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College Checklist

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dave127

Senior member
Alright, it's getting to be that time when I have to go out and get stuff for my room for school next year. Anyone have any tips on must have's for a dorm room? What size tv? Should I get a laptop to go along with my desktop? LCD monitor? Any other general things? Thanks for your help.

Dave
 
Condoms, vacuum cleaner (you can loan it out to people on your floor for like $1 per time), good speakers, tons of snacks, notebooks, extra long sheets/comforter, fridge, microwave, small tv (big ones are more trouble than they're worth), cables for connecting everything (coax for TV, RJ-45 for computer), TONS AND TONS OF POWER STRIPS (at U of M there is one double outlet for each roommate...it sucks), posters, carpet if your room isn't carpeted, possibly a loft (although I think they're more trouble than they're worth).

That should just about do it.
 
call your roomie if you have one. Figure stuff out from there.

My general list goes as follows:
Phone with Caller ID and answering machine
at least a 19inch tv
Microwave (if allowed, my school does) 500-1000w
Mini-fridge...about 3.5 cubic feet or larger
Computer and monitor (LCD if with a roomie, if not a CRT will be fine because then you will have more room)
Stereo (hooked up to computer so i dont have comp AND normal speakers)
Toilet paper (that one ply sh!t just doesnt cut it)
Printer/Scanner....has saved me and a couple guys on the floor
CD-r...100 should be fine
 
Originally posted by: brunswickite
i have a 21 inch trintron and a TV/Radio card,

replaces TV, Radio, esp on my z560's.
Click to expand...

Good recommendation.... quite a few people I know have used TV tuner cards to watch/tape TV.

I wouldn't bring a TV much over 21" if you expect to move it in and out a lot. I know at NCSU, you were forced to take the steps (read: no elevator), so carrying a 32" TV (like I did my senior year) was really a PITA.

As I've told LOTS of college students, investing in some of those "collapsable" crates is a good idea. If you have several, you can either 1) store misc stuff in them or 2) collapse them and shove them under your bed.

As far as a laptop, if you want to get one, go ahead. As more campuses get wireless, their benefits increase. HOWEVER, as RossMAN stated, get a lock. Or a roommate you can trust. Or both. 🙂 My sister screwed a small "safe" to the floor of her wooden closet to lock hers up when she was gone for extended periods of time. 🙂
 
Originally posted by: RossMAN
If you get a laptop, unless you lock it down all the time it WILL be stolen.
Click to expand...

If you are living in dorms, I recommend NOT buying a laptop first year. It's not really needed. UT Engineering tried to get me to buy a laptop all year long and I didn't...never considerably affected what I could or couldn't do. My best friend brought a loaded desktop and an LCD, his roommate brought a $2K dell laptop. Their dorm got broken into...my friend just lost a jacket and some clothes, his roommate lost his laptop.

It happens more than you would think.

Other important things that I brought....

(I lived in a private dorm tho, so I had more room that you might have)

gaming consoles are really a good idea. It's a good way to meet people, and it is not uncommon to see several 100m lan cords running along the dorm floor. But they too might get stolen, just watch out for them.

The laundry detergent tablets are a good idea. They're smaller and work good in dorm washers (they don't work in the new front-loading ones though).

Most of the stuff you think you will need....you won't. If you can get a TV tuner card, that'd be good. I brought two grand worth of speaker/receiver/tv/dvd players to my dorm. It was good to have when people came over, but we really didn't watch all that many movies.

If your dorm is really small, like most are, you probably won't spend too much time in there. That's why the console is a good idea, you can take it around and meet the guys on your floor. As for meeting the girls....you're on your own for that. Your dorm should provide you with a minifridge, throw a couple of small 'parties'....but that depends on your school. We could wheel around kegs and not have anyone say a thing to us.

 
i once had someone steal a normal corded phone from my dorm room 🙁 nothing else gone, just the phone.
 
ok.. I'm good at this!

you need to talk to your roommate about the big things you'll only want one of (microwave, fridge, carpet, tv, etc).. split those up.

you need:
alarm clock
laundry bag
laundry soap
desk lamp
trash can (add that to the talk to the roommate about list)
basic dishes (mug, glass, plate, bowl, knife, fork, spoon at a minimum)
toiletries..
OTC meds.. for colds, flu, sore throat, stomach upset, headache
first aid supplies (bandaids, peroxide, neosporin, an ace bandage isn't a bad idea either.. a thermometer might be handy too.. ice pack?)
umbrella
waterproof jacket
fan (especially if your dorm isn't airconditioned, but even if it is)
sheets
towels
blanket
pillow
a giant pillow, or a folding chair
frisbee
groceries (coffee or cocoa, popcorn, easy mac, ramen, applesauce, poptarts, juice)
camera
2 good books
cleaning supplies (minimum, windex, sponge, dust cloth, dish soap, towel)
a board game

heh. that ought to get you started.

 
This is a really good thread. I'm starting to figure this stuff out too.

I'm not going to get a laptop, but I'm thinking about a small form factor PC. I would need a lock though since they're easy to steal - think this is a good idea or should I just get a midtower (currently have a full tower but there is no way I'm keeping this beast of a case)?

Also, what about a PDA with a WLAN card and keyboard for when I work in the library? I know I'll probably get distracted in my dorm at times, would this be a wise investment?

Thanks.
 
Heh, I posted a thread like this two years ago when I was prepping for college.

You'd be amazed at the number of things that seem inconsequential but everyone comes knocking at your door to borrow because they don't have them.

Printers are a BIG one. I don't care how many fully-loaded computer labs your school has, people would much rather print out their big paper in their dorm five minutes before it's due and then run it down to hand in to the prof than run to a computer lab, print it, and then hand it in.

A digital camera is another thing... especially when you're new to college, everyone wants to document every aspect of their new life and share it with their "back home" friends who are either still at home or at another college somewhere ("OMG first we moved in and THEN I saw this girl and THEN we went to a party and THEN we ran into so-and-so"... this insanity usually lasts about two weeks, at which point most people calm down and realize that everyone else is either going through the exact same stuff or they don't care anymore
rolleye.gif
) . Email with pictures is the easiest way to do this, so people always want to borrow my camera to take pictures of their dorm room or their new gf or some guy who passed out while puking in the bathroom.

If you want people to come to YOU to hang out (trust me, it's cool to be that guy), make sure your room has interesting stuff to do and places to sit. This year everyone would come over to watch Family Guy episodes or movies or play drinking games. We could seat about about 10 people comfortably or 15 uncomfortably... three on our couch, two people could sit on each bed, one on our recliner, and me and my roomie in our desk chairs. Granted there was no room to WALK in the room, but it's great to have people come to you to hang out. We had a little table in the middle that had coffee table books on it, and we used it to play drinking games on. Cool posters, christmas lights (they're a wonderful college cliché )

And if you want girls to be inclined to... stay over 😉 make sure the room is girl-friendly. Sure me and my roomie like Playboy, and there's the obligatory porno on from time to time, but don't go flaunting it when ladies are around. I even have a small kit of extra toiletries (extra toothbrushes, contact lens cases, towels, even some tampons, etc) so that when a girl says "I have to go home because I need XYZ" you can say "Ah, but I've got it right here"... and unless she was using that line as an excuse to leave, chances are she might wanna stay.

But since this is ATOT you might be inclined to just fvck up whenever a girl is around and then post YAGT. 😛
 
Get the condoms from the health center, they're usually free.

Booze, get 2 kinds, good stuff for you and girls, cheap stuff to share.

If you're paranoid about getting stuff stolen, insurance. I'm just waiting for my laptop to get stolen so I can get a new one ($80 for $3000 replacement coverage).
 
thanks guys...lots of good stuff in here...im going to PSU, so bringing in the booze isnt a problem, although my room is small....it already comes with a minifridge and a microwave....i think i may invest in some nice headphones and speakers and a large lcd and tv tuner...im picking up an xbox to take to school with me as well, so i can leave ours at home for the younger brother
 
you people are pack rats.

When I lived in the dorms I brought my:

clothes
bedcover
pillow
bookbag
pens
alarm clock/radio
notebook
tooth brush
tooth paste
soap
shampoo
deodorent
electric shaver
flip flops

Everything fit in 1 large suitcase
If it didn't fit, I didn't bring it. Except the computer. I kinda wish I brought mine when I lived in the dorms.


You can buy everything else at a local supermarket.
 
Ok, I learned this last year.

No laptop.
Carpet
Couch (if there is room, we had bunkbeds)
Cordless phone
Xbox w/Halo and 4 controllers (get the xbox instead of a PS2 if you want a game system. Multiplayer Halo == heaven)
Lcd display (if there is not much room)
Microwave
Refrigerator
Easy Mac
Cheap bowls
A 100 pack of party cups
Sandals for the shower
The poster of the Squirrel with the big nuts saying "Hellllllllllllloooo Ladies!"
One of those tall pole lamps

That should get you started.
 
you need
your pc 😀
tv ~ 19-25'
microwave
mini fridge
posters
very very good speakers
a nice office chair (the ones they give you usually suck unless you are lucky)
laundry baskets 🙂
reading light
dvd player
dgital camera if you already dont own one
ti-92 plus calculator
a heavy safe box
...
 
Everyone pretty has it summed one, one thing they forgot is Duct tape. Duct tape fixes everything. And I second multiplayer halo, some of my best friends I;ve gained in college are through that game. As for the booze, remember to get shot glasses. Dixie cups can be used to substitute but they are about 2.5 shots....learned that the hard way.
 
i get by with bed-in-a-bag, computer system, and clothing. everything else is just extra sh|t you gotta pack and bring home.
 
this is what you will need... i didnt read the other posts... here are some things i wish i wouldve brung my first year in college


- a fairly nice sized TV
- alarm clock
- reading lamp
- computer, pc or laptop
- telephone and cell phone
- laundry bag (make sure it's a bag and not a plastic container of some sort... SO much easier to take it to the laundry place)
- laundry detergent
- clothes
- VCR/DVD player with lots of dvds
- ps2/gamecube/xbox something you can play multiplayer with... get good games
- soap, shampoo, toothbrush, all that good stuff
- headphones
- cd player / mp3 player for walking to class
- backpack, school supplies
- sandals for showering

that's pretty much the essentials.. and if you feel like you need anything, im sure you will meet a friend that will drive you to the store or something

have fun, good luck


edit: for me, i brought a microwave and a mini fridge but i hardly used it since in the lounge area, we already had a microwave + stove... so it took up room being unused and adding extra effort to the moving in/ moving out process

 
Just looking over some of the peoples lists..

Don't forget to bring a fan or some sort.. you don't want your room to always be stuffy.
 
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