<p>Having a nice messenger bag where you can put everything you need in there tightly is grand. I like having everything a gal could need (University related items as well as lotion and the like) in one bag, it is easier to deal with. </p>
<p>Also, those ten for one dollar spiral notebooks are soo nice. They are easy to tend to, and I just place whatever handouts I need in there and secure them with a little staple. A neat idea is to shrink down the syllabus and glue it on the notebook. And, if you go through one notebook on the quick, just use a binder clip to keep them together.</p>
<p>All those lists seem to cover pretty much everything... Besides obvious basics like pencils and computers, though, I'd recommend at least 5 more things:</p>
<ol>
<li>instant food like cup noodles or easy mac--it'll come in insanely handy when you're up late studying and don't want to walk to the diner in the cold</li>
<li>easily disassembled storage options... hanging shoe racks, those plastic cube things that stack on top of each other, w/e. there's never a lot of floor space in dorm rooms, and the more you can maximize space usage, the better.</li>
<li>Some sort of comfy chair or futon, if there's room for it--it'll make people want to come sit in your room more, which is amazing for making friends in those first few weeks. It doesn't hurt that this'll also make it a little more comfy to do 500 pages of reading in one night, either.</li>
<li>Some AP/SAT II books in subjects that you might take again. It sounds stupid, but I know I learned more from my AP Stat book than the $130 textbook I used in intro stats at college--much more concise, precise, and CHEAP. (This works especially well if you took the AP already and the school just won't give you credit for that class--you already have the book, so why not bring it?)</li>
<li>A LOT of underwear. (you can rewear jeans and sweatshirts if it's exam week and you're too busy and stressed to do laundry... but panties? Not so good!)</li>
</ol>
<p>Anyways... I think most of these are little things that people don't think about when they're moving in, but look back and realize they wish they had. None of it's essential, but it all will make your life a little easier... hope that helps =)</p>
<p>Lots of underwear . You could in theory go by with 3 or 4 pants and 10 shirts for an entire semester, but you'll need at least one pair of fresh underwear a day for everyday between laundry days. If you don't want to do laundry until you go home, that's upwards of 100 pairs of underwear.</p>
<p>But really people, doing laundry is not that hard.</p>
<p>I just wanted to say thank-you so much! Half the stuff on here I would never have thought of. I am going to college in the fall semester 2007, I'm a senior in high school right now, I'm going to live in a dorm, and It's always helpful to look at what other people bring to dorms. ^_^ Thanks a lot!
Kristibee</p>
<p>simplenation, I like the Eula and Swing bags. They are a bit expensive, but if I had the money to spend on bags like these, and it was a top priority in my college shopping, then I would do it. However, my Jansport messenger bag has been fitting my needs just fine :).</p>
<p>Milk crates and cinderblocks are some of the most useful things one could ever imagine. Milk crates can stand in for tables, bookshielves, ottomans, and any number of wonderful things. cinderblocks and a board makes a sturdy desk, they're also good for bed risers.</p>