Packing for your dorm
August 12, 2008
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Brenda Bradstreet
SPECIAL TO PARENTCENTRAL.CA
If you are going to a University or College for your first year, you may choose to go into residence. It gives you a chance to meet new people and figure out what the heck is going on. It’s a good transition until you find your own apartment, and a chance to live with unfamiliar people who you may be considering as roommates for your second year.
Before you go
When filling out the forms for residence, know yourself. Be truthful about whether you need peace and quiet to study or you can live with a fair amount of distraction (i.e. noise). This will help the administrators place you into the most appropriate area of the residence for you.
You can request shared rooms, but in some cases, for very little extra you can also request a single room. You may have a friend who wants to request a double room with you. Think about it carefully, because it will affect your privacy ... they will be living in your bedroom. Compare the rates, and make your decision, carefully considering whether you need a quiet place to study.
If you really need to concentrate, the library is a great place to hang out and do your work. Most will have wireless access for the Internet, so you can take your laptop and download files and carry out research as needed.
Also when choosing your classes, again, know yourself. A friend who is a professor advised, “If you are an early riser, take early morning classes.” If you tend to sleep in, there is no point in taking early classes; you’ll have a tendency to skip them. While you may be able to fool others, you can’t fool yourself.
Shopping
If your parents are dropping you off, take advantage of any things that a parent will buy for you while they are there, for example bottled water. Most first year students don’t have cars, so you may need to take a cab to get heavy groceries. You might also talk them into binders, paper, lined paper, envelopes, stamps, snacks, toiletries, tissues, paper towels, scotch tape, a stash of quarters for the washing machines and dryers, washing detergent and fabric softener. Perhaps you can also persuade them to buy extra ink cartridges so you can print out all those brilliant papers as they come due.
Headed to school in a smaller community? If there is a particular brand of makeup, shampoo or clothing that you like, be aware that you might not be able to get it there. If it’s that important to you, bring enough with you to last the term.
A bottle of Febreze™ might come in handy if you find yourself low on clean clothes in a pinch, or your roommate is a slob.
Computers
Invest in a computer lock. Kensington™ makes a good one. Get in the habit of locking your laptop computer to your desk when you come home. Many computers go missing each year from dorms and libraries.
At some schools, computers will be available for rent or you will be able to access computers at the library. Make sure to check beforehand with the particular school you will be attending if this is an option. Most schools will also have access to printers for a fee.
Packing
Bring two sets of bedding in case you are sick and need fresh sheets. If the sheets are new, it’s a good idea to pre-wash the sheets at home to soften them. Otherwise you may arrive with crunchy, scratchy sheets and it will take many quarters and time that you don’t have, trying to make them comfortable.
Bring your own hangers, they are not supplied.
If you need a full-length mirror, check if your residence has one in each room. You may need to bring your own. They can be purchased very inexpensively at discount department stores.
An extra blanket is also a handy thing to have along. If your room is hot, the heat can be lessened by opening a window, but if it’s too cold you’ll have to bundle up. Rooms may not have individual thermostats.
A small fan for your room may help move the air around if the temperature is kept high in your dorm.
A small Swiffer™ type mop will help you keep your floor clean. Cleaning staff at residences are not responsible for your rooms.
A reusable water bottle will help cut down on cleanup. Most rooms don’t have sinks. However, if you are lucky and your room has one, bring along a small bottle of dish detergent so that you can clean up the occasional dirty dish. A simple set of cutlery, a bowl and mug will come in handy.
For a complete college packing list, see sidebar, at right.
Food
It is easy to get into the routine of burgers, fries and pop at the residence cafeteria. Your body needs fruits and vegetables. The cafeteria will have some fruits and raw vegetables, but having some in your room will also make it easy to incorporate them into your diet.
Be kind to cafeteria staff. I repeat, be kind to cafeteria staff. They will be the ones to hook you up with extra treats or allow you to take food up to your room when you are not feeling so well.
Ask a seasoned student where to find the cheap places to eat. They will know the best restaurants. You will most likely need a change once in a while no matter how good the cafeteria food. The older students can also tell you about the most economical delivery food. You might ask your parents to stock you up with some granola bars and other late night snacks. The cafeteria usually closes in the early evening and it would be great to have a stash of easy foods and fruits, for late night snacking.
Although not a necessity, a mini fridge for your room will come in handy. If you move to a house with roommates in the following years, it will also be useful if you have five other roommates and only one refrigerator. You might want to buy it ahead of time as they can sell out quickly in University towns.
Some residences will have microwaves available in the common area. You may want to bring along some microwave popcorn or other favourites.
Attire
In some co-ed dorms, you will be travelling to the showers and washrooms at all hours. Plan ahead for lounge wear that you won’t mind everyone seeing you in, because they will.
Slippers may be something that you don’t normally wear at home, but you will find them useful in a dorm. The floors may be cold and have the mud of many boots on them.
Flip flops are a must for communal showers to avoid athlete's foot and plantars warts.
If you live in a cold climate, make sure that you have winter clothing and boots. You may not be thinking of these things in September, but if your first return trip home is over the winter holidays, you’re going to need these.
Television and other technology
There is generally a TV lounge in most dorms, but with the number of students using the lounge at one time, you can never be assured that everyone will want to watch what you want to watch. And it can be very noisy. The author of this book will advise that there are better things to do with your time than watch TV, but if you know there are shows you NEED to see, having your own small TV might be in order. Cable is usually included as part of your fees.
Although the list of dorm rules will sound very strict, they will bend on some things. For example most residences will tell you “no subwoofers,” but our unscientific investigation shows that they are generally tolerated if kept at a reasonable volume.
Decorating
In most dorms you are not allowed to use tacks or pins in the walls. It might be a good idea to take sticky tac™ with you to put up posters and pictures which will help to brighten an otherwise stark room. However as any seasoned student will tell you, a little toothpaste will fill in small holes for the final inspection of your room.
Books
Don’t buy course books until you have attended your first classes. You may discover that the prof doesn’t require what is on the course list, or you may find that this is not the course for you. Once you have purchased books from the campus bookstore, they generally will only give a refund for 30 days with the shrink wrap still on. Most universities have websites where used books are offered for resale at very reasonable prices by other students who are all too happy to deliver them for cash.
Don’t leave home without it!
A hot pot can be your saviour for late-night study snacks. There will be times when it is late at night and the cafeteria is closed and you are starving! The hot pot looks like a coffee pot, works like a kettle. It will allow you to both boil water in it for teas etc., but also let you cook macaroni in it, drain off the water, and add milk and cheese all in the same pot. It can also be used to heat up soups, beans, etc. At around $20.00, it’s one of the best investments you’ll ever make for your room. Proctor Silex™ makes a good one. You can find them in the small appliance section of a large department store.
Calling home
For an alternative to high long distance telephone fees, use Skype™ or long distance calling cards. These cards are available at variety or grocery stores and can save you a lot in long distance charges. They have a scratch off area like scratch and win cards. Once the pin number is revealed, follow the instructions on the card. You can share the pin number with your family. Each one of you can place a long distance call using the same pin number on the same card, until the time is used up.
A couple of things to look out for on these cards. If you buy a larger denomination, there may be a time limit on the card. Look for a card that says “no connection fee.” Ask the clerk in the store for advice and start with a small denomination like $5.00 until you become familiar with the process.
Excerpted with permission from Going Solo: A handbook to guide you through the practical matters during the first years away from home. For a list of retailers or to buy the book online, go to www.goingsoloonline.com
Explore the rest of our back-to-school section here.