There is, perhaps, no substitute for living in university dorms if a student wants to get the most out of college life. Even if the situation is slightly cramped, people bond together in university housing. The friends people make in college can last a lifetime. There’s no reason, however, that dorm life can’t be made slightly easier with a few suggestions.
Contrary to popular belief, it’s not really necessary to pack everything one could possibly need at the university. Being prepared is important, but it’s also good to fight a tendency to overburden oneself with a packages. Essentials like clothing, sleepwear, shoes, outerwear, and so forth should always get packed.
On the accessories note, it’s pretty common to get by with a cell phone to substitute for an alarm clock and watch, since it goes almost everywhere a student does. Nonetheless, for the guys out there, I would still recommend wearing a men’s sport watch every now and again. It adds an air of class that separates you from the rest of the pack.
One more fashion note if you want to add a little edginess to the palate of clothing you’re bringing to college. Jeans have been a staple of everyday wear for decades, but sizing and styles have varied considerably from generation to generation. Skinny jeans, however, haven’t quite made it to the mainstream enough to seem tedious. If you can fit into a slightly thinner cut than normal, it can really compliment your look.
Every college student needs a computer for writing papers, communicating with friends, and a lot of other uses. There’s almost no campus-provided substitute for a personal computer or laptop unless the university provides a computer to each individual student, as I have read that some do. However, with the right time management it’s usually possible to get away with not having a printer in the dorm room.
With printing privileges granted by student technology fees built into tuition, it’s more than possible to get every semesters’ printing done from a college’s library and computer labs. Using email storage, usb memory cards, or a shared university drive to get your files to a shared printer can save hundreds on a printer, replacement ink, and paper over the course of a degree.
Also, bring along some creative things, like a musical instrument, video recorder, camera, or art supplies. Downtime can be fun, but it can also be productive! Other nice downtime activities are casual videogames, boardgames, and anything that taps the inherent community of dorms.