(College) shopping list help?

[Mattarias, King.]

I'm going to be moving into college soon, and I just realized I didn't know something: what do you take to college? :smalleek:

My parents have been bugging me to go shopping for stuff, but I've been able to keep putting it off. Looks like I can't anymore. Any dorm-savvy doods (ugh, prinnies!) have any tips on what to bring? ^^;

Any help would be appreciated muchly:smallredface: .

[Sisqui]

A mini fridge!

[Zephra]

apart from the obvious, (clothes, school supplies) bring along things that could come in really handy, but you don't immediatly need. duct tape, for example. you can never have too much duct tape. and meducine for all kinds of different things.

[The Great Skenardo]

Electric Fan
Laundry basket (with wheels, preferably)
desk lamp (LED lamps are nice)
Cheap flip-flops for use in shower

[North]

Optimus Prime

what?

He helped me thru some rough nights :D

[RTGoodman]

Well, according to the move-in guide that I've gotten from my college for the last three years, here's a list of stuff to bring.

Necessities:
-Linens for the correct size bed (they should tell you what size)
-Toiletries
-SHOWER SHOES (probably the most important thing you can bring)
-Alarm clock
-School supplies
-Surge protectors
-Laundry basket/bag and detergent
-Summer and winter clothing (depending on your school's location)
-Hangers

Optional:
-TV, computer, game systems, and other electronics
-Bicycle or skateboard
-Plants, posters, knickknacks, and other decorations
-Poster tape
-Firsts Aid Kit
-Kitchen supplies
-Food/snacks
-Electric fan

[Call_me_Fate]

If you have a local Bed Bath and Beyond, they have college check lists available in the store, in the hopes that you will buy from them. Often stores of that type have lists like this, or the college does sometimes.

[Nomrom]

Make sure you find out what can't be used in the dorms too. I know in our dorms there were a lot of things we couldn't have. No LED lights, microwaves had to be under 700W, other various appliances couldn't be used.

[Mattarias, King.]

:smalleek: I think shower feet things are a good idea, yeah..

Actually, good ideas, the lot of them..

There's tape specifically for posters? :smallconfused: That knowledge would've came in handy a long time ago.. hunh..

Optimus'd be a good idea, too. Though I don't have any models, and I doubt my roommate will look too kindly upon my Zord collection..

I'll check out B,B&B. I've never been to any store like that, but it may be a good idea..

Edit: oh, yeah, true. We can't bring stuff that can make fire. :smallfrown: It sucks, but I guess not setting the place I'm going to live for the next four years ablaze is a good idea..

[Syka]

I cannot reiterate the shower sandals enough. Honestly, you never know whose been in there. *twitch....doesn't like public restrooms let alone showers*

Your school should have a list somewhere about move in.

Stuff they may not mention- entertainment, meaning game systems. Lots of batteries. Lot. A cell phone, not all places have landlines. Lots of storage boxes. Bookends. Any meds you can think of. Umbrella.

Games. No, not video games, board games. Suddenly, once you get to college, all those games you used to play when younger are fun again. I personally have Twister, Battle Ship, Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit, Mancala, The Identity Game, and Jenga. My friends and I decided to do a community game chest because we all got so stressed from exams but had no way to unwind.

Nuk-ro-wave (aka microwave). Extra lamps. Something to lock valuables in. Extra, moveable shelving units. Invaluable. A pet, depending on the policy. I know my school will let you have most small things, while others will only allow fish. Etc.

Cheers,
Syka

[Cyrano]

Lemme give my opinion, having never been to college.

- Kettle. You need tea.
- Seriously. Get a kettle.
- If you like coffee, coffeemaker.
- No, the kettle isn't optional.
- Tea.
- Either a mini fridge, or several hundred bucks and a map to the grocery store.
- ID. You will also need alcohmohols.
- More tea.
- Oh, and a kettle.
- Most other essentials, (Fridge, nuclear silo, portable 4000 megawatt death laser, rubber duck) have either been mentioned or are obvious.

[Syka]

Aww...I forgot my rubber duck with the laser beam eyes. I knew I'd forget something...

Cheers,
Syka

[JellyPooga]

Lemme give my opinion, having never been to college.

- Kettle. You need tea.
- Seriously. Get a kettle.
- If you like coffee, coffeemaker.
- No, the kettle isn't optional.
- Tea.
- Either a mini fridge, or several hundred bucks and a map to the grocery store.
- ID. You will also need alcohmohols.
- More tea.
- Oh, and a kettle.
- Most other essentials, (Fridge, nuclear silo, portable 4000 megawatt death laser, rubber duck) have either been mentioned or are obvious.

Ah, someone who thinks like me...if you don't get a caffeine addiction before you finish you're 1st year, you're not working hard enough! :smalltongue: :smallbiggrin:

My advice is to go to whatever the equivalent of the Cash and Carry is where ever you live (basically the supermarket for the local small businesses) and pick up a giant sack of tea bags (around 3 or 4 thousand tea bags in it preferably). Also pick up a bumper-pack of pasta, a couple of slabs of tins of baked beans and a big box of dried soup...the pasta and beans are fair game for when you're hungry and should save you a bit on your shopping bills, but the soup is for emergencies only because it will probably have roughly the nutritional value (and flavour) of damp cardboard. If you're familiar with Terry Pratchets Discworld, the box of soup should be treated in much the same way as Dwarf Bread...it's there not to be eaten (and possibly to be used as a weapon)...three-day-old curries and week-old pizza crusts look mighty appetizing when you have the option of eating industrial quantites of dried soup...

[Syka]

Ah yes, I forgot to mention the beverages. I have about 200 bags of tea, 30 some bags of hot chocolate (with the mini marshmallows), and a never ending supply of water. Also keep some sort of carbonated beverage such as Coca-cola and Gatorade as well for stomach ills and headaches. Both help tons. Oh, and crackers and peppermints. Those are all home-cures for stomachaches and headaches and the like.

Hey...I don't have caffine addiction.......but then I have been eating way too much pasta. >>' The only time I've ordered in pizza was when the Boy came to visit. I still need to order some Chinese takeout. It's not college without delivery.

Cheers,
Syka

[PhoeKun]

Has nobody thought to mention the George Foreman grill? Yes, it's probably considered contraband on your campus, too, but... come on! The available menu of food you can prepare skyrockets with one of those things at your side...

Plus, it knocks out the fat. What's not to love?

[SweetLikeLemons]

Air freshener and/or Febreeze. I am not generally a big fan of these products, but in a dorm they are usually essential. The guys' floors of my freshman dorm smelled like they were inhabited by goats. Just remember that Febreeze will not take the place of actually doing laundry (a mistake all too many freshmen make). And speaking of laundry, bring all the quarters you can get your hands on. You can never have too many quarters.

Oh, and I will also chime in on the shower shoes thing. I guarantee someone in your dorm will have something nasty going on with their feet. And so will you if you forget your shower shoes.

One more thing: A bike is a very nice thing to have on campus, especially if you don't have a car, but bring a crappy one, or else bring a really good lock and be very very careful with it. One in four college students will have their bike stolen while they are in school. I heard that statistic from the police when I called them about my stolen bike. The second one I'd had stolen in three years...:smalleek:

[Mattarias, King.]

no oven things allowed in dorms, so no kettle. :smallfrown: I like tea..

Also, minifridge+microwave seems to be good, too. microwaves are allowed.. hmm..

darn me taking so long to type..

[PhoeKun]

no oven things allowed in dorms, so no kettle. :smallfrown: I like tea..


Then, get a hot pot. You just need to be able to boil water...

[Mattarias, King.]

Then, get a hot pot. You just need to be able to boil water...

oh, you mean those kettle things you plug in and- oh, I love those! Thank you or reminding me of their existence!

Air freshener, beverages, laser ducks. right. got it. *scribble, scribble*

[ArchivesNinja]

Don't forget mugs and sugar/honey for that tea. :smallwink: A few (not many) cups and plates and silverware are handy if you expect to eat anything in your room.

Also, a little dry-erase board and markers to put on the front of your door. At my college, leaving a message on one of these was just as good as email or phone. Also handy for things like class schedules during the first week or two.

[Cyrano]

Find a place to buy milk. Caffeine (tea, coffee, college roomate's blood) is good for cramming, but sometimes your schedual is so messed you can't sleep. Put a cup of milk in the microwave. The toddy is the single most valuable drink outside of tea anywhere. If plain hot milk is bland to you, add sugar or honey, and vanilla extract.
God.
Vanilla extract is SO GOOD.
Massive box of candy, including peppermints but excluding soft candy (chocolates.) They last longer, give you a sugar rush, excellent for tests. Werthers and Altoids are ideal.

[Serpentine]

It depends on what your room's like, but things like posters are a good thing to have. My residential college's rooms were seriously like cells. Tiny, box-like, and the walls were brick painted in solid white. I needed something to cover up the depressing, blinding white.

What's with all the shower-footwear stuff? :smallconfused: I never wore anything like that... hell, I even used the bath!

[PhoeKun]

...You had a bath!?

[Mattarias, King.]

good points on those last posts. I should probably ring my pichu mug..
(yeah, yeah, laugh it up. :smalltongue: )

Never tried vanilla extract. Hm..

Also, myes. i do plan to bring my collection of Zelda posters and whatnot. White walls are no fun.

Edit: I reiterate the last post! :smalleek:

[Cyrano]

(Hint, bring a bath.)

[Serpentine]

Yup. One in every bathroom (co-ed, which I hear is weird).
Dunno how people got it on in there, though, they were tiny! And meh, they were cleaned with lovely stuff like bleach, not like I was gonna catch anything.

[Cyrano]

Until you slip into your nice, hot relaxing bath of warm, soapy oh my god it's bleach holy crap it's in my eye get it off get it off get it off

[Mattarias, King.]

Yup. One in every bathroom (co-ed, which I hear is weird).
Dunno how people got it on in there, though, they were tiny! And meh, they were cleaned with lovely stuff like bleach, not like I was gonna catch anything.

Ah. Bleach is good.

Especially in show form, not to drink, ne? :smallamused:

O that note, I might bring my PS2 and some DVDs, or something. Hm.. good idea? bad idea?

[Serpentine]

The cleaners were good with that sort of thing, and I always gave it a rinse first anyway :smalltongue:

Good idea, assuming you have a TV to play it on. TV's been mentioned, right? Anyway, I had my SNES and Goff had his PS2, so we were all good.

[Cyrano]

Depends if you want to get any work done.
Oh, and if you have a roommate, don't bring it without chloroform and a crowbar, or you will never see the tv again, on account of his torso blocking it.
EDIT: ^Oh, so you're saying ONE RINSE can remove a thousand blindnesses worth of bleach? Eh? Eh? I don't think so, Bleachwoman!

[Mattarias, King.]

*scribble* chloroform.. crowbar.. torsoectomy..*/scribble* got it! TV's a given, of course.

[Syka]

:smalleek: Maybe I'm just touchy about public bathing but...Eep! Where I live right now (off campus) there is a lady who comes clean everyday. There are still er...pubic hairs in the tub we have. You couldn't pay me enough to use it (it's a girls house).

And yah, co-ed bathrooms are odd. Though from what my ex told me, their bathrooms were functionally co-ed about half way through the semester. You just chose the one closest to you at any given moment.

Cheers,
Syka

[Cyrano]

Not as bad (apparantly) three roommate bathrooms, where two are engaged in, erm, amourous liasons? My brothers say that sucks.

[Mattarias, King.]

... *twitch* I'm starting to appreciate private bathrooms on a whole new level..

[Hell Puppi]

A kegarator, duct tape, cleaning supplies and lots of laundry soap.

[Mattarias, King.]

*scrible* ok.. what's a kegarator.. ? :smallconfused:

Oh, and no alchohol stuff guys. the only use i see for it is as an accelorant. and i consider accelerants the equivalent of cheat codes in videogames.

[Hell Puppi]

It's a mini-fridge with a keg spout on top....I guess yah don't NEED it.

Laundry soap, however, invaluable.

[Cyrano]

Dishcloths.
If you have a laptop, bring it.
If you bring a laptop, lock it to the desk (they have security chains or sumthin' for that.)

[Mattarias, King.]

Ah, excellent points on those last two points. Lappies are actually requirements. Just ordered mine today. :smallbiggrin:

[SweetLikeLemons]

I love baths. There was a rumor that one of my dorms had a bathroom with a bathtub somewhere. I had a plan to get some bathroom cleanser, find the bathtub, clean it myself, and then soak for as long as I could. Days if possible. Sadly, I never found the mythical bathtub.

Oh, I thought of another thing to make sure you have: headphones. Did you have to fill out that form for roommate preferences? The one where you say if you are messy or neat and whether you are a night or a morning person? I am pretty sure they either shred that as soon as you turn it in, or else they deliberately try to put you with someone who is your opposite in every way possible. So, whenever you want to listen to music while you study, your roomie will probably be sound asleep. Not to mention that you might have very different musical tastes. Also headphones are a convenient excuse for ignoring someone.

[Serpentine]

Don't forget a laundry basket, too, and probably pegs.

[Lilly]

*imagines sitting on the floor of her dorm shower* *jibblies*

Things that you need yourself:
-School supplies
-Computer (check with the school to see what sort of network cables and things you need)
-Lock for computer if its a laptop
-A thing to take things with you to the bathroom
-Robe
-Shower shoes
-Toiletries
-Sheets for X-long twin mattress (what the standard dorm mattress is)
-Mattress pad
-Bed risers (small plastic things that you put under the feet of your bed to raise it up a little for storage)
-Bookcase
-Storage (good for off season clothes)
-Movies
-Board Games
-Cards
-Clothes
-Class specific equimpent (get yourself a nice pair of safety goggles and graphing calculator)
-Bike and lock (unless you have a small enough campus to walk)
-Quarters (a roll is $10)
-Alarm clock (more than one is recommended)


Things you and your roomate need to work out who brings what:
-Microwave
-Mini-fridge
-TV
-DVD/VCR

[SDF]

Bring some lysol or some kind of air spray, some body spray to peg random tenants might be a good idea too. >_> You people are supposed to be adults, hygiene dag nabbit!

[Cyrano]

Hygeine is for sissies, children, and anyone else who happens to like hygeine. You don't need it.
Your roomate does though, so bring chloroform and rope.

[ArchivesNinja]

The cleaners were good with that sort of thing, and I always gave it a rinse first anyway :smalltongue:

Good idea, assuming you have a TV to play it on. TV's been mentioned, right? Anyway, I had my SNES and Goff had his PS2, so we were all good.

So, let me get this straight. You had a tub and people who cleaned it for you?!? Where in the world did you go to school? :smalleek:

(Btw, cleaning supplies. Definitely get yourself some cleaning supplies.)

[Mattarias, King.]

headphones are always a given. Good idea. Laundry stuff too. hmm..

all those things Lilly listed are good, too. Thanks. :smallsmile:

edit: *underlines CLEANY THINGS! *

[Yiel]

Now from the cleaning-freak... Bring anti-bacterial spray and room freshener. I had a room-mate while I was studying that had some of the funkiest B.O. I have EVER smelt. It just absorbed into the room. *gags*

Also, the anti-bacterial spray was possible the only thing that kept me alive in one sharehouse I lived in *looks green* a flatmate would microwave chicken, then leave the leftovers to rot on plates under the living room couch.

Um... disposable toilet seat covers also a good idea for shared public toilets unless you plan on learning to hover. :smalltongue: Oh and if there is a party in your dorm floor? Use a bathroom on another floor. Trust me on this.

Kensington make good notebook locks, and many new laptops have the requirements for their locks. (I have this one: http://us.kensington.com/html/6347.html)

[Serpentine]

Austin College, UNE, Armidale. We all had our own (cell-like) rooms, the halls were like rabbit-warrens, there was a bathroom to a block and each bathroom had a bathtub in a separate room as well as 3 showers, 3 toilets and 3 sinks. We had cleaners who cleaned the bathrooms, halls, bedrooms and bed sheets. There were kitchen staff who cooked 3 meals on a tiny budget, many of which included the leftovers of previous meals and few of which were actually good for you. There was cereal in the morning, as well as a hot breakfast. Water and cordial was available all the time, as was Milo. Oh, and there was a common room with a large TV with payTV and a VCR. Oh, and an internal channel thing that you could get access to in your own room which played a movie non-stop, changed every week.

I think that about sums it up... Oh, wait, it also had a licensed bar.

[Cyrano]

Non stop? Like, it kept you from turning your own TV off?

[Serpentine]

No no, 'twere just on a loop. I think I've seen the entirety of Alien vs. Predator, just not in chronological order...

[Mattarias, King.]

:smallconfused: Hunh. interesting..

Also, I don't need quarters. Bridgewater state gives us these nifty pass things that we can use like debit cards. It's even useable at the local gaming store. :smallbiggrin:

[ArchivesNinja]

Wow, Serpentine. We lived four girls to a suite, and a suite was two rooms with a bathroom between them. Three meals a day from the cafeteria, most of which probably had nutritional value if not flavor, and coin laundry facilities in the basement of each dorm building. Cable tv was available if you were willing to pay for it. (It became free the year after I graduated.) All the dorms are located at the top of the hill, and I happened to live in the dorm with the cafeteria in it 'til my Senior year. Then I moved into the upper classmen suites, which were much nicer. (Blue walls with wall paper, carpet, living room area and separate bedrooms for each of the 4 occupants.)

Mattarias, the best part about dorm life is you'll look back on these next 4 years as the best time in your life, no matter how many communal bathrooms you'll have used. :smallwink:

[ForzaFiori]

hearing what dorm rooms and the bathrooms are like makes me very happy that i will have the ability to live at home if i wish to during college.

living in a town next to Clemson has its perks.

[Mattarias, King.]

Mattarias, the best part about dorm life is you'll look back on these next 4 years as the best time in your life, no matter how many communal bathrooms you'll have used. :smallwink:

^^; eheh, I should hope so.

Also, I dunno why, but I like seeing my name typed out by someone else. :smallconfused: thanks! ^^;

[Hazkali]

I've found the one thing I couldn't have done my first year of university without was a whiteboard, about two by three feet, with a couple of different coloured wipable pens. Belive me, by the end of the year, everyone wanted one! It just saves so much paper if you solve all of your problems on a whiteboard first and then hand in the "perfect" version to your tutors, because you'll never get your questions right the first time...at least I didn't!

[Mattarias, King.]

I've found the one thing I couldn't have done my first year of university without was a whiteboard, about two by three feet, with a couple of different coloured wipable pens. Belive me, by the end of the year, everyone wanted one! It just saves so much paper if you solve all of your problems on a whiteboard first and then hand in the "perfect" version to your tutors, because you'll never get your questions right the first time...at least I didn't!

m, OK. Thanks. Good idea. :smallconfused:

By fire, it's 3 AM! O.o;

[Quincunx]

Debit card instead of quarters? HALLELUJAH! Nobody EVER had quarters. Appropriately, the washers and dryers were missing other bits'n'bobs, like start buttons. Handy tip: don't try to press the start nub with a metal utensil.

Appliances in descending order of necessity:

Electric kettle/water boiler/hot pot/whatever + mug & set of utensils.
Makes hot drinks for cold climates and caffeine infusions, can be used for primitive cooking, boiling water for disinfecting grime and killing pests.

Microwave + microwaveable pot & plate.
The cooker and re-heater. Useful for everything except Pop-Tarts, and can take the place of the electric kettle also.

Hot plate + ordinary pot & plate.
I don't think it's necessary to double up with this and a microwave.

(Some parts of the year, I have seen the combination microwave/hot plate/coffeemaker for sale. It apparently pulls such low wattage that items take forever to cook, but if you're a purist about cooking styles, look into it.)

Flat grill.
Not so useful in a dorm, shines when you move into an apartment and start having a slightly larger budget and aspirations to host parties. Fast food is expensive; making it yourself on the flat grill is cheap.

Fridge/Freezer + Tupperware.
Some people choose the fridge for temporary cold storage, others the mini-freezer to cook and store meals days ahead of time. If you're not the type to plan ahead, probably not necessary.

*****

Extra item for college ONLY in the hot climates:
BUG SPRAY
Buy it locally, the biggest baddest bug-bomb you can find. Like medicine, you probably won't need it but will dearly wish you had it if you do. Your dorm-mates' New Age commitment to life will probably not withstand the first sighting of a Floridian cockroach in their dorm.

Aspirin is good to bring, so is something to settle the stomach and stop diarrhea.

[Kilbia]

When I went to college, there were two things that stood out in my mind that I forgot:

- Nail clippers
- A pillow

Thankfully, I *did* bring:

- A 1980 Buick Skylark

And that saved me more than once. Since a lot of people who come to college don't have or don't bring their cars (residential parking can be expensive, and *most* of what you need can be had within walking distance if you're at a good college), I was in demand among my upperclassman friends who had moved to the campus apartments and wanted to make the drive out to the local warehouse club. (I was also pretty popular for *having* a warehouse club membership, but I didn't use that very often for myself 'cause I stayed in the dorms the whole time.)

Also, some of these peoples' suggestions are for consumable goods - shampoo, bleach, laundry detergent, beverages, etc. These are all important things to have, but you do not necessarily need to purchase them ahead of time and bring them with you. In fact, you really should scout out where the local groceries are to your campus, because you *really* don't want to try and not only calculate, but *pack*, a year's supply of any of that.

One other thing to consider: Check with your college (ahead of time if possible) and find out what the moving-out policy is. When I was at Willamette (1993-1996 - Go Bearcats!), we were allowed to leave our stuff in the room over the two-week winter vacation, but we had to be packed up and moved out for the summer EVEN IF WE WERE COMING RIGHT BACK TO THE SAME ROOM that fall. And keep *that* in mind when deciding what you "absolutely can't live without". I was lucky that I didn't own any furniture and thus everything I owned would fit in my car. Others were much more miserable during the last days of school.

Finally, if you can find it, grab a copy of the book "The Naked Roommate and 107 other situations you may run into in college". UT-Dallas actually has that as a required text for their freshman-level "Welcome to college, you poor bastages" class. And it reads very conversationally, so you should find it interesting.

[Delaney Gale]

I would second a video game system. I didn't bring one because the GameCube was communal, but I hang out with people who do all the time- multiplayer games are a good way to make friends!

You need Kleenex. You are going to be living in close quarter with relatively poor nutrition, you will catch colds.

On that note, vitamins. If you can remember to take a multivitamin every day, you'll be a lot less miserable.

Power strips/extension cords. If you're lucky, a dorm room will have four power outlets, and a power strip will help you maximize them.

A good board game or two/a pack of cards to play with friends. I took Risk, but I think Cranium would be an excellent choice as well. I don't know where you're going to school, but in MI knowing how to play euchre is a sign of being a college student, and there are probably analogous games elsewhere.

[Mustiado]

I read through the first page, didn't see any mention of it, so I thought I'd throw my two cents in here:

LAUNDRY BAG.

While it is true that you can make it through the college experience with a hamper or whatnot, it's a lot simpler to throw dirty clothes at the end of the day into a handy bag with a strap on it, not unlike a huge, smelly backpack, and to lug it the mile and a half or whatever the ungodly distance will be to the washing machines on your campus/river with the washboard/incinerator to buy more clothes.

Your roommate will thank you for it, and you'll thank yourself, more importantly.

Also, if you plan on enjoying music late at night or that everyone might not be a fan of, headphones.

[Thrawn183]

I don't know about you guys, but I'm currently living with the amount of stuff I could carry in my backpack and two checked bags (under 50 lbs).

It really makes you have to go out and make friends if you want to watch tv/play videogames or do anything at all really.

[Lenlalron]

Febreeze.

Man's best friend.

[Siwenna]

Does your colleges website have a list of recommended stuff to bring? Mine does, but I'm not sure if that's the norm. I'm in the same situation as you are, so can't help much, but good luck!

[mudbunny]

The white-board is handy for working things out.

Also get a smaller one (12"x12") for putting by the phone or on the door of your bedroom. That way there is someplace to leave messages for you.

If you can, shell out for your own private phone-line.

[Vonriel]

A note on door-hung whiteboards: Do they get stolen? I haven't lived in a dorm, and don't plan on it, but for anyone who does, that may be a good thing to know.

[Delaney Gale]

A note on door-hung whiteboards: Do they get stolen? I haven't lived in a dorm, and don't plan on it, but for anyone who does, that may be a good thing to know.

The whiteboards don't get stolen, but the markers do. Either rig up an attachment mechanism (some yarn and tape is generally enough to discourage the casual marker-thief, and has the added bonus of making it hard to lose), or spring for a few spares.

[Miklus]

You live two people in one room in USA, right? Glad that's not me! I can't even imagine how that will work out.

We didn't have bathtubs, but at least we had our own shover and toilet. Yep, one of each for every person. But noone came and cleaned them for us. And noone cooked for us either. We had to share a kitchen. We where 17 in my block and only 8 hotplates, two owens and a microwave. No way that could work out, we had to make a food-club. We took turns cooking, it worked great. With that many people, you only had to cook once every other week!

In some blocks, the dirty dishes would pile up. But not in our block. The noobs got ruled with an iron fist, woes he who did not clean up after him self.

The rooms where kind of small. 12 square meters, that's...133 square feet. This includes the shover and toilet. It is less that the minimum allowed prison cell. Someone calculated that, pound for pound, a caged chicken has more floor space. :smallsmile:

But to get back on topic:
Headphones...the others will love you for it.
Cricket bat...to pursuade our neighbor to turn that $#!& down.
Thermal sleeping bag...ok, maybe not in Florida, but I needed it in the winter. Stupid underdimentioned heating system! Sometimes I sat with my overcoat on in front of my computer.

[Delaney Gale]

You live two people in one room in USA, right? Glad that's not me! I can't even imagine how that will work out.

...

Cricket bat...to pursuade our neighbor to turn that $#!& down.


I actually haven't minded it so far. I just got my first apartment this summer (since I moved across the country for work), and I feel like I'm rattling around in it. I miss having a roommate!

... I like the idea of a cricket bat, although I substituted a shinai (bamboo-slat kendo sword).

[LotharBot]

A lot of these are things you should work out with your roommate beforehand. I'll try to just include things others haven't.

FURNITURE:

- If you need to bring your own sofa and/or chair, look into http://www.homereserve.com/ It's worth a bit of money to have a sofa you can carry into the room in pieces, assemble with a screwdriver, take apart for easy transport when you move out, take the covers off and throw them in the wash, and use as auxiliary storage. We've had ours for 2 years and been quite pleased with how they've held up.
- if there is a sofa, get a cover for it. Better than sitting in who-knows-what that's been spilled on there by past roommates.

FOOD:
- get a small (3 cup) rice cooker, if it's allowed. Try to get one with a vegetable steamer insert. I presently have this one (http://www.amazon.com/Elite-Gourmet-3-Cup-Cooker-ERC003ST/dp/B0006A0GMQ/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_1_2/102-6586756-6979364) and I really like it. In college, eating lots of rice and veggies will save you a lot of money.
- a hot-pot so you can make coffee, tea, hot cocoa, etc.
- A set of cheap, microwave-safe dishes that are distinctive enough they won't be mistaken for someone else's. Get silverware with funny handles, too.

CLOTHING:
- a laundry bag or hamper, possibly like this one (http://www.amazon.com/Whitney-Design-Pop-Up-Hamper-Natural/dp/B0007CXQPW/ref=sr_1_5/102-6586756-6979364?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1184786888&sr=1-5).
- your own clothes hangers. Sometimes they're already in the room, but don't count on it.

HEALTH/CLEANING/UTILITY:
- duct tape, masking tape, and scotch tape. They're all useful.
- Rubbing alcohol and cotton balls, or alcohol wipes.

*disclaimer: I don't work for any of the companies or otherwise profit, directly or indirectly, from the sale of any of the products above.

[OverdrivePrime]

I cannot reiterate the shower sandals enough. Honestly, you never know whose been in there. Or who we had in there with us.:smallwink:

As a 4.5 year veteran of the dorms (most IIT undergrads stayed in the dorms or the frat-houses because the surrounding neighborhood was either the Projects, or Bridgeport, which may have been worse), I've got just a few suggestions that I think weren't stressed enough by previous posters.

First Aid Kit. It's often overlooked, but I strongly suggest getting a quality first aid kit and familiarizing yourself with everything in there. Sooner or later you or one of your friends is going to do something dumb that looks fun and there will be blood and limping.

Prophylactics. You never know when you or a friend is going to need one and you never ever ever ever want to be in a position of regretting not using one. I suggest going with a reputable and quality brand to minimize risk. Durex is not a reputable and quality brand.

A digital camera/camcorder. You're going to have a lot of fun during the time when you're not in class (some lucky ones will have fun in class as well). Record it for posterity.

A graphic-editing program. If you can't get a cheap student copy of Photoshop, try downloading GIMP (http://www.gimp.org/), which is almost as good as the real thing, but free. Once you've taken all those pictures, you can manipulate it and put your friends into even more incriminating situations!

Thorough knowledge of the area's dance clubs, how to get there, and when 70's night is so that you can avoid it. This seems self-explanatory to me, but some people continue to try to pick up dates at bars. Go to dance clubs instead. You'll have more fun, get some exercise, and it's a better group activity as well. Take a couple friends from your dorm floor for an instant good time. On top of all that, you're less likely to run into obnoxious drunks.

A frisbee. Everyone loves to toss the disc around. It's a nice way to meet people while hanging out outside.

[mudbunny]

A frisbee. Everyone loves to toss the disc around. It's a nice way to meet people while hanging out outside.

Or a football (american), football (european), baseball, rollerblades.

[JellyPooga]

Or a football (american), football (european), baseball, rollerblades.

"Fie!" I say to your common oafish games! It's croquet, cricket or nothing! Pimms and cucumber sandwiches on the lawn at noon anyone? :smalltongue: :smallbiggrin:

[LCR]

Cricket is awesome. But it's really hard to get to know people while sporting a club, white pullovers, shirts and tie and generally look like a snob ...

(Don't get me wrong, I love cricketeers outfits, but unfortunately most people don't think like I do)

[Zangor]

Add in another voice for the whiteboard for your door. Being able to leave a note there for the roommate is really useful, and other people can leave messages for you too.

Now, one thing that I recommend that I haven't seen posted is to check with your school's policy on lofts. Most dorms have very little room available, and if you loft your bed, it really, really, helps. I cannot stress that enough. What's really great is if both your roommate and yourself get a loft: you can put a futon/sofa under one bed, and the TV/mini fridge/other assorted things under the other. You'd be amazed how much bigger doing this makes the room, if they'll let you.

[Mattarias, King.]

Wow, i wake up and i find this thread on another page. O.o; le woah. Still, cool. I actually finally found the "what to bring to college" page on my school's site, so that's a help.

So.. things for hygene, recreation, and violence? I can dig that. *scribble, scribble*

Thanks for all the advice, guys! :smallbiggrin: Keep it coming! It looks like college is gonna be pretty fun after all.

edit: lofts? :smallconfused: never seen one..

[mudbunny]

Re: Lofts

The easiest way to do it (and also potentially the most dangerous) is to simply acquire some bricks, pile them up and place them under the feet of your bed. However, like I said, that is potentially dangerous and/or America's Funniest home video material.

[Jack Squat]

At least at my college the provide the desks and beds, which can be stacked on top of eachother.

I'd also suggest that maybe instead of the sofa, getting some bean bags. depending on where you get the sofa, they may be less expensive, and they're more comfortable. The only downside is you can't use them as a bed for any guests.

[Mattarias, King.]

Re: Lofts

The easiest way to do it (and also potentially the most dangerous) is to simply acquire some bricks, pile them up and place them under the feet of your bed. However, like I said, that is potentially dangerous and/or America's Funniest home video material.

:smalleek: Oh. Oh dear.. uhm.. I'll.. ask about those..

Hm, I was thinking of getting a beanbag or two.. though a sofa -would- be nice... hmm.. I'll look into that. thanks.

[crazedloon]

check your dorm size (at least I am assuming you are living in a dorm) it is hard to believe you will have the room but then your campus could be loaded :smallwink:

[Mattarias, King.]

Rooms are 15x11. I'm horrible at spacial calculations. Is that good? :smallconfused:

[Serpentine]

15x11 what? Yards? Metres? Feet? Inches? Centimetres?

[Mattarias, King.]

Oh. Feet. ^^' right. I'm too used to it being a given. Eheh. sorry 'bout that.

(at least i hope it's feet and not inches! :smalleek:)

[Dean Fellithor]

MOST IMPORTANT THINGS EVER:


Your own House for you to crash in, you can choose your Housemates then
Housemates of which you have known for at least more than 3 years
at least an Income of $900AUD(Australian Dollars, $1AUD= 70US cents) a per 2 weaks, $150 for you food, $300-450 for your clothes and other things (ie. games, consoles, books, music ect...) and $300-450for rent or for saving in the bank

[SweetLikeLemons]

That's 165 square feet. Think of it this way: two twin beds will take up about 45 square feet. Add two desks with chairs, two dressers, a tv and a sofa, and you just might be able to walk from one side of your room to the other. Maybe. The way it worked out in the rooms I had if you wanted room to walk around, at least one of the beds had to be lofted. If you wanted a sofa it was best to loft both beds.

People with both sofas and tvs in their rooms had friends hanging out in their room all the time. Also, if for some reason you are too, er, incapacitated to climb into your lofted bed a sofa is a very nice thing to have.

[Serpentine]

What's with this whole lofting thing? Besides the fact that lofts are normally found roofwards (my house has one :smallbiggrin:), don't you lot have beds that are already raised of the ground? :smallconfused:

[Breaon]

Back in the stone ages when I lived in the dorms, they gave us the option of raising our beds to "bunk" level, where you could then move your desk under it, giving you a LOT more room.

Sandals for the showers; gods I wish I'd thought about that. Our bathrooms were officially non-coed, but rarely enforced. They were nasty most of the time too; 18 year olds out of the house for the first time are generally clean a lot less than their parents did for them.

A phone/address book of friends and relatives. Yes, a written book. Written - it's that thing us oldsters do with pen and paper. What? Don't look at me that way. Also, some stationary. At least give the pretense that you'll write to your extended familiy once in a while.

A personal printer for your computer; I don't know about your campus, but mine didn't have 24x7 labs w/ printers available, and the number of nights I spent all night finishing up a paper for an 8am class approaches infinity. Of course, we didn't have auto-assigned email then either (I entered University in '88), so we couldn't just email papers to our professors/TAs.

[Jack Squat]

What's with this whole lofting thing? Besides the fact that lofts are normally found roofwards (my house has one :smallbiggrin:), don't you lot have beds that are already raised of the ground? :smallconfused:

they're talking about loft beds, which are basically bunk beds without the bottom bunk.

[Ashtar]

My experience of "college" dorms is:

- Keep condoms in a metal box, out of the sun, in a discrete but accessible location.
- Keep a minimum of 2 rolls of loo paper as backup.
- Always have food for one-two unexpected guests (quicksoup, crackers, pasta, tomato sauce, tuna fish tins).
- Have a bag for the laundry
- Use a whiteboard
- Get a USB key, you will be passing data to friends every day
- ENCRYPT ANY DATA you don't want to see posted on the walls
- Being able to make your own tea / coffee / soup / instant pasta in your room > everything else. So have a kettle.

[Azrael]

Rooms are 15x11. I'm horrible at spacial calculations. Is that good? :smallconfused:

No, it's rather small. Don't even contemplate additional furniture until you've moved in. Even then, don't expect more than maybe a bean bag in a corner.

[mudbunny]

Some sort of contraption upon which to hang towels after you get out of the shower.

[magicwalker]

What furniture you will have is completely dependant on a couple of factors:

1) existing furntiture, and whether or not you can actually move it. in my dorm room, there were huge armoires that were mounted to the wall. the university might also provide you with a desk, but two desks is more likely (one for each person).. in which case between the beds, the desks, and the dressers are going to take up a lot of space.

2) whether or not your roommate signs off on it, you might want to have the 60's shag love-seat.. while he might have his own ideas. I don't know where your college is, but I would suggest not hauling anything across state/country. anything that you want/need can be found on craigslist relatively local if it's a big school. transportation of said furniture becomes an issue later, but logistics only becomes an issue _after_ an agreement has been reached. getting along with your roommate makes your life _so_ much easier, and this one step to do something together.. develop the trust.. become friends.. yada yada yada.

If you don't have Smash Brothers, then you should get it. It's a great social activity, and was just rampant in the dorms. People from all over the building would flock to my room, because my amazing room setup allowed for up to four people to play in relative comfort.

Imagine this:

Loft your beds.
Couch under one bed.
Table with large TV and refridgerators under the other.
Desks at the foot of the beds, running parallel.

Console gaming HEAVEN! Comfortable as all heck. And you can throw a good few chairs in there for added seating.

[Bardic Bunny]

Mattarias, the best part about dorm life is you'll look back on these next 4 years as the best time in your life, no matter how many communal bathrooms you'll have used. :smallwink:

This is definitely true. Dorm life leads to great friendships. They're like family away from home. Archives Ninja and I were roomies and we're still great friends. Its an experience worth having.

As for things to take to college:

Comfortable walking shoes
An Umbrella-- you WILL get wet.

A steamer's handy...we discovered that you can in fact make Jiffy corn bread in a steamer and its quite tasty...Just eat it all at once...leftovers get harder than rocks. With microwaveable chicken nuggets and microwaved green beans you've a fairly well balanced meal that's not from the cafeteria!

If you bring you own computer/laptop, definitely bring a printer...its no fun fighting the masses for the campus lab printers. Yes, some profs. may allow/have you email papers, etc. but some will have to be printed off.

I suggest putting your name on movies/games/etc so that they are borrowed they have a better chance of being returned.

I too recommend the dry erase board. Not only handy to leave messages for your roomie and visa versa, but also to leave random sounding notes that make NO sense to any one else...for example, we once left "Pick Up Your Goat and Run!" on our board. That is all our fellow students got and its all you get too! (Though I will say that there was some very interesting speculation and we got and still do get a lot of laughs out of it!)--Ah yes, as they say: "Those were the days"
Have fun! :smallsmile:

[Dementrius]

A double bed / futon. Even if it takes up the entire room.

1. Have you ever tried to fit two people in a single bed? Think about things that require two people. Extrapolate. Is this not why you are at college?
2. Who needs floorspace? Less vacuuming required.
3. Doubles as a couch. And a chair for a desk. And a makeshift fort if required.
4. The bed supplied for you goes to your roommate. Now he has a double bed too!

[Mattarias, King.]

:smalleek: Oh dear.. our dorms come with two beds, armoires, and desks.. guess I gotta forget about the furniture, then.. Still, lotsa good suggestions. I just picked up some bed risers, so I can put stuff under the thing.
.. I can't bring my own bed, though, so no double bed. But okay then.

I -was- thinking of bringing my PS2... but Smash Bros. IS fun, so I might bring Cubey instead.. hmm.. :smallconfused: Are there any things that let you bolt a gamecube to stuff..? I'm -extremely- paranoid about my things.

[Siwenna]

Are the beds bunkable? The ones in my dorm-to-be apparently are, and that would save alot of space. And a 15x11 room doesn't sound too bad. My room is 10.5'x11'.

[phantomhermit]

a really long ethernet cable. you never know when you might have to link up on the other side of the world. and a wireless card if you can afford one and your college supports wireless internet. i used to play world of warcraft between classes on my college's wireless network :) plus it helps during class, if you need to look something up while the professor is talking, the internet is right there at your fingers. just make sure you sit in the back row [oops].

[Traveling_Angel]

An Umbrella-- you WILL get wet.


I live in Olympia (WA state, south of Seattle) and I laugh my head off at that. Because everyone from my region knows that there is no substitute for good rain gear, which an Umbrella almost certainly isn't. a good rain jacket will work just as well (if not better), and an Umbrella requires a hand to operate.

[EmeraldRose]

I don't remember seeing this mentioned, but make sure you have a working alarm clock!!!! In fact, have a back-up! Also, if you live somewhere warm, a small fan you can clip on your bed is good. We didn't have A/C in our dorms, and it got pretty horrible!! :smalleek: Those little fans were the only things that made nights livable.

Also, I agree with bunking your beds, we did this, and it makes floor space a little better, what with bookshelves, dressers, and desks in the room.

A shower caddy is a lifesaver for keeping all the shower stuff in one little thingy. Cheap too...

I'd also check to see if your roomie is a smoker, cause if one of you is and the other isn't...trust me....it makes for a looooooong year! :smallyuk:

[Dementrius]

I would also suggest a blender (one that can handle ice), a cocktail shaker and 2 or three solid cocktail receipes.

[Mattarias, King.]

Hm, bunking seems kinda a good idea, but I get paranoid with stuff above my head.. :smalleek:

My college has one of the biggest and best wireless networks in the state, and my wireless-ready laptop ships the 6th. :smallcool: I think I'm good.

Also, I have a DS, which makes for a good alarm clock.

Also.. Excuse me if I sound naive, but.. what's a cocktail? Does it have to do with chickens? o.o; I've been traumatized by those tiny peepy things enough for a lifetime, thank you.

[Dementrius]

Also.. Excuse me if I sound naive, but.. what's a cocktail? Does it have to do with chickens? o.o; I've been traumatized by those tiny peepy things enough for a lifetime, thank you.

No cluckyness involved - something like this (flames optional):

http://www.imagesofbirmingham.co.uk/php-cgi/gallery2/d/1385-2/Cocktail_056.jpg

[Mattarias, King.]

No cluckyness involved - something like this (flames optional):

http://www.imagesofbirmingham.co.uk/php-cgi/gallery2/d/1385-2/Cocktail_056.jpg

O.O Those are some NICE flames.

.. oh, uh, right. There's a post there.. Good idea, but no thanks. I'm not too into alchohol. Not to mention I'd get booted. Dry campus. But I guess you didn't know that. ^^; sorry to assume.

[Yiel]

O.O Those are some NICE flames.

.. oh, uh, right. There's a post there.. Good idea, but no thanks. I'm not too into alchohol. Not to mention I'd get booted. Dry campus. But I guess you didn't know that. ^^; sorry to assume.

Make mocktails then! :smallbiggrin: Non-alcoholic cocktails. I served quite a few dry weddings while I was in hospitality and they were a very popular choice.

[Mattarias, King.]

Make mocktails then! :smallbiggrin: Non-alcoholic cocktails. I served quite a few dry weddings while I was in hospitality and they were a very popular choice.

Hmm.. interesting. I'll try that, I guess. ^^; To google! *heroic pose!*

[LCR]

I live in Olympia (WA state, south of Seattle) and I laugh my head off at that. Because everyone from my region knows that there is no substitute for good rain gear, which an Umbrella almost certainly isn't. a good rain jacket will work just as well (if not better), and an Umbrella requires a hand to operate.

Remember that an umbrella can be a fashion statement.


Did that sound girly?

[Dementrius]

O.O Those are some NICE flames.

.. oh, uh, right. There's a post there.. Good idea, but no thanks. I'm not too into alchohol. Not to mention I'd get booted. Dry campus. But I guess you didn't know that. ^^; sorry to assume.

No probs. I went to a college with an entirely opposite* culture to that.

* Highland Games = 50 kegs of beer in 1 weekend for 180 students.

[Mattarias, King.]

O.o; Oh dear.. That's a lot of acceler- I mean alchohol..

And personally, I do think umbrellas are kinda fashion statements... ^^; Though people tend to question my taste in "fashion".. espescially my girlfriend..

She says she's the only reason people know I'm heterosexual.. TT.TT

[LCR]

No probs. I went to a college with an entirely opposite* culture to that.

* Highland Games = 50 kegs of beer in 1 weekend for 180 students.

How big were those kegs? 20 or 50 litre? Bigger?


O.o; Oh dear.. That's a lot of acceler- I mean alchohol..

And personally, I do think umbrellas are kinda fashion statements... ^^; Though people tend to question my taste in "fashion".. espescially my girlfriend..

She says she's the only reason people know I'm heterosexual.. TT.TT

I like umbrellas. How can a black umbrella be wrong? It looks classic, stylish and extremely suave. Much better than a rain coat.

[BigHairyMonster]

I recall some seriously sub-standard matresses - three inches of plastic-coated foam - so if you want a good night's sleep, maybe invest in a mattress cover with some padding. Get a cotton covered one for the breathable wicking effect that'll keep you dry and cosy.

Earplugs. Because one day you will need to sleep a little.

Also, there's a choice to be made when you pick out bedding and towels - if you're a real clean-freak, you'll want to pick a light colour so that you can throw them in the wash as soon as they start to look dingy. However, what I did was go for dark colours, which looked pretty good and didn't show creases or stains too much. (Drunken girl knocked on my door at 3am and threw up on my bed. Yeah, I have no idea either.)

A WATERPROOF(ish) bag for carrying you books/notes; you can survive a sudden downpour but I'm betting your course work can't.

Good walking shoes. I did more miles in my first year on campus than I care to remember. Then I moved off campus and had to trek uphill every day for lectures. It was also uphill on the way back. Honest! Forget fashion, look after your feet. One decent pair of boots will cost you, but in the long run (no pun intended) cheap training shoes just dissolve. Oh, and they let the water in too!

I had a bike. It rusted, then got stolen. If you have somewhere to store and look after it, it can be a lifesaver. If not, you might end up watching it die. Just a thought.

[Mattarias, King.]

Hm, earplugs might be a good idea.. :smallconfused:

Already looking for a matress pad, and red is the only way to go on bedding. ... Or everything, really. :smallcool:

Waterproof bag's coming with my laptop, and my parents made me buy shoes. :smallsigh: *hates shoe shopping*

On that note, though, Any suggested programs to put on my laptop? :smallconfused: It comes with an 80 gig harddrive. I need SOMETHING to put on it. Already considering some MMOs like WoW and Trickster. Anything else?

[Delaney Gale]

On that note, though, Any suggested programs to put on my laptop? :smallconfused: It comes with an 80 gig harddrive. I need SOMETHING to put on it. Already considering some MMOs like WoW and Trickster. Anything else?

Ok, I'm biased when I say that WoW is the devil... :smallwink: but hey, I know some crazy WoW players. One of the guys in 101 Japanese had studied the language for four years but stayed up the entire night before the placement exam and got landed in 101, which probably contributed to him not getting to go to Doshisha for study abroad. I do agree on having an RPG or two to play... fine... I have *counts on hands* fourteen? fifteen? ... yeah. And that's not counting the NWN disc I have yet to replace after my sister lost it.

On my comp I have Baldur's Gate 2 and NWN, but that's mostly because I have a PowerPC Mac and NWN2 isn't getting ported. The key is to get games that can entertain you but you'll feel fine about putting down, so you can go do homework if you feel you really must ^_-. Heck, it might be worth it to do two separate logins, one for work and one for play... damn, why didn't I think of that before!? *mental note to do that later* Could have been so helpful when I was ADDing about at the end of last quarter...

I have found numerous, numerous uses for GIMP (freeware photoshop). That program is used for work and for play, all the time. Microsoft/Open Office should go without saying. A multi-platform chat program like Adium or Trillian. If anything involving computing is required, FTP and SSH clients. If you have a required math class, a bookmark to http://www.wolfram.com/webresources.html , a bunch of resources for mathematics and science from the people who made Mathematica (their free online integrator saved me so many times studying for my math major comps, and in Quantum Mech, and... yeah, basically a great resource to have handy). A music program- iTunes is great, particularly since *psst* some campuses have OurTunes (but I didn't tell you that).

One thing you shouldn't have on your computer is your schedule/to do list. Plunk down the $5 or less at the bookstore (it'll seem like nothing after you get your books) and get a basic paper planner- my college has some for $3 that are essentially a small spiral-bound notebook with the school crest on the front with blocks for the dates in. Writing things by hand reinforces them in your memory and it's also great for doodling on ^^

[Mattarias, King.]

Hm, okay then.. Some of those games do sound good.. I'll look into GIMP, and I think I'll keep this thread handy for your links, too. Thanks.

And I think I will do that writing-down bit. :smallconfused: I never remember my schedules.. ^^; ... Though having only one or two classes a day is always sweet.

[mudbunny]

On that note, though, Any suggested programs to put on my laptop? :smallconfused: It comes with an 80 gig harddrive. I need SOMETHING to put on it. Already considering some MMOs like WoW and Trickster. Anything else?

What type of games do you like?? What program are you going to college for??

[Dean Fellithor]

Neverwinter Nights, Neverwinter Nights 2, The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind, The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, Postal 2 (most violent game I ever played, you can not buy this in shops so I'm probably safe suggesting Bittorrent...kekeke this game got banned in New Zealand) Gunz: the Duel (online game, found: http://gunz.ijji.com/ Free to get), Age of Empires 2,3 , any online retailers that your friends back Home/at different Univeristy play.


thats all...

[Mattarias, King.]

:smallconfused: Hm..

I'm going to college for creative writing, and I dig RPGs.

Thanks for the suggestions, Dean, but I'll stay away from FPSs. ^^; I prefer sword and sorcery stuff, myself.

[Dean Fellithor]

they are still a must though, you always need a NWN game on hand having 2 makes you the ultimate Nerd, same with TES, Postal 2 is always providing a good laugh (you can piss on stuff in that game) and of course you need Age of Empires: you don't have them and you can't call yourself a real Nerd.

[mudbunny]

You might also try Diablo (1 and 2), Baldur's Gate (1 and 2) and Icewind Dale (1 and 2). If you can find a copy of Planescape:Torment, or Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines, those would also rock. Both are hard to find, but well worth it for playing. VtM:B is also still being patched, look for the patches by Werner Spahl.

[Mattarias, King.]

:smallconfused: Hunh. I'll look into those. Thanks. Though I thnk I'll stay away from undead..

As a sidenote, though, woo, got shower shoes! ^^;

[Siwenna]

As a sidenote, though, woo, got shower shoes! ^^;

Dammit! I spent half the day at Walmart, including walking there in the heat and carrying all the stuff back, after several bags broke, and I forgot to get shower shoes. I knew I should have made a list. Dammit.

[Mattarias, King.]

Dammit! I spent half the day at Walmart, including walking there in the heat and carrying all the stuff back, after several bags broke, and I forgot to get shower shoes. I knew I should have made a list. Dammit.

:smallsigh: Aw man, that sucks. My condolences.

Though you have a point.. I really should compile a list.. :smallconfused: Hm...

[Mad Scientist]

I would strongly recommend getting a bathrobe. Unless you fancy walking to the shower naked or in your towel.

Speaking of towels. Bring 3 or 4. Trust me. You don't want to take a shower and then dry off with a towel that smells like a moldy jockstrap because it's your only towel you are too cheap to wash it every 3 days.

One last important note. Remember, you will have a ROOMMATE who will be more than happy to take up at least half of the useable space. So, if you can contact them ahead of time you can avoid having two of everything that you only need one of (ex: radio, tv, fan, etc)

[Mattarias, King.]

:smallconfused: Mad Scientist? POINT MADE. :eek:

[Timberwolf]

Ok, some things go without saying

Clothes, stationary, plate, knife fork spoon, bowl.

now, the other stuff that you wouldn't necessarily think of

Cigarette lighter. Even if you don't smoke, these are invaluable. Lighting the barbie, lighting a candle when the power goes and when that pretty girl asks if you have a light, guess what ?

large amount of change. here in the UK, the 20 pence piece is like gold on campus. Why ? because that's what the pool table and drying machines in the laundry take.

football, frisbee, pool cue - obvious what they're for.

Alarm clock - do not forget this.

track suit bottoms - easy to put on in the dark because people tend to test the fire alarm at 2am. Even if you wouldn't be seen dead in them normally, take a pair.

I'll add more as I think of them

[Rykaj]

15x11 and you're complaining? Or do you have to share it? Or don't you have a shared living room (not too sure how university housing works in the US).

My room is 13.5x9 and I can fit this in: a comfortable double bed, desk with stereoset and computer, book cabinet, clothes closet, 2 cd racks reaching to the ceiling, a rack for my scanner and printer and toiletries, a hamper and above all, my supercomfortable sofa. Oh and 2 desk chairs
Price to pay: no room for a guitar stand.. I just leave it lying around my bed or sofa, whichever I don't inhabit it the moment.
Luckily we share a living room where we keep our television and SNES

On topic! Stuff you should not forget to bring:
Camera! (photo or video or both).
Your favorite wok-pan, they are so versatile you can use them for everything.
Tea! It's been said, but you have to be able to offer guests a warm drink.


I don't think I could ever live on a campus though. I'd hate people cleaning for me and cooking my food. Fraternities have their own houses, right? Maybe I'd join one of those in your case, so you aren't as bound to the silly little rules and don't know who uses your shower.

[Jack Squat]

well I know a lot of this stuff has been mentioned, but I just got emailed a link to this list courtesy of FastWeb


What to Wear

The clothes you bring depend a lot on where your college is located. Find out the average climate for every season and bring what you need. Also think about the activities you like to participate in.

Comfortable clothes and shoes you can go to class in
One or two dressy outfits and shoes for more formal affairs
Work-out clothes and shoes
Bathing suit
Light jacket
Heavy coat, mittens, hat and scarf (if you’re going to a campus with a colder climate)
Rainwear
Slippers (for hanging out in the residence hall)

Stuff for Your Room

Get a look at a dorm room or call the housing office beforehand and find out how big your room is and what it comes with. Not all halls have elevators, so it’s better to pack a lot of smaller boxes that one person can handle instead of a few big heavy ones.

Comforter/bedspread
Pillow
Bed linens (ask what size bed you’ll have)
Clothes hangers
Coffee mug
Drinking cups, dishes and silverware for snacks
Poster putty for hanging up decorations
Plastic containers with tight lids for storing snacks, detergent, etc.
Salt and pepper shakers
Headphones/ear buds (so your music doesn’t bother your roommate or neighbors)
Digital music player
Cell phone chargers
Power strip approved by the housing office
Desk lamp or bed lamp
TV/DVD-Player (there’s usually a common area TV if you don’t bring one)
Stereo
Fan
Hair dryer
Alarm clock
Electric blanket
Small refrigerator/microwave (check with college for restrictions)
Crates or stacking containers
Paper towels, glass cleaner
Sewing kit, scissors, safety pins
Message board for your door

Keep It Clean

Keep in mind that you’ll be sharing your bathroom and laundry facilities with other students.

Bathrobe
Shower shoes
Towels, washcloths
Soap
Shampoo
Shaving cream and razors
Small bucket for carrying shower things
Facial tissues
Toilet paper
Laundry basket/bag
Laundry detergent
Dryer sheets
Dishwashing detergent
Roll of quarters
Band-Aids
Cold medicine
Aspirin
First-aid kit
Stuff for School

You can get this stuff once you’re on campus, but it can sometimes be cheaper to buy it during the back-to-school sales of off-campus stores.

Computer/laptop or blank CDs for the computer labs
Binders, folders
Paper
Writing utensils
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Backpack
Calculator
Day-planner

Good Things to Have

Think about your daily activities and hobbies and bring what you need with you.

Access to money (i.e. bank account, bank card, credit card, etc.)
Umbrella
Key ring
Flashlight
Camera
Batteries
Flashlight
Sports/recreation equipment
Pre-paid calling card
Snacks for your room

Don't Bring It

As for what NOT to bring, you should contact your housing office and ask about the rules and regulations within the residence halls. Some schools don't allow things like these:

Halogen bulbs and/or lamps
Hotplates, skillets, toasters, toaster ovens
Air conditioners
Extension cords
Candles
Pets, waterbeds, nail picture hangers

[Mattarias, King.]

Oooohh.. A lighter'd be good. I like fire.

Also, thanks for the awesome list, Jack. :smallsmile: Fastweb's always been useful.

[Mattarias, King.]

:eek:

Oh dear. Sorry for the double post, but I'm kinda freaking out here. :smalleek: I just got my room assignments- I'm in a TRIPLE! :smallsigh:

I've bee planning on a double this whole time.. And it's not even in the buildng i'm familliar with! :smalleek:

... Anyone have any advice...? :smallfrown:

[mudbunny]

Being in a triple vs a double really shouldn't affect you all that much with what you bring.

[StickMan]

If you new college is more than an hour away from home then make sure to bring tools. If somthing breaks that is minor to matinace but a giant pain for you your better off fixing it your self, as college matinace departments are overworked and take a long time to get to minor things.

[Mattarias, King.]

Ok then. Thanks guys. I've been out of state for a few weeks ad thus unable to reply, but thanks.

[mudbunny]

TO expand on what Stickman said...

Before you head off to college, learn how to (and get the tools required to) remove a door from the hinges and put it back on again.


Here are also some tools that you should have:

A screwdriver with changeable bits.
A hammer
A box-cutter (exacto knife)
An adjustable wrench
A miniature screwdriver set. (Great for fixing glasses)
Wire cutters