There’s mostly always joy and excitement when you realize you’re heading off to college to start a new adventure and overcome new hurdles. However, some of those hurdles come even before you step through the college gates. One hurdle is knowing what to take to college. At first glance, one may think packing for college is quite easy, but the reality is that it can be challenging and overwhelming. This is especially true when you’re moving far from home, as it’s almost impossible to know everything you need to take with you.
Even when your family helps, the packing process can still be overwhelming. The reason for this is because even though most families often know the typical essentials that students should take to college, it’s still very hard to think of everything. Luckily, this article is here to help. Below is a categorized list of essential items you’ll need to take to college. It will serve you well to take a look at this list, before you start shopping for college.
Clothes and laundry
Ordinarily, laundry won’t be on top of any college-related list, as it isn’t something any student would be looking forward to, but for this list, it’s necessary. The first thing about dorm rooms you should realize is that they’re not the biggest of spaces, hence, rather than regretting your closet space, you should plan ahead by knowing what to bring, like a clothing rack and a good detergent to keep everything clean and organized.
- Essential clothes: you should start with clothes you think you’ll wear, while considering the season
- Clothes rack
- A good laundry detergent
- Laundry bag/basket
- Bleach
- Stain remover stick
- Dryer sheets
- Shirts
- Sweats
- Jeans
- Shorts
- Pyjamas
- Underwear
- Socks
- Sportswear
- Swimwear
- Boots
- Sandals
- Dress shoes
- Sneakers
- Belts
- Watch
- Iron or steamer
- Ironing board
- Hangers
- Shoe Storage
- Lint brush
- Suitcase/luggage
Bedding and Bath
The next thing to consider is the dorm bedding. You shouldn’t expect anything less than a plain uncomfortable mattress, and so you should get good mattress toppers to help and other items like pillows, certain furniture, alarm clocks, etc. to get comfortable. Here’s what you should bring:
- Bed sheets
- Comforters and/or quilts
- Pillows
- Pillowcases
- Reading pillow
- Throw blankets
- Mattress pad
- Alarm clock
- Paper towels
- Tissues
- Towels
- Shower shoes
- Shower bucket
Health and Grooming
Regardless where you are, college or beyond, taking care of your health and hygiene is a necessity. For this reason, here’s what you may include in your college packing list:
- Body lotion
- Toothpaste and toothbrush
- Deodorant
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Bath soap or shower gel
- Bathrobe
- Travel soap container
- Mouthwash
- Dental floss
- Q-tips
- Cotton swab
- Shaving kit and beard wax
- Nail clippers
- Handheld mirror
- Thermometer
- First aid kit
- Prescription medicines
- Heating pad
- Loofahs
- Scale
- Air purifier
- Air freshener
- Portable makeup kit
School supplies
Your primary duty in college is to study and strive for success in your classes, so you will need supplies and items for this purpose. Here’s what you can bring:
- A backpack or book bag
- A personal computer, if necessary
- Notebooks
- Paper
- Pens and pencils
- Highlighters
- Binders
- Paper clips
- Sticky notes
- Stapler
- Calculator
- Extension cords
- Earphones
- Stamps
- Envelopes
- Wite-Out
- Index cards
- Scissors
- Tapes
Electronics and Equipment
Here are some electronics you can include in your packing list for college:
- Desktop computer or laptop (For example, Lenovo has decent models)
- Speakers or stereo system
- Chargers
- HDMI and other cables
- Surge protector, if allowed
- Tablet
Food and Snacks
Your packing list should also contain items meant for the kitchen:
- A microwave
- A small refrigerator if the school doesn’t have one
- Coffee mugs, plastic cups and glasses
- Water bottles
- Electric kettle or coffee maker, if allowed
- Napkins
- Paper towels
- Dishtowels
- Dish soap
- Scrubber
- Silverware or plasticware
- Pots and pans
- Tupperware
- Foil
- Oven mitts
- Ziploc bags
- Can opener
- Cereal
- Granola bars
- Chips
Miscellaneous Items
There are items that don’t fall into any category stated above, but are quite essential such as:
- Umbrella
- Toolkit
- Driver’s license
- Debit and credit card
- Social security card
- Health insurance card
- Padlocks
- Flashlight
- Safety pins
