My College Essentials!

Marking the end of summer, nights are getting shorter and people are starting school. I’ve always had mixed feelings about going back to school. On one side, I’m looking forward to seeing my friends and meeting new people. But on the other, I’m definitely going to miss those long summer nights and fun getaways with the family. And those F.R.I.E.N.D.S. marathons never get old.

On top of it being bittersweet, starting school at a new place or even going back to school can be hectic and nerve-wracking. The feeling doesn’t really set in for me until I’m on the hunt for good deals on back to school supplies or when I’m trying to figure out what my class schedule is going to look like.

Over the years, I’ve noticed that as we go on to higher grades, the transitions get bigger and things get crazier. Transitioning from high school to college was so different from what it was like to move on from middle school to high school. There was a wider selection of classes, mostly electives, to choose from in high school than there was in middle school. There were also bigger social events, such as school dances and fundraisers. Now going from high school to college is a completely different story. Since I go to a huge public university, I am never guaranteed getting into all of the classes that I want. And unlike high school, the person I sat next to on the first day of my Psych 101 class was never seen again. A big campus means a lot of students, some that I only see once or twice or never at all. The list goes on and on.

Before being completely immersed in the college experience, first, I had to pack. Honestly, packing isn’t as bad it sounds. But for my first year, I wasn’t very smart on deciding what and what not to bring. So I basically ended up overpacking. As the school year went on, I realized that I had more things that were rarely touched than things that I actually needed. Over time, I took note of this and made a list of the things that every college student would need at school. I hope this will be useful for  you as much as it did for me. And oh gosh, I've just rambled like crazy. Are you still there?!

The following list is based on my experiences of living in the college dorm.

Snack all day, everydayy

Yogurt

Granola bars

String cheese

Fruit snacks

Juice boxes

Crackers

Trail Mix

Brrrr, it's cold in here

Electric water kettle (a must!)

Blanket

Sweatpants

Fuzzy socks

Mug

Things that always go missing

Socks

Blue/black pens

Hair ties

Mints

Chapsticks

Study nights

Lamp

Printer & lined paper

Index cards

Post-its

Folders

Notebooks

Staples 

Paper clips

Bathroom runs

Shower caddy

Non-slip flip flops

Extra toothbrush and toothpaste 

Sunday is laundry day

Air freshener

Laundry bag/hamper

Liquid detergent

Instant liquid stain remover pen or spray

Just in case, ya know?

Umbrella

Rainboots

Sunscreen

Flashlight

Pepper spray

Extra batteries

Band-aids

Cough drops

Cold/flu medicine

Facial tissues 

Anti-itch cream (for those annoying bug bites)

Miscellaneous:

Reusable water bottle 

Hand sanitizer

Snack clips

Envelopes

Stamps

Ziplock bags

Plastic forks and spoons

Storage box (for things that can’t fit anywhere else) 

All the things I mentioned above have really made the dorm my “home” away from home that much better.