Hi friends, today I’m sharing with you some must-have items you didn’t think to bring to college. This list includes items I brought to college unsure of if I would use them only to find that they were super helpful, items that my best friends swear by, and some items that I thought were must-haves but that it seems not many other people think to bring to college with them!
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This post is all about must-have items you didn’t think to bring to college.
What are these nine must-haves for college?
A Flashlight
Now, those of you who also have power outages with storms at home probably think the way I do, which is have flashlight will travel. At university I found that this is not a mentality that many others share! And I hear you, you may be thinking “Peyton, there is a flashlight in my phone! I don’t need to bring one to college!” Sure, that’s what you may think until your building suddenly loses power and you don’t know when it will be restored, its late, you have a calculus exam the next day, and your phone is on about 25%.
Also, sometimes phones die. Sometimes someone needs to see something at an angle a phone can’t really hit. Sometimes you need to find your phone in a dark place and guess what, you can’t use your phone! Mind-blowing, I know. But especially if you plan on going out on adventures off-campus, hiking, or anything like that, you should really have a flashlight. Even a small flashlight is helpful for walking around campus at night (those ones linked in the middle image glow like glowsticks in the center)!
Step Stool
You may not think you need a step stool, or you’ll just jump if you need something, stand on a chair, etc. Let me tell you, step stools are so helpful! They’re helpful for getting into bed when your bed is a bit higher (most college beds are), for reaching things you put up high because storage in college is sparse, for hanging things, the list goes on. Step stools are so, so great.
Wrinkle Release Spray
Wrinkle release spray is a game-changer. I have so many friends who have started using this instead of steamers! I guess you could consider this a buy this, not that option – especially for first-year students! Just trust me on this one.
Water Bottle Brush
Yes, friends, if you have a water bottle, you need to wash it, you probably won’t have a washing machine, and if that is the case you need a water bottle brush. Water bottles can get really gross really fast, especially if you’re someone who fills water bottles in the dining hall with juice or milk or soda, you’re going to want to clean that out.
Dorm Shoes
Okay, so by dorm shoes I mean shoes that you can walk around in out in the hall, between rooms, to do your laundry, or to the lounges while ideally staying cozy. Easy to put on is key. And no, I don’t mean slippers that you chill in bed in, because if you’re wearing these shoes out in the hall you’re walking through everything that everyone else in the hall has walked through and those floors can be disgusting. Trust me.
These Hanes shoes have memory foam, while these bootie slippers are both waterproof and machine washable! Perfect for those middle of the night fire drills.
A Toilet Brush and Plunger
If you are responsible for cleaning your bathroom, you need to buy a toilet brush – and you may also need to buy a plunger! My school did not supply these things, I did not expect to need them, they’re must-have items for sure.
Even if you live in a suite-style room and your bathrooms are cleaned for you, because I know some schools do have residence halls where that is the case, if they do not provide a plunger, you really should get one. No one wants to be the person to walk into a room asking for a plunger, no one wants to be the one who makes a toilet overflow or not be useable because you have to wait for maintenance and couldn’t take care of it yourself. Trust me, as an RA I’ve seen so many things go wrong with toilets you would not believe the situations I’ve witnessed. Life for everyone will be a lot easier and a lot less awkward if you just have a plunger in the bathroom.
Related: How I Saved Hundreds of Dollars While Shopping for my Dorm
A Fan
Even if your room is air-conditioned, you’re likely going to want a fan. Sometimes AC breaks, the air circulation in rooms isn’t always the best (especially in older buildings), and even just having some classmates over to work on a project can make a room feel stuffy with all of the heat that laptops give off. A fan can also give off just enough white noise for times when people are being loud in the hallway or you want to take a nap in the middle of the day! I didn’t bring a fan with me until last year and it made a huge difference, learn from my mistakes, and bring a fan from year one!
While not all schools allow box fans if yours does, they are the way to go. I love mine!
Safety Pins
You never realize how helpful safety pins are until you aren’t around a mom who can spontaneously produce one at a moment’s notice. One of my best friends says this is the number one thing everyone needs to bring to college!
This safety pin pack comes with multiple sizes, and with more than just a few on hand, you won’t have to worry about tracking your safety pins down when you let someone use one!
And that’s 9 must-have items you didn’t think to bring to college!
Are you surprised by any of these items? If you’ve already been to college, what were some must-have items that you didn’t expect to use? Let me know in the comments!
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