College Must Haves List: 45+ things you need for this semester

Table of Contents

Introduction

Are you moving into your dorm this semester? There are so many things to pack and buy before starting your life in your dorm. Are you sure you have covered everything? If you are not sure, you are at the right place. I have bought the ultimate college must haves list that you should not forget to bring to your dorm. 

Let us divide your stuff into some categories ( Study Space, Laundry Supplies, Study Supplies and Gadgets)

Study Space:

Your study space needs to have all the required items to make it a productive powerhouse. You would not want anything distracting but would like to decorate it to look very appealing. It would be hard to set up a perfectly ambient study environment if you don’t have all the essential study space items.

1) Standing desk: Your standing desk is going to be the centre of your entire study space. If you are willing to spend on it, I would recommend the ones which you can convert from a sitting desk to a standing desk. These standing desks can give you a little more flexibility in movement if you spend long hours at your desk. 

2) Chair: Every desk is going to require a chair with it. Do not buy cheap, uncomfortable chairs. This is a big red flag because you would be spending many hours each day on your chair. If your chair is not comfortable, you will have a rough time studying in your study space.  

3) Post-it notes: I recommend that everyone keep track of all the things you would need to dousing post-it notes. It helps if you use them right. 

4) Table lamp: If you live in a dorm and share your space with someone else, it is a great option to keep a table lamp with you. You would not want to annoy anyone by keeping your lights on, even the night before the exam. 

5) Alarm clock: Yes, yes. I know that you probably already have a phone which has its own alarm clock. But a physical-mechanical alarm clock can help you keep on track of time. Make sure to get one of the most annoying alarm clocks if you want to wake up early in the morning

6) Calendar: Again, yes, you have a calendar on your phone. But a physical calendar is always a great way to keep track of the important assignment deadlines by marking them red on the calendar. It also improves the ambience of your study space

Laundry supplies/ Linen :

7)Extra set of sheets: Accidents don’t happen every day, and you probably can’t even guess it when you spill the coffee over your new sheets. So just of backup, always have an extra set of sheets so that you don’t have to do laundry at an odd time. It can also help to accommodate if any new guests come by to visit you. 

8) A rug: Having a colourful rug in your room surely improves the look of your room. It can turn your boring room and give it a homely feeling. No matter how your dorm floor is, a beautiful rug fits in all places. 

9)A pile of pillows and blankets: This is something you should not forget while packing. You never know when unexpected guests arrive at your place or if you would like to study in your bed – whatever may be the case, extra pillows and blankets will come in handy!. 

10)Laundry Hamper: You can’t just let all the dirty clothes stay there; it has to go somewhere. But where? Instead of throwing things in your bed or at the corner of the room, get a hamper for yourself. 

11) Towels: It is not a good idea to share your towel with someone else. It is recommended that you have at least three towels for yourself, one for bath, hand and face each. Don’t forget this one. 

12) Clothes hanger: Of course you will bring clothes, that is the only thing I have not mentioned in this article. But you would also need some hangers to keep your clothes organized. A hanger can be a very good item. 

13) Mini Sewing Kit: You never know when your clothes need an extra stitch. You may also need to sew in loose buttons. Make sure to have a sewing kit with you in your dorm so that you don’t have to discard your favourite clothes just because they have lost a button. 

Gadgets:

14) Tablet: You would definitely need some device to store all your notes and lectures. Although you can buy yourself a laptop, my recommendation would be to get a tablet because it is much more portable and serves all the purposes of a laptop. Get yourself a budget Ipad (best option) You can also think of getting yourself a Galaxy Tab if you are not into Apple products

15) Active Noise Cancellation Headphones: When you live with 2-3 persons in a room, it could be hard to concentrate on your studies because you have different schedules. Getting a noise-cancelling headphone will not only offer you to eliminate external noise but also offer you the perfect quiet environment for your study sessions. 

15) Keyboard: If you are getting a Tablet, you would definitely need a separate keyboard to turn it into a laptop completely. Having a small, portable keyboard is going to be very handy for college dorm

16) Mouse: Most tablets support an external mouse as well. An external mouse surely gives you more laptop feel and allows you to do more. Check out some Bluetooth mouse that goes with your preferred tablet. 

17) Multiplug: To connect most devices in your room or your chargers, you would need some multiplugs that would power all the devices at once. Students tend to forget these smaller things, so just a friendly reminder. 

 

18) Ethernet cord: When 2-3 people use the same WiFi, it could slow down, ultimately slowing down your study/workflow. Having an ethernet cord solves the problems, and you can browse the internet smoothly with your laptop or computer. 

 

19) External Drive: If you are using a tablet, you might lose space at any time. This could cause friction in your study process. Make sure you always have an external drive that you can carry to never run out of space.

20) AA and AAA batteries: This is pretty self-explanatory. Your watch, calculator, booklight, anything might need an extra pair of batteries. It is definitely on the college must-haves list!

 

21) Extra phone charger: Phone chargers are one of the things that you cannot live without. Your charge may run out of order, or you might misplace it any day. Our lives mostly revolve around our phones, so if you don’t have your charger working, your lives just might stop. You don’t want that to happen. 

Study Supplies:

22) Backpack: Yes, all you need is a tablet to carry all your books with you in this digital world. But you would need a stylish backpack to carry that tablet/Ipad/ Laptop with you. Make sure to select a backpack that suits your personality. 

 

22) Stapler and Three-Hole Punch: These are must-have college supplies that every student needs. If you don’t have it near you, you would have to look all around the dorm for this small item.

23) Paper Clips: You don’t want all your lectures to make a mess. Make sure to keep them organized with paper clips. They are really handy.

 

24) Calculator: No matter which subjects you study, you would likely need a calculator. Don’t forget to bring that with you just because your phone already has a calculator. Most exams do not allow you to use your phone. (Reminder)

25) Journal: Most of you might not be used to journalling. But journaling is a great habit. If you have a beautiful journal with you, who knows, you might like doing journalling. 

26) Notebooks: If there is one thing you would have in a college must haves list, it is notebooks. Even if you are into digital notetaking, I think having some physical notebooks surely help. There are some cool notebooks on Amazon that might fit your style. 

27) Planner: If you are into making good study schedules, I’m sure a planner is something that would improve your productivity. If you have never tried them before, why not start today? 

 

28) Pens and pencils: I know this is obvious, but I don’t want you to forget these small things amidst all the other important things. Make sure to pack them up in one corner of your bag.

 

Kitchen Items:

29)A Minifridge: Many dorms provide a mini-fridge in all the rooms. But many don’t. A fridge is a must have if you like eating cold drinks or storing the groceries weekly. 

30) A coffee maker: Do you pull off all-nighters? If you do, there is nothing more energizing than a cup of coffee. Having a personal coffee maker surely helps in this regard. 

31) Big microwave bowl: You have probably heard college kids eat a lot of Ramen and soup. What they also love is late-night noodles. But there are also many other items that you can make just on a microwave. So big microwave bowl surely makes the college must haves list. 

32) A water filter: If you are too picky about how the water tastes, you should know that moving to a new place, a new city, will surely change the way that your water used to taste. Solution? Buy a filter system. 

33) Water bottle: I used to forget to take my water bottle always. So it would be best if you didn’t forget it like me. Take a water bottle or two, maybe. You can take it to your college or also keep it close at hand in your room. 

 

34) Silverware: Spoons, forks, and other utensils are things that you would require in your kitchen. These are small items that you might forget easily. But this can be your simple reminder. Buy all the silverwares you need

35) Trash can: You want to live a smooth and neat dorm life. A trash can is something that you should not miss for your room or your kitchen space. You don’t want to be confused after each meal about where you should put all the wastes. 

Acceccories

36) Cleaning wipes: These Clorox wipes can be used for almost everything. If you want to keep a neat dorm, get yourself a quick, easy wiper in bundles. These things can almost last forever and make the college must-haves list. 

37) Trashliners: You might not realize how quickly you would need to get rid of your trash. So it would be best if you had plenty of liners so that you could haul them into the dumpster easily. 

 

38) An umbrella: Yes, it can rain whenever, wherever. If you are not interested in catching a cold before your exams, an umbrella can surely help. Relax and carry an umbrella everywhere during the rainy season. 

39) Flip-flops for the shower: Do I have to say anything? Don’t forget them, ever!

40) Storage bins: Now, when you first move in, you might think you would not need much of a storage room. But as time goes by, you start accumulating loads of stuff, and there is no place to keep them. Don’t make your room a mess; keep extra storage by buying a storage bin or something of this sort. 

41) Air Freshener Spray: Many people living in one space can build up some big smells. Air Freshener is the only thing that can save you. Obviously, it makes the college must haves list. 

42) Scissors: You never know what you have to cut down from your life. Better keep some scissors near your hands. 

43) Tape: There are so many reasons why you might need a tape. Whether for repair works or any science assignment, the tape is always a college must have. 

44) Printer: I would consider this an optional item. But Having a personal printer at your own dorm surely helps. You can print, scan, copy, fax without relying on their college library’s printing system. 

 

45) Lap desk: Having a lap desk with you to use your tablet or laptop while lying down on your bed surely helps. This is something that you don’t think you need until you have it. 

Here are some more things that I wish you would take with you but giving you a friendly reminder 

  • Toiletries: Toothpaste, toothbrush, Cotton buds, Razor, Shaving cream, Soap, Shampoo 
  • Medicine: Some OTC drugs like aspirin, antacids, vitamins, adhesive band-aids, cough drops etc.
  • Personal care: Cotton swabs, lotion, hair styling products, comb, Nail clippers, 
  • Clothes: Anything you prefer + some formal clothes for special occasions. 

Wrapping up

Here is the complete college must haves list :

  • Standing desk:
  • Chair:
  • Post-it notes
  • Table lamp
  • Alarm clock
  • Calendar
  • Extra set of sheets
  • A rug
  • pile of pillows and blankets
  • Laundry Hamper:
  • Towels
  • Clothes hanger
  • Mini Sewing Kit
  • Tablet:
  • Active Noise Cancellation Headphones
  • Keyboard:
  • Mouse
  • Multiplug
  • Ethernet cord
  • AA and AAA batteries:
  • Extra phone charger
  • Backpack
  • Stapler and Three-Hole Punch
  • Paper Clips
  • Calculator:
  • Journal:
  • Notebooks
  • Planner:
  • Pens and pencils
  • A Minifridge
  • A coffee maker:
  • Big microwave bowl
  • A water filter
  • Silverware
  • Trash can
  • Trashliners:
  • An umbrella
  • Flip-flops
  • Scissors
  • Air Freshener Spray
  • Storage bins:
  • Lap desk:

Is there anything that I have missed? Let me know in the comments.

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