Make your future dorm a little piece of home! Featuring a beautifully decorated dorm at UC Berkeley. Photo courtesy of SLOHS alumni Erika Spargo.
As many of the recent San Luis Obispo High School graduates prepare to make the big move to college, they may be stressed about what to pack for their dorm.
Look no further because Expressions has got you covered!
“I’m very excited and nervous to move into my dorm. It’ll be so fun to pick out all of my decorations and furniture, but I’m scared of how much that will all cost. I will definitely be referencing a lot of ‘dorm essentials’ TikToks this summer,” said SLOHS alumni Emma Knight.
First off, if you have your roommates picked out, be sure to coordinate with them on who is bringing what – you probably don’t have the space for multiple mini-fridges. If you know what room you’ll be staying in, look up the layout to plan out how much closet space or wall space you will have.
“Some things that you definitely need to get are a bedside table (preferably a clip-on one), a laundry bag backpack, some cool lights, a rug, cubbies and hangers to organize your closet space, a full length mirror, lots of wall decoration to make the space more yours, and most importantly, a rolling cart to keep snacks in,” said SLOHS alumni Max Ranta.
It is also extremely essential to bring a fan (we recommend a Woozoo fan) and an air purifier to your dorm because it will get very hot and stuffy. If you are an easy sleeper, it’s also a good idea to bring a white noise machine in case your roommate snores or if there’s lively activity late at night in the dorm. For a cleaner room, make sure you have a mini vacuum and a Swiffer handy to kill all of those dorm dust bunnies. It is very easy to get sick pretty often in your first year at college because you are constantly around so many people who could all be carrying illnesses, so make sure you have some medication ready!
“I would recommend making an Amazon wishlist to organize all of your wants and needs for your dorm. It really helps to have all of your stuff in one place so you can see how all of your bedding and wall decorations coordinate. Also, definitely invest in a mattress topper because most dorm beds are very uncomfortable. You will be spending a lot of time on and in your bed, so it’s very worth it to make it comfortable,” said SLOHS alumni Erika Spargo.
So, future college freshmen, don’t be too stressed.
Follow our advice and be sure to do your research, and everything will all work out just fine.
Good luck!