If you are anything like me, then the moment you committed to Ohio University you started making a packing list. While there are a million articles telling you what you should or should not have in your dorm room, every person is different. Regardless, here are ten things I could not have lived without my freshman year.
1. Mattress Cover
This is different than your bed set! A sterile mattress cover goes underneath your mattress pad and fitted sheet. It essentially serves to separate the dorm bed germs from your sheets. While the beds are cleaned over the summer, you do not know who has slept there before you so this is an out of sight safety net for your peace of mind.
2. Mattress Pad
My mattress pad changed my life. Dorm beds are not comfy in the slightest. A mattress pad can be the difference between restless sleep and a bed you never want to leave (even though that might be more dangerous). I personally chose memory foam, but there are tons of options making it a perfect way to make your dorm bed fit your preferences.
3. Electric Kettle
From hot cocoa to cup ramen, an electric kettle was my essential success tool last year. This is especially the case if your dorm does not have a communal kitchen. Boiling water in a residence hall microwave is not as easy as you would think and can cause unwanted
messes. An electric kettle is easily stored and operated and you will make friends easily if you bribe them with tea and hot chocolate, I promise.
4. Wall Plug-In Air Purifier
I got a simple one from Amazon that made the air in my room crisp and clear. The plug in is small and easily hidden and it runs 24/7 purifying the dorm room air. It does put off a slight white noise but if you are like me and have terrible allergies, it will save your life.
5. Water Bottle Humidifier
This is a great tool for the winter when the air is dry and your skin is suffering. You simply fill up a plastic water bottle (I saved and reused the same one so I wasn’t wasteful) and plugged it on top of the small humidifier and that is it. It barely takes up any space and you will avoid painful chapped lips and dry skin for the whole winter season.
6. Brita Pitcher
Another great tool to stay hydrated. You fill up the pitcher from your tap and voila! It is filtered and now perfect to drink. Having a full pitcher of water in my room also reminded me to drink more water and discouraged me from buying plastic water bottles when I was out and could not fill up my reusable bottle.
7. Step Stool
This is for the short girls! I am 5.2’ and some of the cabinets in my dorm were way too tall for me to reach. I did not want to lose all that storage space though, so buying a small
plastic step stool saved me from having to call my taller friends whenever I wanted to get something down. Most varieties are small and foldable, meaning they easily store under your desk or bed only to be retrieved when needed.
8. Alarm Clock
I was thinking what you probably are right now, ‘I’ll just use my phone!’ Wrong. Don’t do it. If you’re like me you probably sleep with your phone next to your bed plugged in. This makes it all too easy to hit snooze over and over and decide to just skip class. That’s why I went and bought a small light up alarm clock. There are some super cute ones at Target or Walmart that I could place on the other side of my room. Making myself get out of bed to walk and turn it off made me wake up enough to get moving for class when I needed to and not at the last minute.
9. Personalized First Aid Kit
You will probably purchase a small pre-made kit, but I highly suggest emptying it out into a bigger container and adding stuff like Midol, ibuprofen, Emergen-C packets, and whatever else you might need. The last thing you wantto happen is to need medicine and have to go to CVS and buy it. Having a stash alongside your basic band-aids and gauze will save you and your forgetful friends a trip to the store.
10. Dish Soap
Finally, dish soap. You will be eating in your room and even if you only have a few dishes, you are going to want to wash them off every once in a while. Having dish soap in
your room will make sink washing sessions quicker and cleaner, and you will probably only use one bottle the whole year. This was something I didn’t think I needed but was so thankful to have after reheating chicken wings late at night.
I hope these are useful additions to your packing list! Like I said earlier everyone lives differently, and each residence hall has certain accommodations that will affect your packing, so this list may or may not be foolproof for you. Happy packing, and I cannot wait to meet you all in August!