5 Things You Need If You're Dorming

I could make a thousand of these lists of "things you need if you're dorming", but if you're going to listen to any of them, at least give this list a shot. Necessities will obviously depend on the type of person you are and the type of dorm that you have. However, I find that these five items are universally needed and potentially overlooked.

1. Command Strips + Hooks (x)

This should be number one on every single list ever. These suckers are absolute lifesavers. Regular tape can remove paint from the walls, nails will cost you (literally, you could get fined), and sticky tack just doesn't cut it. They make these command strips in all different sizes for different weights. I hung up a massive corkboard with the larger command strips this year. In addition to the plan old command strips, definitely look into getting command hooks too. I used them to hang strings lights along my wall and my roommate used them to hang her keys on. They're all multi-use and are a serious must.

2. Headphones (x)

The dorms are going to be loud at one point or another, whether it's out in the hallways or in your actual rooms. Sometimes, you're not going to feel like going to the study room or to the library to escape it, and why should you? Headphones will save you from your morning-bird roommate who always goes to bed before midnight or your noisy floormates who run up and down the hallway screaming their heads off at the wee hours of the morning.

3. Twin XL sheets (x)

I've mentioned this before, but it really is essential to have Twin XL bedding. I thought that this was a given, but my friend who is dorming next year was just going to use his twin bedding from home and I had to tell him that that wasn't going to cut it. I might have also called him a moron, but that's just the nature of our relationship. So, yes, twin xl bedding only (unless your university specifies otherwise).

4. Flip-flops (x)

You might need these for the shower, if you have communal showers on your floor. I needed these for laundry. I wasn't about to lace up some sneakers or get all dressed up in some loafers to go throw in a load of laundry. Fall, winter, spring, I wore flip-flops down to the basement no matter what season it was. They're just so convenient to just throw on when you're in a rush. Or, as I said, if you've got showers that you share with more than a few people.

5. Lanyard + ID Holder // ID Holder with strap (x)

This has less to do with your dorm and more to do with the convenience of just being able to carry your ID and maybe a credit/debit card. At my school, you pretty much have to scan to get into everything. Scan to get into the dorm building (after a certain hour), scan past the check-in desk to access the elevators or staircase, scan in the actual elevator to make it work, etc. Then, you have to swipe your ID cards if you're going to go to the dining hall or any other dining service on campus. If you were just going out to grab a bite to eat, there's no use in bringing a whole bag for this. It took my a few weeks to realize that I didn't have to bring my purse for every dinner, so I would just bring this really old Coach change purse that my ID fit into perfectly. I hooked that onto a lanyard I was given as a gift and I was good to go. I didn't even have to take my ID out to scan it in my dorm--it went right through the outside of the change purse.