After living in a suite-style dorm room last year and experiencing that, I went for an apartment style dorm this year. I'm very excited about it (as you can tell from all my past posts!). I put together a little list of what I found completely handy and helpful for me in my dorm and what I think could be beneficial to incoming freshman, or anyone who just hasn't lived in a dorm before. It's getting close to move-in day, make sure you have everything you need!
The first item on my list is a Bissell 3 in 1 Vacuum. I know what you're thinking. Who cares about a vacuum? In all honestly, it's probably one of the most worth while investments you can make for your four year stay. My roommate, Katie, had one in our room last year and I think all of us took turns using it on a weekly basis. Something about vacuuming just makes your room feel so much better. It's also really helpful for those dreadful room inspections! It's at Walmart for $15 right now. I really suggest it- I picked up mine today, in pink naturally.
The next thing that really came in handy for me was throw blankets! As the Napping Queen, my throw blankets were my best friends. We had a common room in our building last year and it was usually pretty cold. My roommates and I would go downstairs and watch TV or a movie there and my blankets came to the rescue multiple times. Plus, they're just a cute decoration for your bedding!
The next item on my list was crucial for me and all of my clothing. Extra storage. Extra storage. Extra storage. I can't stress it enough. I had a dresser and a wardrobe provided to me by UNCC, but I had a stool that was hollow in the middle to store my bathroom towels and rags in and a set of three drawers for my scarves and miscellaneous items. I wish I would've had more! Please, don't go into your dorm thinking you won't need that much clothing, "I can always go back home and get it." NO. You stop right there. You can't go back home and get that favorite shirt of yours when class is in 5 minutes and you have nothing to wear. The three drawer set is inexpensive (about $12) and can be reused for future dorm rooms. Target and Walmart usually have them in some pretty cute colors as well!
This item came in handy for my roommates and I just about everyday. A mini fridge. The classic dorm room staple. We had two in our dorm room, one for each room, and they were a heaven sent. You have to have somewhere to keep your creamer and hot pockets! Katie's had a separate freezer section, and if you can push a few extra bucks, I really suggest one with a separate freezer. The freezer was great for the frozen foods you eat- boy, I didn't realize how much I liked my pizza rolls and fettuccini's until I didn't have a freezer to put them in! It worked out really great for us.
The last item on my list is a desk lamp, but I'm NOT talking about the classic desk lamps that bend and contort the way you want them with that hateful florescent light in it. I'm talking about the good ole house lamps that cascade a nice home-y feeling light into the room and don't make you feel like you're staring into the sun. Katie and I both had hateful florescent lights. I could count on my hand how many times we used our lamps during the whole school year. Invest in a cute lamp with the old fashioned 60 watt incandescent light bulbs. Mine for this upcoming school year was purchased at Lowes. It's a navy nautical lantern desk lamp. OH MY STARS, I love it!
So stinking cute!
Anyway, I hope this can be beneficial to anyone who has never experienced the dorm-life. I can't wait for my room in the apartment to fully come together! Of course, I'll be blogging about it- no worries. I have 25 days until job training begins!
