Many students choose to move to college while completing their Bachelor’s degrees. These students desire the close community and camaraderie of dorm living, so they are willing to make the sacrifices that come with sharing a small room with one or two roommates. It can be a fun challenge to fit everything you need for college into a small space. You are likely already thinking about purchasing a mini fridge, twin-sized bedding, and a laundry bag, but there may be some useful items that you have overlooked.
Bring a dry erase board of decent size. There are countless uses for one of these, from working out homework problems to leaving notes for a roommate. You can use a dry erase board to jot down ideas when brainstorming a paper, or to write down your schedule in plain view to avoid overlooking a commitment. These are inexpensive and easily placed above a desk or on the back of a door.
Be creative about storage. Bring a variety of storage units of different sizes to squeeze under the bed, hang on the back of the door, or divide dresser drawers. Look for slender storage units that can be fitted between your desk and the bed, for example. A fabric shoe organizer can be hung from the wall and used to hold a variety of objects from glasses and mugs to office supplies, in addition to shoes, of course. Some organizers can hang from clothes hangers in your closet.
Depending on whether your dorm is air conditioned or whether it is located in a damp or musty building, you may want to bring a fan and an air purifier. Arrange with your roommates that only one of you will bring each item. You may be glad to have these for the room.
No dorm room should be without a first aid kit in case of a minor accident. There will be a college nurse to visit for any more serious ailments, but you will not want to run to the medical suite for every cut and scrape. Buy a basic first aid kit that contains disinfectant and bandages for small injuries. Make sure you also have a few familiar over-the-counter medicines on hand such as painkillers, antacids, and cough drops.
Another health concern is the public showers, which are likely used by an entire floor of your dorm. You will likely want shower shoes such as flip-flops for your own protection. You will also want to transport your razor and soap to and from the shower so no one uses these private items but you. A plastic caddy with a handle is great for storing your shower supplies.
You’ll have damp towels and wash cloths to deal with on a regular basis, in addition to any delicate clothing items that must be hand-washed and air-dried. Thinking ahead to buy a clothes rack or a small clothesline that can easily be put up and taken down in a corner of your room is a good idea. Having a place to effectively dry these damp items will save your room from having a mildewed odor.
It can be difficult to get organized for the move to college, as there are so many things to remember to pack. Take note of online education if you don’t want to dorm or commute. Getting together with your roommates either in person or otherwise to make a packing list is a great idea to ensure that your room has everything you need. Students earning their online Bachelors will still find it useful to stay organized and on top of things.