So you’ve got your order of admission, said good-bye to your family and friends, and you are ready to start your wonderful college life. But wait – have you figured out what to pack when you head to school?
Packing has always been an overwhelming and tedious task for most people, especially first year college students. However, with a little planning, it doesn’t have to be as complicated as it seems at first.
Principle number one:
You’ll buy more when you get there
My roommate was an international student when I was in college. His grandma forced him to bring two boxes of tissue with him because “you never know what will happen”. We can’t say that was totally wrong, but you don’t have to plan for your entire year when packing. You can buy pens, binders, and many other things as the year goes on. In addition, if you are not sure what to bring, do some research on your residence first. Ask other students or go to the facebook page.
Principle number two:
Don’t duplicate your room
Maybe you are completely satisfied with what your room looks like now, or maybe there are ten thousand things that you want to change – it doesn’t matter because you are building a new life of sorts for yourself. Don’t try to bring everything in your room with you because you don’t have that much space, and you might find the things you bring totally unnecessary the minute after you move in.
The don’t forget list:
● First aid kit – something that might save your life!
● Umbrella – don’t forget this if you are packing on a sunny day
● Small fan – most residence halls don’t have air conditioning. A small fan can get pretty handy during the summer
● Printer supplies – can get very expensive on campus
● Extension cords – the last thing you need in your tiny room is to have to move things around just to reach an outlet
● Laptop lock – make sure your laptop is as protected as possible
● Flash drive – you spent 7 hours writing your essay on your school computer, and then the computer is dead…
● Small items for cleanup – trust me, your room will get pretty dirty and messy
● Hangers – it’s no fun to arrive at school with tons of clothes that have to live on your bed or closet floor for the first few days
● Robe – if you don’t want to walk from the shower to your room in only a towel
● Laundry basket – keep your clothes, whether they are clean or dirty
The don’t bring list:
● Candles – seriously? It’s not 1820 and candles are definitely not allowed in residence halls.
● Expensive equipment – you don’t want to be a target for theft
● A fridge or microwave that exceeds the size and electricity limits for your room
For an ultimate, very detailed packing list, check out this website:
https://www.collegepackinglist.com/
Principle Number Three:
It’s okay if you forget things
Just relax, it’s not the end of the world. If you happen to be missing anything, it’s a great opportunity to meet new friends. It’s not against any rules to ask your neighbours for a cup of sugar after all.
Now you are all set. Enjoy your college life!
This article was written for you by Stanley, one of the tutors with SchoolTutoring Academy.