10 Must-Haves for the Freshman Dorm Room

Pretty soon, you, the new crop of college freshmen, will be moving into the dorms, preparing for what could be the best four years of your lives (they certainly were for me).

Arriving at the dorms to begin a new life is one of the most exhilarating aspects of the collegiate experience. It’s important, however, to not get caught up in the moment; you need to be prepared.

Of course, I could go through the entire laundry list of stuff that you’ll need for your dorm room, but there are already lists out there for that. Instead, I want to touch on the things that are often forgotten about but actually come in incredibly handy.

Playing cards/board games: Even if you’re a super big partier, you will eventually want to have a nice, chill evening with your friends. Having playing cards or board games ready and on hand may eliminate the “what are we going to do tonight?” dilemma that happens far too often in college. Cards Against Humanity is one of my favorites.

Tool kit: As people move into the dorms, they’re going to need tools to rearrange, hang, move, fix and so on. Plus, you never know what else they’ll be useful for. If you have a set of tools handy and someone needs help fixing their bike (or repairing their IKEA furniture), you will instantly make a whole new group of friends.

Coffee maker: Having a coffee maker is way more convenient (and ultimately far less costly) than having to go to the student union every time you want a cup of joe. A single serve coffee maker is ideal — no pot to clean up. If you have an 8 a.m. class, you are now free to wake up at 7:50. You’re welcome.

Ear plugs: Certain people in your dorm may have a tendency of, well, misbehaving at night. If you want any chance of getting decent shut-eye, you might want to have a pair handy.

Frisbee: When it’s warm outside, the quad at your school will likely be full of people playing frisbee. Hopefully they’ll include you in the game. But if you really want to play, you better have one on hand.

White Christmas lights: Many dorm rooms have harsh lighting, which can make it difficult to study and can make for a depressing atmosphere. White Christmas lights can help spruce things up a little bit.

Ping pong balls: Never know when they’ll come in handy. It’s always good to have a pack on hand.

Air freshener: Due to fire code restrictions, candles and incense are usually prohibited in dorm rooms. Air freshener is an absolute must unless you want your dorm room to absolutely reek.

Air mattress: You may want to invite your old friends to come visit you once in a while. Or maybe one of your college buddies doesn’t want to walk 30 minutes back to his place at 5 in the morning. Whatever the reason, it’s good to have an air mattress on hand. And don’t forget the air pump; without it, you’ll spend a week blowing that mattress up.

Bean bag chair: If you want to invite people over to your dorm, you may want to provide better seating arrangements than the floor. Having a bean bag chair will make get-togethers a little more hospitable for at least one of the guests. And, if you put your bed up on risers, you can store them under your bed so they don’t have to be in the way in an already-too-small dorm room.