Hopefully, your college has provided you with a list of suggested items to bring (and items not to bring). If not, you just might want to make a call to the campus housing office and start asking questions. "Why?" you ask. "What's so hard about moving?"
It's not that it's hard, exactly, but you don't want to pack everything but the kitchen sink into your parent's car (or U-haul, as the case may be) and then have to send half of the stuff back when you get there. If you don't have a list, here are a few suggestions:
- clothing for the semester-but if you're close enough to head home on weekends, take only what you'll need to get through the beginning of fall then exchange it for the heavy stuff later
- personal items (shampoo/conditioner, toothpaste/brush, hair goodies, skin care products) that you usually use at home
- toilet paper (even if they supply it, you might want something a little... softer)
- flip-flops for the shower (don't ask why, you don't want to know... just wear them)
- bathrobe (for the treks down the hall to the shower and for those 2 a.m. fire drills)
- sheets, blankets, towels
- mini-fridge (hopefully your roommate will help spring for the rental or purchase)
- small microwave (ditto)
- can opener and simple eating utensils (knife, fork, spoon, cup, plate, bowl)
- a few home comforts (pictures, posters, decorations--nothing really valuable) and
- TV, DVD player, PC/laptop (if you're into this kind of thing, you can really live without them).
Things you should leave at home because your dorm probably has some sort of rules preventing their use in your room (okay, realistically, I know you're likely to take these things--I did as a freshman--but just be very aware that they can be confiscated if your dorm rules don't allow them):
- electric kettle
- crock pot
- electric skillet/grill/griddle (if you cook on these, make sure you open a window or two) and/or
- blender (sure, it could be used for milkshakes).
Leave the furniture at home, especially if you're sharing a room, there just isn't enough space in most dorm rooms for that kind of home comfort. Oh, and make sure you mark all of your valuables with your name and some kind of i.d. code (you can rent an engraving tool at most hardware stores these days) and check to see if the housing office offers some kind of renters insurance. If your valuables do disappear, you want to be able to replace them.
What about school supplies? Don't purchase those until you've moved in. You just really don't know what sort of supplies you're going to need until you go to your first class.
That about covers it... well, except for the actual moving your stuff part. But that's a topic for another article.
Until next time!
Lynn Byrne
Preparing for college admissions? Trying to find direction? Need a little help with the planning? Check out my college planning series:
- College Planning Made Easy--the planning and preparation workbook for the take charge, college-bound student,
- Paying for College Made Easy--a college financing guide designed to assist students and families in preparing and planning for higher education expenses; and
- The Great Scholarship Search--my guide for students and parents researching and applying for scholarship funding.
