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Congratulations, it's April and you've gotten into a college, you've figured out the finances, and pretty soon you'll get to find out who your roommate is. Your high school graduation is only a couple months away, and you can taste the freedom.
It's time to sit back and relax, right? Nope! Now the fun part comes: getting ready for college. But Anyonka, you ask, all I've gotta do is throw my bedroom in a box and go, right? I wish. Now, I'm more of a control freak than most people, and there are plenty of people I know who basically did just throw their stuff in box and show up. Some of you may be like me, though, and see that this is the fun part. Shopaholics will love this, and even though I hate shopping, I had a lot of fun.
This is the part where you get everything you think you will ever need or want. This is the part where you begin to define the kind of person you're going to be. Do you go with the fun Disney sheets (I've seen plenty), or the trendy black ones (plenty of those, too)? Funny posters, or graceful art? Rug, or no rug? Pet fish, or half-dead plant? Futon? Chair? Fridge? Armadillo lamp?
The first thing to make sure you do is try to find out what your dorm or college provides. For me, the bed, loft, wardrobe, desk, dresser, desk chair, and trash can came with the room and a mini-fridge/microwave combo could be delivered for my room for $125. Other dorms on my campus lack some of these things. A lot of dorms also have kitchens or kitchenettes that provide microwaves, stoves, ovens, sinks, and refrigerators, but they may or may not have pots, pans, bowls, and soap. After all, you don't want to waste money on something you already get, and you don't want to find out on move-in day that you don't have a chair to sit in.
You also need to find out what is allowed. Certain types of lamps and heaters aren't allowed because they're a fire risk, and on my campus, you're not allowed to have a window air conditioner unit unless you have asthma or other respiratory condition.
The other part of this is considering what kinds of things someone living on their own might need. You can't just ask your dad for a hammer or wrench from the garage, or your mom for a bottle of windex from under the sink. You've got to have these things yourself (and know how to use them.) I had to buy all sorts of things I never thought I needed before. Cups, plates, utensils, trash bags, tools, a sewing kit, and a first aid kit were all things I needed the first week. My favorite possession is an electric tea kettle; perfect for hot chocolate, tea, and, of course, ramen. Other things you've probably never needed before are things like shower caddies, or shower shoes. I only share a bathroom with 7 people, and it gets cleaned once a week, but trust me... you don't want to be barefoot in those showers. A lot of dorm bathrooms I've seen are for 20 or more people.
The biggest problem is space. My room is 15 feet by 8 feet. I only get half of that. Before I even moved in, that half was occupied by a bed, a desk, a dresser, a fridge, and a wardrobe. The desk has a lot of drawer space, and shelf underneath, and has pull out extensions. The wardrobe can fit more than I thought it would, with some creative stacking and wonder hangers. Same for the dresser. So, your clothes and your books are good to go, but everything else? Yeah, good luck. Trust me, you learn to get creative. You also learn that organizers and flat storage boxes and drawer units are a necessity.
I'm not going to list all the items that are college must haves, because there are lists and lists and books and books on the topic. It's different for everyone, based on your needs and priorities. You might need to deal with hair dryers and curling irons, or an entire drum set. People make it work, and you will too. You can't predict every item you might need, or how it's going to fit. Really, as worried as I was about getting it all in my room, getting it all in the car was the bigger the challenge. I'm a sophomore now, and I've probably doubled the amount of junk I manage to cram into my room since I first started college. Just remember: what goes in, must come out because they usually make you move out at the end of every year, even if you're going to live in the exact same room.
For me, this really was the fun part. Even though it's somewhat shallow, the stuff I took with me was the first impression my roommate had of me, and of other people who visited my room. In addition, the stuff I took with me helped inspire the kind of person I was going to try to be, as well as kept me sane during the days of homesickness. It seems like a simple process to just grab and go, but for some of you, preparation for move-in day will be an experience of its own.
-Anyonka
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