Hey, pretty girl!
Going to college as a freshman, it’s hard to know exactly what you’ll need. You’re planning for a new lifestyle that you haven’t even started yet! While it is easy to know some basic things you’ll need, it always helps to get some input in on items you may not think of to bring but are definite musts! I made a list of five things I would not have put on my original list to bring to college but ended up using a ton!!
1. Slippers
These cozy slippers from Amazon were an absolute life saver! These were super easy to slip on when visiting my friends in other rooms (especially during the winter when the hallway would have wet footprints), using the communal bathrooms and grabbing my food from the Uber Eats vehicle at 2 am. Since you will be spending a lot of time in your dorm room, (especially with zoom/hybrid classes) I definitely recommend picking up a pair of these slippers!!
These slippers run true to size! Size up if you want a comfier/looser fit! I have them in white, grey and pink!
2. Pop Up Dish Rack
When my mom came home with a pop up dish rack and tub, my immediate response was “Mom, I’m going to be eating in the dining hall!! Why would I need that??” I took it to college anyways with the intention of never touching it. Well, I quickly figured out how necessary this dish rack was! The dining hall quickly got sickening and I enjoyed eating snacks/breakfast in my room better. The dish rack was a great place to keep dirty mugs from coffee, silverware and bowls from microwavable foods. This helped to keep my roommate and my dirty dishes organized until we had time to wash them!
Moral of the story, listen to your mom’s advice on items to bring to college!!
3. Mini Steamer
If you’re thinking of bringing an ironing board/iron to college – PLEASE DON’T. Trust me, investing in a mini steamer is so much smarter and a space saver. I’ve used this steamer over fifty times during the past school year on professional clothes and wrinkles that occur from keeping a lot of clothes in minimal dresser/closet space. This one here heats up and is ready to go in less than five minutes. It’ll make sure your clothes look polished without taking up the room of an ironing board.
4. Sleep Mask
This one is a big one if your roommate and you have different class schedules or your windows don’t have blackout curtains! In college, your sleep schedule is bound to revolve around your class schedule. This sometimes means that you may need to get a nap in during the afternoon or go to sleep earlier than your roommate(s)! It helps to make sure you can get your sleep, without having to inconvenience your roommate to turn all the lights off if they stay up later than you.
I bought a Warmies sleep mask that can be heated for a few different reasons. Heating it up can give it a duel purpose as a hot pad for cramps and using the heat to ease my stress level when placed on my forehead.
5. Reusable Coffee Cup
You probably already own one but you might have heard that you shouldn’t bring extra cups/unnecessary space taking items! If you’re going to bring any sort of mug/cup, a reusable coffee cup should be the first thing you pack! Often times, colleges will give you discounts at their coffee shops for using a reusable cup. These cups are also convenient to use as a cup for water from the drinking fountain to bring back to your dorm room.
I recommend getting a personalized cup from Etsy so that you don’t lose it/mistake it with someone else’s (plus personalization is just more fun)!!
With Love, Marin