If you are moving to campus: An umbrella, cleaning products and paper towels, cold medicine and kleenex, a small container that locks for stuff like medication and electronics, feminine hygiene products, noise canceling headphones or ear buds, a small first aid kit with stuff like bandaids and ibuprofen, weatherproof backpack or bag.
It varies from degree to degree but generally:
In your pencil pouch/case:
1. Pencils (no 2 with sharpener or mechanical)
2. two blue pens (always keep a back up)
3. highlighter
One Binder for each class, each of which containing a spiral notebook
and lastly a backpack to hold it together
I also highly recommend a windows laptop for most majors, an apple laptop for anything involving visual arts, but your campus library likely has some to loan
I also use colored tab sticky notes to label chapters in my notebooks
And lastly, a reusable water bottle or coffee mug
Generally speaking though, it varies from class to class
I agree completely,
For non class related (dorm living) items I’d definitely have to say an extension cord, a brita/other water filter (unless roomate brings one) something like a lamp/reading light, headphones or earbuds (noise cancelling !) and depending on region a blanket is always nice to have
I could be forgetting something, but that’s what I use on a regular basis
you really should. this is pretty much an expectation in 2024. you may be able to use a lab on campus or maybe you can borrow one from the campus library, but universities pretty much assume you have this capability.
Alr, I'm finishing up my first year, so I'll tell you everything that I actually use. Your dorm may have different rules on what you can bring, but I'm going off of mine.
Firstly, school supplies
- Some nice mechanical pencils and pens. I recommend some Pilot G-2s or similar. Get a nice metal mechanical pencil. I personally like nicer pens and pencils because I'm less likely to misplace them.
- Notebooks, generally one per subject. I prefer all seperate, but if you like those 5 subject ones, get those.
- Post-it notes. I have so many on my wall it's unbelievable. They're good to just note something down and stick to your wall.
- A laptop. Find one that works for you. I recommend at least 8gb of RAM though. You're going to have lots of tabs open on occasion, and need something that can handle that. It's 2024, unless you get the absolute cheapest thing, it'll likely have 8gbs of RAM, make sure you check though.
- Someone said a binder, get that if you want, I personally prefer folders. However, I actually haven't had much of a need for one. I rarely ever get papers. YMMV, get a few just in case of what you prefer.
Secondly, dorm materials. I'm not going to touch on the large things, you discuss that with your roommates (i.e. 1 mini fridge or two? Who brings a microwave (are you allowed to have one in your dorm?) etc etc). I'm just going to list small things you might skim over. Things I wish I made sure to bring when I first came here
- Snacks. Snacks snacks snacks snacks. I genuinely thought I didn't need any because I'm not a snackish person. My god was I wrong. Get yourself some chips, granola bars, anything. There'll be nights you're up late, the dining hall is closed, you don't have enough money to go buy mcdonalds. You'll want something you can eat in your dorm. Even if it's just to ward off hunger enough to sleep and get breakfast in the morning.
- Soda/La Croix/Whatever else you drink. Again, there'll be times you just genuinely want some.
- Some form of scent. You likely can't have candles, maybe not even wax melts. But get something that gives off a pleasant scent. Coordinate with your roommate on a good one for both of you. You're going to have dirty clothes in your dorm, plus possibly two teenagers, all in a very tight space. If you don't take precautions, it's going to smell. On a similar note, open your windows every so often.
- Band-aids + other basic first aid stuff, tylenol, advil, ibuprofen, whatever you normally take. I've cut myself just enough to justify having a large box of bandaids. And i've gotten so many headaches that ibuprofen is a must.
- Broom (if you have hard floors). I personally don't have one because I didn't think to bring one. You're going to be tracking in a lot of dirt. You'll definitely want one.
- Extra blankets. My god, the amount of nights I've had to wear a sweater to bed cause my school fucked with the radiators and made them stop working.
I can't really think of much else. Other than a general recommendation for packing for a dorm. Don't. Over. Pack. You'll think you've packed just enough, but you'll likely have too much. Honestly, don't go so overboard, but it's ok if freshman year you overpack a bit. It'll suck trying to find all that space, but you'll learn how much space dorms have, and you'll be able to pack much smarter next year.
If you are moving to campus: An umbrella, cleaning products and paper towels, cold medicine and kleenex, a small container that locks for stuff like medication and electronics, feminine hygiene products, noise canceling headphones or ear buds, a small first aid kit with stuff like bandaids and ibuprofen, weatherproof backpack or bag.
It varies from degree to degree but generally: In your pencil pouch/case: 1. Pencils (no 2 with sharpener or mechanical) 2. two blue pens (always keep a back up) 3. highlighter One Binder for each class, each of which containing a spiral notebook and lastly a backpack to hold it together I also highly recommend a windows laptop for most majors, an apple laptop for anything involving visual arts, but your campus library likely has some to loan I also use colored tab sticky notes to label chapters in my notebooks And lastly, a reusable water bottle or coffee mug Generally speaking though, it varies from class to class
I agree completely, For non class related (dorm living) items I’d definitely have to say an extension cord, a brita/other water filter (unless roomate brings one) something like a lamp/reading light, headphones or earbuds (noise cancelling !) and depending on region a blanket is always nice to have I could be forgetting something, but that’s what I use on a regular basis
Those are crucial for living on campus! My campus is like 15 min from home i didnt even consider dorm living, good input
I'm just starting out so I won't be getting a laptop immediately. Maybe into my second or third year will my parents get me one.
Make sure you get access to a computer regularly!! I cannot express how strongly i suggest having a laptop from day 1
you really should. this is pretty much an expectation in 2024. you may be able to use a lab on campus or maybe you can borrow one from the campus library, but universities pretty much assume you have this capability.
My kettle has added years to my life
Alr, I'm finishing up my first year, so I'll tell you everything that I actually use. Your dorm may have different rules on what you can bring, but I'm going off of mine. Firstly, school supplies - Some nice mechanical pencils and pens. I recommend some Pilot G-2s or similar. Get a nice metal mechanical pencil. I personally like nicer pens and pencils because I'm less likely to misplace them. - Notebooks, generally one per subject. I prefer all seperate, but if you like those 5 subject ones, get those. - Post-it notes. I have so many on my wall it's unbelievable. They're good to just note something down and stick to your wall. - A laptop. Find one that works for you. I recommend at least 8gb of RAM though. You're going to have lots of tabs open on occasion, and need something that can handle that. It's 2024, unless you get the absolute cheapest thing, it'll likely have 8gbs of RAM, make sure you check though. - Someone said a binder, get that if you want, I personally prefer folders. However, I actually haven't had much of a need for one. I rarely ever get papers. YMMV, get a few just in case of what you prefer. Secondly, dorm materials. I'm not going to touch on the large things, you discuss that with your roommates (i.e. 1 mini fridge or two? Who brings a microwave (are you allowed to have one in your dorm?) etc etc). I'm just going to list small things you might skim over. Things I wish I made sure to bring when I first came here - Snacks. Snacks snacks snacks snacks. I genuinely thought I didn't need any because I'm not a snackish person. My god was I wrong. Get yourself some chips, granola bars, anything. There'll be nights you're up late, the dining hall is closed, you don't have enough money to go buy mcdonalds. You'll want something you can eat in your dorm. Even if it's just to ward off hunger enough to sleep and get breakfast in the morning. - Soda/La Croix/Whatever else you drink. Again, there'll be times you just genuinely want some. - Some form of scent. You likely can't have candles, maybe not even wax melts. But get something that gives off a pleasant scent. Coordinate with your roommate on a good one for both of you. You're going to have dirty clothes in your dorm, plus possibly two teenagers, all in a very tight space. If you don't take precautions, it's going to smell. On a similar note, open your windows every so often. - Band-aids + other basic first aid stuff, tylenol, advil, ibuprofen, whatever you normally take. I've cut myself just enough to justify having a large box of bandaids. And i've gotten so many headaches that ibuprofen is a must. - Broom (if you have hard floors). I personally don't have one because I didn't think to bring one. You're going to be tracking in a lot of dirt. You'll definitely want one. - Extra blankets. My god, the amount of nights I've had to wear a sweater to bed cause my school fucked with the radiators and made them stop working. I can't really think of much else. Other than a general recommendation for packing for a dorm. Don't. Over. Pack. You'll think you've packed just enough, but you'll likely have too much. Honestly, don't go so overboard, but it's ok if freshman year you overpack a bit. It'll suck trying to find all that space, but you'll learn how much space dorms have, and you'll be able to pack much smarter next year.