The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
Please vote in the Forum Structure Poll. Polling will close at 2PM EST on January 21, 2025.
dorm question
Adeptus Custode
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I have just sent in three college apps, and seeing as how I doubt I will be declined to any of them, I need to start thinking about dorm life. I plan on living on campus at whatever school I get into, so I need some *Help/Advice* about dorm rooms.
Are there any particular items that you had, or wished you had, in your dorm room that made college simpler or more entertaining? I'm already thinking about a large calender so I can plan ahead for important shit like exams, etc. Anything else that you guys(girls) can suggest?
Are there any particular items that you had, or wished you had, in your dorm room that made college simpler or more entertaining? I'm already thinking about a large calender so I can plan ahead for important shit like exams, etc. Anything else that you guys(girls) can suggest?
Adeptus Custode on
0
Posts
Dont do it. There is a reason its the cheapest option. Spend a little bit more, because its worth it.
Private bedrooom w/ shared common, kitchen, and bath is worth the extra cost.
private bedroom is worth every penny when living in a dorm. Also learn to use the library for studying and doing homework rather than trying to work in your dorm.
Where the heck are you guys going that has this as an option for freshman?
But anyways, it depends on what kind of a person you are. Some people love living on a full dorm floor, some people hate it. I also found that you miss out on a lot of social opportunities if you live with less people, but I'm also an introvert, so there's that too.
A microwave? I don't know if you're going out of state/country, but microwaves are like $20 so it's not that bad.
Also you'd be surprised to learn how much shit you can do without. There are definitely things you need to have.... but I swear I brought way too much shit when I lived in a dorm, that ended up just wasting space. This could just have been me though, and not something everyone does...
I also had a rolling plastic stackable storage drawer thing that I found very convenient for moving.
My roommate and I did not get along because I liked to, I don't know, sleep at night. Without the TV on. This was an impossible concept for her. Impossible.
No, but whatever Duke or N'western gives you as a frosh will be fun. I recommend visiting before you pull the trigger on an acceptance. Those are very different place. As a freshman you'll have a roommate, so the likelihood of what you described as a freshman are slim.
You do NOT need books or heavy things you aren't going to use. Every single year back and forth from college I have brought less stuff and been glad every time.
on that same reasoning, consider a nightlight. Yes it's for kids but having a nightlight > smashing your toes and shins against stuff as you stumble in the dark
blackout curtains, dorms often do not have good curtains, if any
small trashcan, dorms sometimes have one but an extra never hurt
whiteboard = YES, several, having one on your front door is a good way to help meet people passing by
be prepared to erase a lot of dicks
bear in mind a lot of colleges REQUIRE freshmen to have a meal plan
I love the amount of random crap that freshmen throws out once they found out they can't have it in their dorms. Even small things like lamps with multiple bulbs sockets (called an octopus lamps in some circles) and extension cords. Seriously, do you want a few hundred feet of extension cords? Come down to my campus at the beginning of the fall semester.
The number one premium in dorm life is space. Period. You want as much space as you can possibly have, at the expense of all the extra stuff that would take up said space. Try to get away with bringing as little stuff as possible. Make it a game. Can I go to college with just two full suitcases of stuff? Sure you can. Hell, you can get away with one travel bag if you're smart. Even trying to bring containers for your stuff is going to be a difficult proposition, because dorm rooms aren't designed for normal-sized stuff. That huge plastic box you plan on holding all your unmentionables? Good luck trying to fit it under your bed or in that tiny hole of a closet you have.
The truth is, you'll learn how to get by with as little stuff as possible during your years in college, because you just won't have the time, money, or capacity to get along with anything more than that. Unless you're some rich kid who is going to school in a private house with all the trimmings. But we aren't talking about that, right? Right.
So yeah, bring what you need, and just barely that much. After a few days/weeks, you'll figure out the stuff you realize you forgot or just can't live without, and can just make a trip to the store or call your parents to ship whatever is missing. Surprisingly enough, locations with thousands of college students figure out a way to provide said students with the things they need throughout the school year. Behold, the power of the free market.
- If you don't have a pair go buy some cheap sandals for use in the shower.
- Buy or rent a mini-fridge from the university; you may not keep (or have room) for complete meals, but cold soda and milk for cereal were necessities in my room.
- Buy sheets for your dorm bed - odds are that it is a Twin Extra Long so the sheets you already own probably won't fit.
- Buy or bring a padlock with you in case you share a room with somebody you end up not getting along with; most dorm closets I've ever seen accept a padlock.
- If you want extra room buy or build a loft for your bed - this way you can put a TV and chair under the bed without encroaching on your desk space where the PC goes.
- If you don't loft the bed grab a couple plastic bins to put under the bins - great for sweaters, pants, etc that you want but don't fit in the dresser/closet/whatever.
- Buy a laptop if you can. You'll appreciate the space savings. If you can't afford/don't want a laptop look for a cheap panel monitor - I lived with a CRT for a while and my desk was nearly useless for books because of it.
- My room came with a phone. That phone was crap. Bring a better one with you. You might not use it a whole lot, but free local calls regardless of time of day is nice to have.
Bring a whiteboard. Useful.
Depending on your living arrangements + meal plan (or lack thereof), a mini fridge will either be a cool, somewhat pointless thing to have in your dorm or the GREATEST THING EVER.
The problem about going to college is that there are some kinds of things that you can totally buy cheap, and there are some kinds of things you cannot. The trick is to figure out which ones you can skimp on, and which ones you need to put an investment in. The line is very fine. For example, a desk fan. In my experience a desk fan is amazing (I get really hot) - I bought one three years ago for $25 from Wal-Mart and it still works without any problems! If you go really, really cheap though, it will be a pile of junk. At the same time you're not going to need a four foot elevated fan.
Rule #1: Space is limited. The best items to buy/methods to invest in are the ones that balance a) conservation of space and b) conservation of your money.
Things you will want to have:
1. Fridge - you and roommate can split the fee to rent one at most schools, if you don't already have one.
2. Laptop. Near necessity.
3. Enough clothing that you're not always doing laundry, but not so much that you're overflowing your drawers. Make sure you bring at least one nice outfit for any semi-formal events/presentations/job interviews, and account for weather variations at your school.
4. Fun stuff. This can be a tough one. High entertainment value vs. space is always good. Your laptop can double with this. As someone said, leave books at home except a couple you haven't read, and you can always snag more from home when you visit or borrow some from the library. You'll have plenty to read for your classes anyway.
5. Sewing kit, and the ability to use it to sew buttons/ repair seams.
6. Multitool/ Swiss army knife./ basic tool kit
7. A shower caddy to carry your shit back and forth, along with the already mentioned flip-flops/ shower shoes.
8. Two bath towels.
9. A hot pot. Mac-n-cheese in room, anytime!
10. Deck of cards. Card games are still one of the best ways to make new friends.
11. Something to make sitting on the floor more comfortable.
12. Something to eat off of and with, disposable or not. Cups, too. Not many, but one or two of each thing, and some dish soap.
13. Whiteboard for people to write messages on the outside of the door, as well as the one you might uses for organization. If you're creative, get a roll of whiteboard-like contact or static paper and make your own in funky designs, and change them periodically. My roommate was awesome at this.
Things that you might want:
1. The cheap Netflix, so you can stream movies. Leave the DVDs at home.
2. Comfort food/snacks. Buy this when you get to school (so you're not lugging it) preferably with Mom and Dad's money.
3. Stuff to decorate the room and make it your own.
4. Sentimental stuff that reminds you of home.
5. Condoms. Because hey, you never know.
6. A TV. Talk with your roommate to see if they have one, and let them bring it if they're willing.
7. Kool-aid or similar mix. Takes up little space, is cheap, and dorm often water tastes like shit. Plus, if you drink, mixer!
8. Area rug if the floor is not carpeted. Helps make the room less echo-y, and warmer.
9. You might want to get an old school trunk or chest. Not only can it carry and hold stuff for you, but it can be locked, and can serve as a coffee table/foot rest (and stashed if it gets in the way). I still have mine, and the stains tell stories, man...
Stuff to leave home because you'll be able to mooch, the dorm will have one or won't need them...
1. Microwave. There is more than likely to be one in a common area. Get off your lazy ass and go use it.
2. Iron. If there isn't one in the laundry room, make friends with the type-A kid who brought theirs.
3. Vacuum. Seriously. I know a girl who brought one. And used it. Daily. Most dorms will have one you can borrow.
An electric fly swatter
1) 8 days worth of clothes
2) a computer
3) a backpack
4) a laundry bag
5) sheets, blankets and pillows.
That's it. Everything else is superfluous. You will buy a lamp(1 floor lamp) and a chair when You move in.
As for a laptop, that's what most of my combined Christmas and birthday money is going towards. I think I'm gonna spring for one that I can actually game on. Do most colleges have adequate internet in dorm rooms?
Thanks for all the awesome ideas, I've been writing down a list to take with me to the store the next time I go. Keep 'em coming
A vaccum is overkill, but a broom, even just a small hand broom & dustpan can be good. Just like the 40s, dorm living is built on interacting with your neighbors, i.e., borrowing stuff.
If you want to be god among students, bring a printer and charge 1 shot of liqueur per page.
Definitely, if you have a printer, I would take it. You'll be thankful when it's 2 minutes before class time and as you're leaving your room you realize you still need to print. At my college, almost every floor of every academic building had a lab, but you never knew if the lab would be full, or maybe the printer won't be working, or whatever else.
One kid on our floor had a printer, and it was great until it ran out of ink two weeks into the semester because everyone was printing from it.
This totally depends on your school. At my school, there are computer labs right near most of the dorms that are open 24 hours, have free printing, and are rarely completely full. I got rid of my printer pretty damn quickly because it took up so much space. Also, as a college student you're likely to have a cheap-ass printer, which means a $40 ink cartridge will last you like ten pages.
-Power strips. Find out the maximum they'll let you have.
-Extra printer paper and an emergency black ink cartridge. Most important going into exam/project time.
-Mini-fridge. Buying your own cases of soda and drinks beats paying a buck-fifty per bottle out of the vending machine.
-Microwave. The cafeteria is not open 24/7. Besides, it's great for popcorn, hot chocolate, etc.
-Dishes and cooking utensils. Take-out and pizza is expensive, stuff like Easy Mac, ramen noodles, etc. is not.
-Movies and games. The internet will fuck up at the beginning of each semester. You may not have an in-room connection to use immediately, so bring some stuff to kill time and a few evenings.
-Lots of bathroom stuff. Shampoo, soap, mouthwash, etc. Nobody likes to sit next to the stinky guy.
Last bit of advice? Stay away from any school-run mini-mart type of thing where you can get shampoo/food/whatever. You're going to get bent over at these places until your money pops out. Around here, the student store is notorious for selling a case of twelve cans of pop for eight bucks plus deposit. If you have an RA you can trust, ask them where they do thier buying- most will be happy to point you in the direction of a good store that gets a lot of student business.
I can has cheezburger, yes?
Ear plugs. If you can learn to sleep with ear plugs you are going to get a lot better rest than without.
good idea
I also suggest you use Dropbox.com, as it is tits awesome
A laptop security cable. Attach that to your desk. The vast majority of thefts in college dorms are from people who don't live there taking the opportunity to grab something in 30 seconds from somebody's room.
Some sort of lanyard to which you can attach your key. For goodness' sake don't wear it around your neck, you'll stick out as a freshman from a mile away, but it's good to have something substantial attached to your room key lest you drop it somewhere and lose it.
Door stop is a good idea, keep your door open when you've got free time or are just reading something that can be interrupted. Remove the door stop and lock your door each and every time you leave your room, regardless of how long you're going to be gone. Establish this rule from minute 1 with your roomate.
Being social and friendly is the best policy when it comes to dorms, just don't party in the dorms. Your dorm should be the place that you and your friends come back to to sleep after partying.
Get to know your RA, they will probably organize events at which you can score free food. If they're rad like I was, they'll take the floor camping, etc. Chances are you pay some sort of fee that provides a floor fund for your dorm floor. Suggest an activity if there's nothing going on and use that money.