Heading off to college for the first time is immensely exciting. For many prospective students, their time as a freshman or freshwoman will represent the first period of their lives in which they have lived away from home. This is also the first time many people will have the opportunity to learn and create to a high critical standard. Social horizons and intellectual boundaries are broadened and broken. New friends are made, and new worlds are opened. Career paths are drastically changed. Before heading off to a university, you will need to make sure that you have packed some essential belongings. Here is a quick list of the most basic items you will need to take with you.
A Laptop
A modern student would be hard-pressed to complete their studies without a laptop. Today, 88 percent of college students surveyed say that they use a laptop. Writing essays, compiling research, preparing presentations, and just about any other academic task you can think of are completed with the aid of a laptop in most cases. Although universities typically provide library computers, these are far more of a hassle to use than your own device. Make sure to sign up for a cloud storage service so that you can access your files anywhere – the days of carrying around (and losing) USB flash drives are over.
A decent computer for students is durable, has lots of storage, is relatively cheap, and can handle any specialist programs your course requires. Design, art, and music students will have to get laptops with a significantly higher level of performance due to the specialist programs they are required to use.
Bedding
Nothing makes a dorm room feel more like a proper home than decent bedding that you actually like. Your bed is very likely to take up the vast majority of your room, so the bedding contributes a great deal to the aesthetic of your space as well as the comfort.
Kitchen Items
Do not expect your student dorm to come equipped with kitchen items. Bring your own from home. You do not need much: just some pots and pans, plates, bowls, and cutlery to start off with. If you discover that you have a culinary flair, then expand your library of food prep tools. Keep your kitchen items cheap and simple. Things are bound to get broken.
A Physical Diary or Notebook
I might seem rather old-fashioned but carrying a physical diary or notebook with you can really help with your organizational togetherness. What’s more, you can use your diary or notebook as a ‘commonplace book’ for writing down academic ideas you pick up in conversation with your compatriots and tutors. Great ideas do not just come in the classroom and having a distraction-free receptacle for thoughts that spring up organically can be a great help. Although your mobile phone is good for notetaking, it is also surprisingly easy to lose your train of thought when writing on such a distracting device.
