Dorm Essentials

<p>Yeah, there's like a small mirror in there.</p>

<p>It's hard to nail into cinderblock walls, so I suggest just getting 3M hooks (the really tiny ones work great, and trust me, NO residue is left behind!) or the sticky putty stuff.</p>

<p>that and nailing them would probably result in some hefty fines. There is another to add to your list:</p>

<p>3m hooky things</p>

<p>oh and do we absolutely need a rug?? i was basically done with all my shopping, but now i keep remembering something that i might need...ahhh</p>

<p>You should get a rug. Cold, dusty tile floor isn't fun. Home Depot, Lowes, and other places like that should have some. You can wait until move-in day to buy one (there's vendors set up around grounds) but they're expensive.</p>

<p>I noted that one of the IRC dorms felt all sticky and bumpy barefoot ... do any dorms have a common mop and pail? Do we have to bring our own?</p>

<p>This isn't a hotel. Bring you're own.</p>

<p>I'll just borrow galoisien's.</p>

<p>shoebox: I was wondering if the halls had janitorial closets whose equipment we could borrow.</p>

<p>I'm confused because the dorm "what to bring and what not to bring" advice for first years has no mention about cleaning equipment of any sort. I shall bring a tiny pocket-sized broom and dustpan, but that's it.</p>

<p>Who am I going to get my mop and pail from now?</p>

<p>
[quote]
You can wait until move-in day to buy one (there's vendors set up around grounds) but they're expensive.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>That's bad news. During Orientation I went to see the sample room at McCormick and the girl who was there to answer questions said that vendors sell rugs up and down Emmett St for cheap, like 15-20 bucks.</p>

<p>Was she wrong? My roommates mother wanted to buy the rug for us at the book store but they held off based on my information. </p>

<p>Did I mess up?</p>

<p>Living in the IRC is not typical first year dorms so it doesn't apply if it's "not there." IE in Brown you have to clean your own bathroom so just because it isn't on the first year list of things to bring doesn't mean we shouldn't bring it.</p>

<p>I actually had a rug my first year and didn't use it at all last year and don't plan on bringing one this year. My roommate on the other hand loves having one. Another thing to remember is that these rugs will most likely be gross by the end of the year (or maybe it's just that my roommate is an art major so she had to trash hers this summer and get a new one).</p>

<p>just finished dorm shopping with my girlfriend today >]. So excited to pimp out my jail cell in hereford, i made sure to bring some christmas lights and lots of pictures, random stuff like a usb disco ball</p>

<p><em>Ahem</em> correction:</p>

<p>3m hooky thingys
usb disco ball</p>

<p>haha ehiunno.</p>

<p>I got the 3m hooky things too, to hang my xmas lights on. </p>

<p>on a serious note, do you know when the majority of the contracts for living off campus 2nd year start? I was planning to maybe find a friend or, if i have to, sign a earlier contract so that at the end of 1st year, all my winter clothes, stuff i dont want to bring home i can just instead leave it inside a friend's off campus housing.</p>

<p>I just thought I would let everyone know that I had an EXTREMELY productive day and bought tons of stuff.Including lunch and dinner. :) and got a PPD shot. :( Now, just the most expensive thing(s) to buy: clothes!!!</p>

<p>rug: home depot has them. 6x8 for $25. lots of colors. good quality. I think I saw them at Walmart for $20 for a 6x8. fewer colors. I would also recommend getting a little welcome mat thing to wipe your dirt and other stuff you may get on your feet. Got one at home depot for $2. Nice, industrial grey. about a 2x3. home depot also had a 10x12 rug for $34. remember a rug pad thing so your rug stays in place. I'm not buying from the bookstore because some guy (WDstrongjr or something) was on CC and every opportunity he had, he he was like buy from the bookstore!! so, i'm not buying it from them.</p>

<p>cleaning and such: most likely, you'll have a rug if you're in regular first year housing. a mop and pail doesn't seem like the most efficient thing in the world to clean a rug. If you have a spill on the regular floor, just get a paper towel, wet it, and wipe. (step 2 is even optional.) on that note, bring paper towels. I bought a hand vacuum.</p>

<p>Dirt</a> Devil KONE Hand Vacuum - Floor Care - For the Home - Macy's</p>

<p>It's pretty amazing. And it's on sale. I'm sure you can find a 15% off coupon somewhere (or do what my mom does, and establish a really good relationship with someone who works at macys and doesn't mind using more coupons then you're allowed). It looks pretty great, I won't lie. And apparently it works well too. If that's a little pricey, you can buy this one:</p>

<p>Amazon.com:</a> Dirt Devil 08220 Scorpion Quick Flip Vacuum: Home & Garden</p>

<p>it's $20.</p>

<p>We have a Dyson hand vac at home. It's pretty good, if anyone is looking into it. I use it to clean my car.</p>

<p>pmanliu: you don't have to drag your stuff home. For summer, just rent a storage room. It's not expensive at all. And it's a lot cheaper than paying an extra 2-3 months rent.</p>

<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-virginia/501954-storage-facility-summer-months.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-virginia/501954-storage-facility-summer-months.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>powderpuff did this over the summer, so she would be able to give a better, more informed opinion than me.</p>

<p>fan: i bought a vornado. it's eff-ing amazing. period. I bought a small one and a medium sized one.</p>

<p>small:</p>

<p>Vornado</a> Flippi Fan - Electronics - For the Home - Macy's</p>

<p>medium:
Amazon.com:</a> Vornado 630B 3 Speed Mid Size Air Circulator, Black: Kitchen & Dining</p>

<p>Oooh, xmas lights, totally forgot! Those are great to have, especially as mood lighting or just have on as fun. I usually forgot to turn my on though a lot of the time, so this xmas I'm going out the 26th and buying a remote thingie. I'm so lazy haha. Lights in general are good to have. The overhead florescent gets old after awhile, and I know that at least in Lambeth, there's no room lights. I know it's getting close to school starting, but IKEA has awesome lights usually. I have a set of two white ones that I'll be taking that I've had for years. </p>

<p>vistany: I'm referring to the school-sponsored vendors, sorry for not being clear. Avoid those guys like the plague; the street vendors (there's one in the Budget Inn or whatever parking lot on Emmet, right across from CavInn). They have pretty basic colors though, so if you want something fun, I'd check out Target or whatnot. They usually cost $25-30.</p>

<p>pmanliu: contracts range anywhere from beginning of October to the next summer. Most sign in late Oct-November, because parent's weekend/thanksgiving gives opportunities for parents to come down. Remember, you may change your mind about who to live with between then and the next year. Hold off as long as you can. I held off until this past winter and have a baller place with people I know and like. A friend who signed his last last October isn't as excited, but is making due.
Also, most leases are 12-month and start either June 1st or August 1st, or somewhere in between. I'd look into a storage unit instead. Places often give a huge discount for renting their largest units, so look into finding a friend or two to share the space. I'd wait until second semester to do so, maybe in March. You'll need to find people you trust, as you'll all probably have access. That, and storage spaces don't really "run out". Neither does housing.</p>

<p>goloisien: once again, this is college. 13K undergrads attend, and there's no way that they can provide all of this stuff to people. Not to mention the risk of theft/damage.</p>

<p>Fans: I suggest looking into the "double fans". You can set them different speeds and different directions, so you can have your window open in the fall with air blowing in, and during the winter with air blowing out, so that you maintain a comfortable temperature and smell. Also, clip fans are great, possibly better than a stand alone fan, because you can clip it anywhere and it takes up minimal space.
Linens</a> 'n Things - Holmes Window Fan</p>

<p>Yesterday was my productive day. Spent most of the day trying to get anything and everything I need, and consequently got a nice tour of Richmond.
I got my only missing shot (menengitis) last week :(</p>

<p>I knew I forgot something...a rug! I guess I'll get it when I arrive in C'Ville tomorrow. Yay!</p>

<p>PS, I've got the Dyson hand vac at home too and it works great. A little pricer than the Dirt Devil, but it's really amazing how well it works.</p>

<p>haha. oh meningitis shot.</p>

<p>i got my meningitis shot like 2 years ago and it hurt for like a week. I knew what meningitis was but my mom didn't and she was like I don't think db needs the shot. And my doctor was like uhh okay. and I was like " NO. GIVE ME THE SHOT." my mom was like w-t-f? and I was like "woman, i would rather get this shot than amputate my arm or another appendage." and then I turned to my doctor and said "stick me doc." and stuck out my arm. </p>

<p>and then when we were driving home, my mom was like, "I don't understand why you need so many shots. Tetanus, all those Hepatitis things, I don't believe in them. Those things are probably not that bad." I turned in amazement and said, "tetanus is like self poision. it's when your body basically gets stuck in painful positions and then bones start to break and muscles tear and THEN YOU DIE after being in severe pain. DIE. Hepatitis means LIVER FAILURE (okay i know it's not immediate liver failure) which means YOU DIE. so they're trying to save me from DYING." my mom was like "i think you're being overdramatic. no one dies of hepatitis." </p>

<p>i stopped talking because i thought my head would implode.</p>

<p>They are all important. I was at a doctor neighbor's house and she was like "you really really need meningitis, college is full of disease and everyone is so close together" so she phoned in the shot to the pharmacy, then did it in her house, there was no debate, jammed straight in. If your mom needs convincing, a friend of mine almost died of meningitis last year, so it does happen. Tetanus would be awful, one of the first muscles groups to get stuck is your jaw. You wouldn't be able to open your mouth for anything!</p>