Move-in day is approaching quickly. The basic essentials for residence hall rooms and necessities for college are listed on every store and online retailers’ pages, but they only give the basics. Here are a few extras that may come in handy for your college student.
- Single cup coffee/tea makers will be a great addition for students who love to have a daily dose of coffee or tea to get them going. University Housing prefers coffee and tea makers need to have an automatic shutoff.
- E-readers for students that like to read will save your back from aching from lugging a crate of books to their room. E-readers are available from many national bookstore chains and Amazon.com. They are able to store hundreds of books, magazines, and newspapers for entertainment. Some textbooks are also available for download on some of these devices, but the student may want to check with their professor before purchasing it on their e-reader.
- Cleaning supplies will come in handy throughout the semester. There is no mom or maid service around to clean their residence hall room. A mop, broom, and cleaning products are things that will be needed.
- Throws/blankets really come in handy in chilly residence hall rooms. Students can control their room temperatures, however, both students in the may not like the temperatures the same.
- Rooms are not carpeted so rugs can keep feet warm in the mornings when jumping out of bed.
- Posters/pictures can give a room character and, in reality, few people want to stay in a room with bare walls.
- Since the cellular phone and e-mail made its debut, postal mail has dropped on list of means of communication. However, it is nice to have some stamps around to mail a handwritten letter to parent, grandparents, siblings, or even pay a bill.
- Storage containers, which fit underneath a bed, will add extra storage space within the room and alleviate any unwanted clutter.
- Air fresheners and Scentsy type room fragrances can help a student’s room feel like home or mask the odor of the laundry that is piled up in the closet.
- Surge protectors are great for plugging up major electrical items like a computer, refrigerator, microwave, and television.
- Lamps are useful when up late studying and a roommate is trying to sleep.
- Students will occasionally experiment with microwave recipes. Since every residence hall room has a sink, dishes can easily be washed. Who knew noodles had so many recipes on the web.
- When walking to a from the restroom, many students cover up with a towel, but trying to hold on to your towel, keys and shower caddy can be a juggling act. Robes can free up a hand to navigate safely through the hallways and doors.
- Many times students check their mail and find an empty slot. Once you know your student’s mailbox number, send them a magazine subscription that you think they may like to read. It can really give them something to look forward to.
- Giving a student a gift card to any store will give them the ability to purchase things that they may find helpful in adjusting to campus living.
