. You might not have a laundry basket, or a space for laundry basket in your room. So it’s better to use a more flexible container like a laundry bag.
Toiletries
While most college dorms have a steady supply of toilet paper, many people feel more comfortable bringing their own toiletries, such as toothbrush. This is always a good idea because you can’t really rely on housekeeping to have your toiletries available at all times.
First aid kit
You don’t know what might happen. Accidents happen all the time in colleges so it’s always a good idea to have a first aid kit so you can apply first aid either to yourself or somebody else until you can get to the infirmary.
Sewing kit
Sewing kit may seem old-fashioned but clothing can be very fragile at times and you may not have the free time to get your clothing repaired at a shop. Also, many shops don’t even take small repairs so a sewing kit is a great piece of equipment to bring especially for missing buttons and the like.
Basic tool kit
Things break around in your dorm room all the time and having a basic tool kit that contains a small hammer, screwdriver, wrench, and a tape measure will help you make some quick repairs. Of course, major repairs and real repairs should be done by building maintenance.
Hangers
These are non-negotiable. You need hangers for your clothes because you may not have the time to tidy them up and you don’t want your room to turn into a dump, so hangers will force you and enable you to keep some sense of order when it comes to your clothes.
Kitchen utensils
These are very basic because even though you’re going to be eating in the canteen, you may want to eat in your dorm room from time to time and it may get boring using plastic utensils all the time, so it’s a good idea to have your own personal utensils such as fork, knife, spoon, cup, plate, and a bowl.
Can opener
This is non-negotiable too because canned food is a college student’s best friend. It is very affordable and perfect for a quick meal in your room. Of course, you need to open that can that’s why you need to have a can opener.
Alarm clock
Not all dorms have a built-in alarm clock in their unit so this is always a great piece of equipment to bring along with you because it helps you with time management and it wakes you up on time in the morning.
The Bottom Line
College is a very exciting place to be. Come prepared, do your research, and make sure you enter your dorm room with all the equipment that you need to make it a pleasant stay, and minimize any possible adjustment headaches you may have.
Guest Author:
This guest post was written by Chris Walker, an admissions essay writer for IvyResearch.Com, the Internet's leading provider of model personal statement examples. Visit http://www.ivyresearch.com for more resources.
