#dorm essentials

Here is a super comprehensive list of every item I could think someone would need in a dorm. Obviously this will differ from person to person and room to room.

*Check your university's rules surrounding these items

Uni Essentials- a comprehensive list of electronics, stationary and clothing

That’s so awesome!!! Here are some things off the top of my head:

Dorm supplies

(Technically I wrote these for another post a while back but I still stand by these recommendations tbh)

A good lamp (ideally a sunlight lamp or something that has natural-looking light so you don’t hurt your eyes too much at 2 am)

A storage tower thingy (great for toiletries and other small stuff like that)

A fluffy rug makes a hugeeeee difference in my opinion

Hanging shoe rack (you can put hats, belts, socks, etc. in it, not just shoes!)

A planner or notebook for a bullet journal (if desired)

An essential oil diffuser + your favorite essential oil scents (instead of air fresheners, I think they give a much nicer feeling plus you can customize it way more)

Fairy lights

One of those comfy armrest pillow thingies idk what they’re called ok

A good pair of headphones!

A good water bottle that DOESN’T LEAK

Mildliners or some other nice-looking highlighters (if you like to highlight your notes or textbooks)

Study tips

When you’re trying to focus, seriously put your phone away somewhere you can’t see or use (I like using the app Forest and putting my phone in a drawer, though there are a bunch of other similar apps out there such as Flora, Plantie and Study Bunny!), turn off any notifications that would come up on your laptop, and close any tabs that you’re not currently working on. I know this is so one of those things you see in every list of advice, but it truly can make such a difference in my opinion!

Have a system for keeping track of assignments. I use Notion, but at different times since being in college I’ve also used a planner or a bullet journal, so find a system that works for you and use it religiously

Keep a calendar of classes and other meetings. I use Outlook but you could also use Google Calendar or even just writing it down in whatever planning system you choose. Don’t just rely on yourself to remember when your classes are, because at some point you’ll miss a meeting. It also gives you more peace of mind and mental space for other things, too

Personally, I find that doing a quick and easy task in the morning before I move onto more difficult assignments helps a lot with motivation, so give that a try and see if that also works for you! Some people also like doing their hardest task first, so just figure out which one suits your life the best

Tbh I have a lot more tips but they’re so dependent on like what types of classes you’re taking, if they’ll be online vs in-person, so hmu if you want more specifics!

Other tips

If you are truly not wanting to do a piece of homework, try to figure out why that is instead of just forcing yourself. A lot of times it can be that you are ignoring things like hunger, exhaustion, mental health, etc. and it’s really important that you take care of some of those essential things first. Mental health comes above schoolwork, and you need to make it a priority in your life so you don’t get burnt out

Have a life outside of schoolwork. Join a club, do volunteerwork, make some friends and talk about things other than classes, go into town from time to time, pick up or continue doing a hobby, anything really. So many people get completely stuck in their college schoolwork bubble that they forget to also live their life somewhere in there too

I think there's plenty of posts already about must-have items you should get when moving into a dorm. So this is a list of some stuff that you can totally live without but that I bought throughout the school year and enjoyed having.

A dimmable salt lamp: I bought one from Walmart for abt 20 dollars (canadian) and I used it EVERY day. It's a natural air purifier and the warm light is a lot better. To be fair my dorm was kinda shit so the ceiling light on my room kept flickering so I'd always just use table lamps.

A mini fridge: if you can spend the money you need to get one. People will steal your food because they're the worst. You will want to have a mini fridge to at least keep the good stuff locked in your room. I also suggest getting a plastic drawer or box to keep stuff that doesn't go on the fridge.

A nice, fluffy, comfy shower robe: this is great specially if you're in a mixed dorm and don't really feel like walking through the hallway on a tiny towel. Also they're really nice to just wear when your dorm is cold as shit like mine was.

Earplugs: now this is more of a necessity. The person on the room next to you will be the girl getting constant dick appointments because the universe just works like that. So you'll want something to drawn out the sex noises. Also some ppl like to party at 3am on a Tuesday so this will keep you from murdering them.

Electric kettle: tea, coffee, oatmeal, hot water bag... All without having to leave your room.

A printer: buy it during Black Friday for a third of the price and save yourself the fights with the library's printer and the time going all the way there in the cold.

Good headphones: again Black Friday. I got the Hesh 3 from Skullcandy, they're kinda soundproof, wireless, the battery lasts a long time and charges supper fast. Having good headphones is a blessing in university, they're supper helpful when you want to study at peace, just put some lo-fi on that bitch and be productive for 3 hours straight.

Good toilet paper: listen university does not give a shit about how much money you're paying them they'll put that nasty ass beige toilet paper that feels like you're using straight up printing paper. Just buy some 2 plier for yourself.

20 dollar bill on your phone case: You will go out at night at some point and your phone will die and you'll forget that the bus you need to take back to residence stops running at 8pm on Fridays. Save yourself the headache and have money for a cab in an emergency.

Essential oil diffuser: Makes your room smell nice and works as a (weak) humidifier.

Student Amazon Prime: Really cheap, you get prime delivery and you can order stuff that maybe you don't want your parents to know about. Coming with prime video is a bonus, not a whole lot of stuff but their originals are good.

Reusable straws: My university is really big on helping the environment. They banned plastic straws last year and although you can just drink from the cup that doesn't really work when you're walking to class or on a moving bus. While you're at it get some reusable produce bags (or diy some), utensils (my university gave everyone a plastic travel set on orientation week but you can literally just use normal utensils), and if you still don't use your own shopping bags Idk what you're doing.

Get geared up for back to school!

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Here is the perfect throw blanket for people who do not want to let go of summer and its yummy refreshing treats . Great for the dorm or home .