I'm moving to College in a month and I have a check list of things I need to bring, but I have this feeling that when I get there (over 2,000 miles away) I'm going to remember something. Is there anything that you can't go to College without?

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Answers

One of those dry-erase boards for the outside of your door. It came in so handy my first year in the dorms. My friends cuold stop by and leave messages and such.

Comfy shoes. All that walking around campus ...

A good bright reading light, so you can more efficiently study.

Beer money.

"Homey" stuff. Posters, photos, trinkets, etc.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

a good pillow. umbrella. more beer money.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

answering machine with two mailboxes (one for you, one for the roommate..this way you ACTUALLY get the message..) :) lots of dry erase markers (they get stolen a lot.) one of those cork memo boards to put ur pictures, memos, or schedule on..bring your computer :-D..television and any game systems like playstation..stereo..alarm clock..thats about all i can think of..

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

A safe or box that you can lock. On one hand, you might have a great roommate, and on the other she could soon be photocopying your diary (with money she stole from your wallet) and posting it around campus.

Not trying to scare you, it's just better to be safe than sorry!

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2001

definately a safe box!!!! trust no one! (seriously.. people are that sneaky hehe)

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2001

Flip-flops for the shower. If you're sharing it with more than one other person, you don't want to go in there barefoot. Ick.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2001

Even wearing those, it's still freakin' gross. God, I hated my dorm's showers; I never felt clean. Ever.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2001

What's so funny is that I live in Canada and I can drink legally at 18 here, but now I have to wait four years to drink at school!

Everyone tells me to bring flip flops for the shower but the safe if a good idea! And a system to play video games. I need a pen to write this all down.

I packed all my Winter clothes... a whole huge suit case FULL of JUST winter clothes. BUt that's the majority of clothes I need. I won't wear a lot of summer clothes. I really don't know how the weather is in New Jersey.

Thanks again.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2001

Duct Tape, Quarters for Laundry, Alarm Clock, Lots of Underwear and Socks

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2001

Suzie: I know how you're feeling about the drinking thing. Same deal here. Legal at home in Ontario, not in the States.

Anyway, my advice: A good bathrobe, particularly if you're on a co-ed floor. Towels just aren't safe enough.

Also, quarters/bills for laundry (you should have seen the loonie pile I had saved up).

Camera of course, salt/pepper/condiments, lots of grungy clothes for frosh week.

Lastly, someone already said it, but DO NOT underestimate the value of millions of pairs of underwear. Doing laundry sucks.

Have fun, and good luck! :)

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2001

I've never lived in a dorm, but I've found the one thing that has been consistently important for university education has been calendars. So many calendars; one with tons of room to write in everything you have to do each day, one with weekly planning, a monthly calendar. This isn't really something you need to buy at home since they tend to have millions of them in school stores, but you should really make a point to get some stuff to plan your assignments and deadlines. I'd never make it thorugh a semester without the planning devices I use.

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2001

Plastic throw-away utensils.

Paper towels and napkins.

Lots of plastic bags, like you get at a grocery store. They're good for a variety of things and are always nice to have around.

-- Anonymous, July 15, 2001

Tomatoe sauce (um, i think it's 'ketchup' in america?)

Fire extinguisher

Just in case, not that I experience of needing that, it's just in case...

-- Anonymous, July 16, 2001

Duct tape. Definitely. Flip flops for the shower. Bathrobe. If you're the type of person who uses washcloths, bring lots (like 20). Then you don't have to reuse them (you wash them, but you don't have to wash them as often). Plate, fork, spoon, cup. It's really all you need. Dish soap and a scrubby. Extra towels for friends who come to stay and want to shower. A shower caddy thing. Alarm clock. Lots of underwear and socks. Dress clothes and shoes. Music. A small lamp that is bright enough for you to see, but dark enough not to bug your roommate when you're pulling an all-nighter. Laundry detergent and dryer sheets. Perfume (cuz otherwise you'll smell like the dorm...if you like that, then nevermind...). A dry erase board with lots of markers (they get stolen). Stamps and envelopes (for bills and letters!). Phone cards -- may as well just avoid the long distance bill all together. Sam's Club is a good place to get a lot of minutes for a little money. Microwave. Fridge. Computer (my parents' homeowners' insurance covers my desktop....wouldn't cover a laptop. Dunno what that's like in Canada, though). Printer. Printer paper (don't buy it in college bookstores...they rip you off). Salt and pepper. Dictionaries (English and whatever foreign language you are taking). A plant or two. Plants are fun and give you oxygen. A telephone. The one you have in your room might suck, or you might not have one at all. Tape, mounting strips, and removable hooks. Vitamins and calcium supplements.

Hmm...that's all I can think of off the top of my head. If I think of more, I'll write more. Er, duh.

Wasn't there a similar post on here when Katie went off to college?

-- Anonymous, July 16, 2001

An addition to Bree's post.. don't buy ANYTHING in the college store. EVERYTHING'S a ripoff. Seriously. Unless you like paying 5 dollars for a bottle of dishsoap, or 3 dollars for a pack of lined notebook paper. Do yourself a favor, and research the area for bus routes and any Walmarts, Sam's Club, Kmart, whatever on the route. It'll just be handy for the things you do forget. Also check out grocery stores, because the campus market will also dry up your every last penny.

-- Anonymous, July 16, 2001