Twenty College Dorm Room Essentials

Many upcoming college freshmen are unaware of the dorm room essentials needed to make it through their first year of college. This is a result of parents providing their children with basic housing and school necessities for their first eighteen years of life. Further, many students do not realize that college dorm rooms only provide minimum furnishings, such as a mattress and bed frame, a dresser, and a desk. Therefore, it is up to the student to provide the rest of the needed amenities.

To make the transition into college dorm room living painless, a list of twenty college dorm room essentials have been composed. It is recommended for the college student to talk to their future roommate about which items to purchase, as dorm rooms are small and they may not have enough room to hold duplicates of large items.

1. Twin bed sheets and pillow cases.

Since most college dorm rooms come equipped with twin size beds that are arranged in bunk beds, a twin bed set that comes with a comforter and pillow cases is a college dorm room essential. Additionally, due to the fact that most dorm rooms are temperature controlled, an extra blanket is recommended for the upcoming cool fall nights.

2. Pillows.

Pillows are a college dorm room must have since colleges do not provide this necessity. Pillows are needed for the bed, while oversized pillows are recommended to lean on while reading or socializing with friends.

3. Refrigerator.

A small refrigerator is a dorm room essential for keeping drinks and other store bought food edible. Since cafeteria food may get boring after eating it daily for several months, a refrigerator allows the student to keep outside food from spoiling. Check out the new small refrigerators with dry erase boards, which will come in handy when leaving notes for roommates or for writing shopping checklists.

4. Microwave.

A microwave needs to be on a college dorm room checklist for reheating store bought food. Further, a microwave will also come in handy when reheating pizza from late night study sessions.

5. Alarm clock.

An alarm clock is a college dorm room essential for getting to classes on time. Although it is common for students to depend on alarm clocks on cell phones, please note that a cell phone battery could die in the middle of the night and lead to the student missing or even failing a class.

6. Cordless phone.

A cordless phone is another must have for incoming college freshmen who want to stay in touch with friends and family who do not live near their college campus. However, it is suggested to purchase a cordless phone with a channel button, as conversations are sometimes picked up on other cell phones due to the close proximity of a large number of phones in use.

7. Flip flops for showering.

While showering wearing flip flops may seem strange, it is a college dorm room essential. Many showers are located in common areas, so in order to avoid picking up fungus and other bacteria, waterproof flip flops are worn while showering.

8. Portable shower caddy to hold soap, shampoos, and toothbrush.

A portable shower caddy needs to be placed on college dorm room checklist because it will be used when showering and brushing teeth. It is recommended to purchase a plastic shower caddy with holes in the design so that water from the shower may drain out of the basket.

9. Towels and wash cloths.

Towels and wash cloths are needed by college students because they are not provided in the shared bathrooms in universities. It is suggested to purchase a few over sized towels because you may have to walk a distance from the shower back to your dorm room.

10. Robe or cover-up for after showering.

If a college student does not feel comfortable walking back from showering in a towel, then a robe or cover-up is recommended in order to cover the body.

11. Tupperware.

Plastic Tupperware is a dorm room essential for heating up purchased food in the microwave. Tupperware is also highly recommended because it can also be used for storing food in refrigerators or for holding other small items.

12. Disposable plastic silverware and paper plates.

Disposable silverware and plates need to be on a college dorm room checklist because they are used frequently when eating. And since most college dorms do not supply common kitchen areas, the student will not have to worry about washing anything.

13. Plastic storage drawers and containers.

Plastic storage drawers and containers are a dorm room essential for storing clothes, books, and other personal hygiene products. It is also recommended to buy long, flat storage bins that can easily fit and hide under a bed.

14. Laptop or computer.

Since college and university computer labs are always at maximum capacity, a laptop or computer is essential in order to type papers and to stay on top of class assignments.

15. Printer.

A printer needs to be placed on a college dorm room checklist because it will be needed to print papers and class syllabus’s.

16. Printer paper and ink cartridges.

Since most students complete a few papers every week, printer paper and ink cartridges will become a necessity.

17. Desk lamp.

A lamp or light for a desk is essential for college students who wish to study late at night while a roommate is sleeping.

18. Backpack.

Although some student prefer carrying books and folders to class, a backpack is essential for college students who have back-to-back college classes or for those who will be on campus for a large portion of the day.

19. Notebooks and folders.

Notebooks and folders are essential for taking notes and keeping track of class syllabus’s and handouts. When purchasing notebooks and folders, it is also recommended to pick up some highlighters, pens, and sticky notes.

20. A planner.

A planner is a must have for all college students for keeping track of class schedules, appointments with professors, or for holding important cards, such as a school identification card.