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I've heard that you should not pack too much to go to college. Only enough to get through the 1st semester. Is this true? Please elaborate.

By Ariesathena (Ariesathena) on Monday, June 23, 2003 - 11:27 pm: Edit

Eh, depends on your dorm room size and how much you like moving. If you haven't seen your dorm room, pack light and arrange to have things shipped after you get there; otherwise, pack whatever can fit in there and feel like moving. It is remarkably hard to overpack for college; it's just the moving part that is terrible.

Things which are great:
*extension cords
*long ethernet cord: >25'
*excellent surge protector; Belkin makes a good one
*underwear (laundry is a pain to do at school)
*plastic stackable things which can slide under a bed - they are always great to have
*bed risers if your bed doesn't adjust ($15 for commercial plastic, or cement blocks if you can get them) - you can fit a lot more under a raised bed
*laundry basket that is durable and will fit under a bed - it is what you will end up moving your dirty clothes out in, trust me
*lamps (make sure they disassemble for easy travel) as dorms can be dim
*depending on where you are going and how your breaks work, pack winter clothes: Thanksgiving can sometimes be too late to get those things from home
*bookcases - whether milk crates that double as packing containers for the trip home or a wood one. Wonderfully useful. Again, depends on how close you are.
*cups, Brita filter, a plate or two (make sure it is microwave safe and can fit inside a small microwave), and some plastic utensils that will make it through a few years.

Things to get at school (have your parents drive you to the local supermarket if you're far away; much cheaper than on-campus prices)
*shampoo
*conditioner, soap
*laundry detergent
*fabric softener
*detergent for dishes
*notebooks, binders, etc. unless you are attached to a certain brand
*many, many things to file many, many papers in - I always had a (large) drawer full of papers at the end of a year. Don't ask how it happens, but it does.
* egg crate - takes up too much room in a car, but college mattresses are 6" thick and covered in plastic - not the height of comfort
* TONS of extra ink and paper for your printer - yes, you will run out, and yes, you will be very happy that you brought 5 semesters worth of it, because you'll need it
*food - microwave pasta/rice things, mac and cheese, somewhat healthy munchie food

Kind of plan on having extras of things if you have the space; running out of things is always harder when you can't get to a convenience store easily.

My friend's parents rented a minivan for the 6 hour trip: all of her stuff could fit in it, and the journey was more comfortable.

Although many schools allow you to rent microfridges, consider purchasing each and using them (which is what I did); it's much less expensive, about $100-$150 for a fridge and $60-$75 for a microwave (microfridge rentals are about $250/year), and what you get will be of better quality. Don't put milk in a microfridge; it'll go bad in about two days unless you turn the temperature down low enough to freeze everything.

Good luck!

By Texas137 (Texas137) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 07:56 am: Edit

Going back to the original question - I think a lot of people say that because you won't really know exactly what you'll need until you get there and see what comes in the room, what you can use elsewhere in the dorm or on campus, what your room-mate has, how much time your really have to use that tennis-racket/boat-oars/drum-set, how much space there is, etc. People frequently schlepp stuff to their dorm that just takes up precious space and isn't used.

By Voldemortii (Voldemortii) on Sunday, July 13, 2003 - 12:50 am: Edit

wow.......thanks... Ariesathena ....thats a lot of words to type!!!...it helps a lot!!...i have always been confused about what should be brought and what should not....muchas gracias!! ><
i have SO many clothes , shoes, makeups that i HAVE TO bring with me.....faint..

By Ariesathena (Ariesathena) on Sunday, July 13, 2003 - 09:23 pm: Edit

Talk to your roomie beforehand and work out things like Brita filters, plates, carpet (you'll love it in the winter), microwaves/fridges, bookcases (sometimes the best thing to do is share a large one), etc. On the bookcase thing: I brought one to college (all four years) that was quite narrow but has five shelves - about 18" wide but tall. Helps to fit it in a car and doesn't take up much floor space. Those collapsable chairs are awesome, too - coordinate on those. When you find out what your room looks like, get a few curtains. Rooms that aren't the second floor or below and face east get an enormous amount of sun in them in the morning - a good thing if you have morning classes, a bad thing if you're a night person who likes her sleep. A good, small vacuum cleaner is nice to have as well - extra strength DirtDevil or something similar. (Go for the extra strength - you'll appreciate it).

Make sure all this stuff can fit under a bed. Some beds are adjustable (and can be raised at least a few feet off the ground, and you have no problem); some are 11" high. If you can't find this information on your college's website (look under residential life or similar), call res life and ask once you find out your room assignment. They can also tell you the rough dimensions of your room. That will also help you gauge how much stuff to bring.

Clothes: bring space-saving hangers or something so they can all fit in your closet if you really have a lot. Sometimes dorm dressers are really sketchy - bring contact paper to put down over the bottoms. (Then again, that could be on the list of stuff to get when you have your parents take you shopping.)

Shoes: if your campus is large, you will quickly hate most of your shoes that aren't sneakers or flip-flops.

May I suggest Velcro for hanging things on walls? Sometimes the blue tacky glue doesn't hold up well, and schools get upset when you put holes in the walls.

Save up quarters now, unless your college allows you to do laundry with your ID card (declining dollars/point system). If you have a lot of dry-clean only clothes, either don't bring them or find a coupon book (they are usually lying all over a campus center at the beginning of school) and go to wherever has a discount - you don't realize how expensive it is until you have to do it.

About tennis rackets/oars/whatever, leave them at home where your parents can find them (if your university is somewhere far away from home) and have your parents ship them if you feel the need to have them there.

Good luck!! Just over a month, right?

By Shyarra (Shyarra) on Thursday, July 31, 2003 - 12:39 am: Edit

My college doesn't have closets...it has floor to ceiling cubbies with bars across them. Should I bring something to cover up my "closet," or will my stuff be fine out in the open for all the world to see?

By Ml41588 (Ml41588) on Thursday, July 31, 2003 - 08:56 am: Edit

My sister used those box things, i think theyre called yaffa blocks to put her stuff in. but i think she used them more for books and things like that but not clothing. im sure you could put like a curtain or some fabric over it to make it more private.

By Momof2 (Momof2) on Thursday, July 31, 2003 - 09:29 am: Edit

Wow - unless you keep a much tidier closet than anyone in my household, that would be a real downer! My suggestion would be a curtain made from a large flat sheet (cheap, good pattern choices) If you put it up with adhesive velcro strips, there would be no sewing involved. That is a new one to me - I'm very proud to have DOORS to cover up our shortcomings.

By Sjgurl2004 (Sjgurl2004) on Friday, August 01, 2003 - 09:41 pm: Edit

I have a few questions for anyone who has packed already for college and found out what is essential. I have already been accepted to a school in England for fall 2004 and so I have to pack light for the flight.

storage: pray that the dorms have enough or bring some of those collapsable shelves in case.

colours: is it safer to go more neutral to avoid offending your roommate?

computers: many people bring their own PC to avoid having to wait for one in the library. Is this a good idea as far as space is considered.

Also: (even though this is slightly off topic) Has anybody visited: Smith, Agness Scott, Chatham, or Mills? I live in the far NW part of the country and my campus visiting opportunities have been limited due to funds. (However I have been to UW, Western Washington U, University of Puget Sound, Richmand American U in London, and Lewis and Clark College if anyone has q's)
thanx