The Definitive College Must Have List: Misc. List

Student Lounge College Life
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<p>There are a lot of “what should I bring to college” lists on this messageboard, but I (half-jokingly) refer to this one as the “Definitive List.” While enormously helpful, it can get tiresome to read through a thread with more than fifty replies, many often repeating the same items ten people before them have repeated. The items are never especially categorized, either. </p>

<p>The series of lists I will post are specifically categorized, come with links to examples, have personal notes and come from my own dorming experiences and the experiences of others. I’m not saying all the suggestions will work with you or are necessary to you, but I hope in some way they may help.</p>

<p>The Definitive Miscellaneous List</p>

<p>Tools/Utilities
1) Hammer
2) Screwdriver
3) Footstool (if you’re vertically challenged)
4) Flashlight
5) Batteries, especially AA
6) Umbrella- a good, sturdy one
7) Mirror-- a good mirror, from full length <a href="http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&sku=13657653&RN=241&BTSMode=true%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&sku=13657653&RN=241&BTSMode=true&lt;/a> to vanity mirrors to overhang mirrors
8) Masking tape
9) Tape measurer</p>

<p>Other
1) Swim goggles
2) Camera-- at least a disposable one
3) Address book
4) Musical instrument/music books
5) Map-- of your country, your state, the world, your college campus
6) Alarm clock: very important! J
7) Multi-vitamins (especially vitamin C, when you’re trying to keep your immune system up around cold season)
8) Cordless Phone and/or Cell Phone: very important!
9) Calendar: to keep track of the date and days; dry-erase calendars are awesome for scrawling in important events and then erasing for the next month
10) Safe or lockbox for valuables: jewelry, watches, etc</p>

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<p>Hammer
2) Screwdriver
3) Footstool (if you’re vertically challenged)
4) Flashlight
6) Umbrella- a good, sturdy one
9) Tape measurer</p>

<p>SOrry but were not preparing for a war or a new house!</p>

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<p>Hammer, screwdriver, tape measurer: they can come in handy if you're trying to construct a loft or set up a bookcase or entertainment stand/center or a desk hutch etc for your dorm. Tools might just be useful sometime. Maybe if you're a college student and tools have not become necessary for you in any situations, then fine. </p>

<p>But I've seen regular tools- hammers, screwdrivers- being used in actual college dorms, and tools were often recommended to us from college students and college experts (not ones that were trying to sell anything, by the way, but people who wanted to help inform incoming freshmen). Maybe you in particular don't think they are necessary, but for many who have been to college, they ended up being useful.</p>

<p>3) Footstool (if you’re vertically challenged)</p>

<p>Actually, footstools really can be useful. Some people really are shorter and it's easier and more comfortable for them to put store stuff at the top of their closet shelves or set up closet shelves or clothes rods, or even wash dishes at the dorm hall kitchen, when they have a stool handy.</p>

<p>4) Flashlight</p>

<p>Some college kids are near the forest/mountains, and like to go hiking and camping, so flashlights are cool. If you have to walk across campus at night, is a flashlight going to harm anyone? There are a number of random situations in which a flashlight would be useful.</p>

<p>Also, incredibly, sometimes the power does go out, even at college, and having a flashlight would be useful.</p>

<p>6) Umbrella- a good, sturdy one</p>

<p>Also incredibly, it does sometimes rain. Maybe you're in college somewhere with gorgeous weather all the time, but most schools are in four-season climates, where they'll get rain and snow.</p>

<p>Really, I can understand someone not understanding why a hammer might come in handy, but an umbrella? Do you really, like, NOT have any umbrellas in your home or anything?</p>

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<p>They just made a funny list...</p>

<p>Tools of all sorts will be usefull, you never know when you will need to tighten somethign on your wobbly bed/desk or when somethign needs to be hammered. I might even bring a dremel tool and a soldering iron...who knows what I will be creating (I might also bring my jewelry tools and supplies if I ever need to make birthday gifts for girls...2 years of jewelry comes in handy).</p>

<p>The footstool...I probobly wouldnt bring (but I am tall) and would instead rely on being able to pull the chair over where I need it. if it was a nice stool though, you could sit on it...</p>

<p>Flashlight...you should always have a flashlight wherever you live. If the power goes out or you need to go somewhere dark (or look inside something) you are going to wonder where that flashlight is. Get a newer LED flashlight and you wont even have to worry about the batteries being dead.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
10) Safe or lockbox for valuables: jewelry, watches, etc

[/quote]

I'm planning to use a plastic container that can be locked using a padlock; I see it pointless to have a metal safe. (but that's me, everyone's needs are different)

[quote]
Get a newer LED flashlight and you wont even have to worry about the batteries being dead.

[/quote]

I second that. I got one of those almost a year ago and they are much brighter, smaller, and I've yet to replace the AAA batteries, considering that I used it almost an hour a day for astronomy class.</p>

<p>May I also add this link: <a href="http://www.thedormitoryonline.com/WhattoBringtoCollege.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.thedormitoryonline.com/WhattoBringtoCollege.html&lt;/a>. Someone suggested this site on the USC forum and it is more than just a flat out list. Not everything in miscellaneous stuff is on here, but it's a good start.</p>

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<p>a tool box will come in handy.</p>

<p>and I used my flashlight multiple times. Looking for something the the roommate is alseep?</p>

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<p>You never know when you'll need a good set of tools. I came home one day from class my freshman year and my roomate had bought a workout machine from ebay and was sitting on our kitchen floor trying to put it together. Good thing I had a screwdriver! It took about 3 hours and numerous trips to other rooms for help, but we finally put it together. It then stood next to our bunkbeds with clothes draped over it and cereal bowls on the pedals for the next three months. See? Bring some tools.</p>