It's almost that time of year again. The time of year where you can't go to Target without seeing at least a few overly excited recent grads and their moms walking around with a cart filled with bathmats and organizational supplies. Six years ago (SIX?!) that was me. I probably went to the Bed Bath & Beyond website multiple times a day to scroll through the endless assortment of bedding and shower curtains, not to mention the convenient list they provide you to tell you all the things you really need. Well friends, if you are that recent grad who is about to go shopping with your mom and attempt to check off all the items on the BB&B checklist, just hold your horses until you check out my list. I know six years sounds like a long time to speak to what you really need (or not) in college, but trust me, I remember all too well. With that being said, I have compiled a list of the must-haves and the extremely overrated items. These aren't the obvious items like towels and sheets, but stuff that I either had to go out later and buy at the most inconvenient times or things I didn't ever use. Share this with a friend, and neither of you will be sorry.
Must-haves
-First aid stuff. I'm talking Bandaids, Thermometer, Ibuprofen, and even Imodium. Trust me...when you need it is not when you will want to have to go out and get it.
-Small tool kit. Something random will break and you will need a screwdriver.
-Mini sewing kit. I found some at Dollar Tree. It will save your life when a button falls off.
-Extra pillow. You never know when a friend will get locked out at night (obviously because their roommate is studying so hard and needs privacy) and need to spend the night at your place.
-Power strips with multiple outlets
-USB stick/flash drive. If you ever use a computer lab on campus, these will be your best friend.
-Random bathroom stuff that your mom always had around: Q-tips, cotton balls, etc.
-Batteries. Again, you will always need some at the most inconvenient time.
-Lightbulbs
-Umbrella
-Simple cleaning supplies. Things like a broom and Clorox wipes come in really handy.
Totally unnecessary
-Blender. I can not tell you how unnecessary this is. You will have nowhere to wash it, unless you want smoothie chunks clogging up your bathroom sink.
-Ironing board. An iron might be useful, but I would check your dorm's laundry room before buying one. An ironing board, on the other hand, is pointless regardless. Just lay a towel down on your desk and you're good to go.
-Too many organizational supplies. I know the fabric bins from Target are too cute to pass up, but you maybe need 2 large ones and 2 small ones. I would say wait until you unpack and can't find a place for things, and then go get more as you see the need for them.
-A notebook for every class. Evaluate the professor. Some of them read the notes straight from their PowerPoint, which sometimes you can print from their website.
-The textbook for every class. Again, wait until after the first class to see if you actually need it. Usually they tell you if you need it or not, or at least what they primarily test over. After that, DO NOT...I REPEAT...DO NOT BUY YOUR BOOKS ON CAMPUS!!!!! You can find almost all of them on Amazon for a fraction of the price. One more thing: don't bring your books to class. It will scream "I'm a freshman!"
-An excessive amount of towels.
I hope this helps! I'm sure there are more things I'm forgetting on both lists, but if I think of anything, I'll revise.
No comments:
Post a Comment