The College Dorm Checklist

College is an exciting time for a young adult. For many, it represents the first time moving and being on their own away from home. There is much to think about, so writing and ticking off items on a college dorm checklist is a great way to make sure your student gets their college career off on the right foot.

Dorm room living brings with it a unique set of circumstances in that an individual may share a single room with at least one other individual. Whatever the setup is it is important to have all the essentials before heading off to college. So, before a student packs up the car and heads down the road, it is advisable to pick up all the items he or she will need. 

When a college freshman is in their dorm, they likely will not have access to a car because many colleges do not allow students to have a car parked on campus during the first year or two of enrollment. Whatever the driving situation may be, though, it's just far easier for an incoming student to have everything on hand when they move in instead of needing to go to the store to pick these items up later. 

Often universities provide basic checklists on their websites, and they can leave something to be desired. So we recognize the importance of having a more complete, in-depth college dorm checklist. 

A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO MOVING TO COLLEGE

Moving to college, especially a dorm, doesn't need to be overtly complicated. Sure it requires some basics, many of which parents will already have.

Moving to college doesn't need to be expensive either. It won't require much in the way of furniture, for instance, because most colleges provide the beds and mattresses. This makes it easy enough to pack what is necessary and to take everything to the dorm in one trip.

Move-in date is an especially exciting time for any first time college student (even though it might be a little sad for most parents!) This is the first time these students will be away from their home for an extended period of time. By taking advantage of this first time college dorm checklist it is easy to prepare for the big move to their new home away from home.

There will likely be items certain dorms do not allow, so it is important to look over the college dorm checklist a school provides. It will recommend certain items and it will also show what is not allowed. For instance, there are locations that do not allow microwaves, in which case a student will need to act accordingly. There are always additional options available for a student, but by staying on top of what is OK with the college and what is not allowed, it helps a student avoid possible problems later on.

TIPS FOR FIRST-TIME COLLEGE DORM RESIDENTS

College brings with it several new challenges for any first-time college student. Living in a dorm room is just one aspect a student will need to become accustomed to.

It will be the first time a student must rely on themselves completely to make it to class, do their work and get good grades while remaining social and developing new friendships. That is why beyond what items a student needs for their college dorm checklist, it is also important to consider the following tips:

Contact the Roommates

When moving into a dorm, most first-time students will have roommates. These will probably be people a student has never met before. It's tricky to move into a dorm without having ever spoken to the roommate before. Instead, it is far better to contact the roommate ahead of time.

By communicating before moving day, possibly meeting up for coffee or lunch or even just talking on the phone, roommates can get to know each other a little better and ease any concerns they may have about sharing their space. They also can plan and coordinate together what they'll need for their room, so they don't end up with two of everything. If the dorm's beds are bunk beds, it will help to decide in advance who wants which bunk. While it helps if the roommates become friends it is at the least important to be cordial with one another.

Pick Up After Yourself

Each person will have their own living style. Some will want to be neat freaks while others don't mind a little mess. This is where the biggest roommates problems begin. If one person is left to always clean up after the other, it will lead to a rift between them. When roommies do not get along with one another, it can cause other problems along the way.

Dorms don't have all that much space so while it doesn't take much to keep it clean, it doesn't take much for a dorm room to become dirty. By picking up after oneself it is that much easier to avoid problems with the roommate.

Watch What You're Eating

The "Freshman 15" — referring to how much freshmen gain at least 15 pounds in their first year of college — is a very real thing.

This usually happens because of a few factors. First, you won't have any parents cooking for you. Instead, you'll have access to the cafeteria food, which will have healthy options, but will also have loads of fatty foods. It's also easy to order pizza, eat junk food and consume alcohol.

Additionally, many students who took part in athletics for most of their lives may find this to be the first time they are not regularly exercising.

Putting on this weight is unhealthy and can impact how a person performs in school. That is why it is important to eat the occasional salad instead of pizza. When someone doesn't need to go to the gym every day or become a super athlete, taking advantage of the IM building on campus or riding a bike to school can help keep the Freshman 15 at bay.

It's Okay to Feel Awkward

This is a brand new chapter in a young adult's life. It's normal to feel lonely, afraid or awkward. Some students will remain close to home, in which case they'll probably have close friends nearby. However, for students who go to a school somewhere out of state, they likely will know no one. Don't worry, this is perfectly fine.

The best way to meet new people with similar interests is to look for clubs in the school, go to the gym and/or spend time outside the dorm. College isn't just about training for future careers. It is about experiencing life and developing as an individual who functions well in society.

DON'T FORGET ANYTHING! HERE'S A FULL COLLEGE DORM CHECKLIST:

Before anyone heads off to college, it is important to check off everything on the college dorm checklist.

Here are the essentials every first-time student needs to have:

Bedding

Cooking

CONCLUSION

College is an incredible time in the lives of young adults. These are the years when individuals are making new friends on their own, being away from home and discovering what is important to themselves. It's also important to start out on the right foot with the dorm experience.

The best way to get a proper start to the first semester is to go through the college dorm checklist item by item and make sure everything is accounted for, packed and ready for move-in day. This way, as a student checks off items on their college dorm checklist, they can rest at ease that, once they've moved in, they can start to enjoy their new life experience and challenges that lie ahead.