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We recently asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to tell us about the things that made their lives easier when they were in college. Here are their (extremely helpful!) recommendations:
1. A door stop that'll basically act as your wingman when it comes to making new friends.
2. A white noise machine that'll turn your room into a much-needed ~quiet oasis~ amidst the chaos of dorm life and its too-thin walls.
3. A ottoman you can use for seating *and* for storage.
"Really *anything* that doubles as storage is very useful." —RaspberryCash
Get this one on Amazon for $19.99.
4. A big 'ol pack of Tide Pods to mask all the parties your clothes will go through and keep up the illusion that they smell like ~spring meadows~.
6. A comfy chair that folds up when you're not using it.
7. A rolling laundry hamper to make laundry days ~slightly~ less of a pain in the butt.
"To take you laundry down to dorm laundry rooms... or just across the parking lot to your car to take home to your mom when you go on break." — kristins46f63bc2e
Get these from Amazon for $39.87 (3-bag sorter) and $39.99 (space-saving bin).
8. An eye mask to help you fall asleep even if every light in your dorm room is turned on.
9. An automatic air freshener that'll make your room smell 1000x times better with minimal effort (lazy people, rejoice!).
10. A planner to help you keep track of the millions of things you'll have to remember to do each week.
11. A wireless printer that'll come in handy time and time again.
12. A mini fridge to keep snacks and meals on hand because a steady food supply is absolutely crucial for late night study sessions (and, you know, just in general).
13. Mugs to help you maximize your caffeine intake (or for snacking from when you can't drink any more coffee).
"A travel mug for when you don’t have time to calmly drink your coffee in the morning (which will be always)." —sarah62
"MUGS. All the mugs. They’re great for both liquid and solid snacks. #muglyfe" —marieg4aa3c978a
Get the book mug from Fable & Black on Etsy for $13.29 and the travel mug from Amazon for $19.99.
15. Bed risers that'll help you squeeze the most space out of your tiny dorm room.
16. A variety of personal items and pictures to remind you of home sweet home and the people you miss.
17. A cooling pad for your laptop so it doesn't overheat along with your stress levels.
18. Plus a fan to cool *yourself* down.
"Most dorms don't have AC and you might not be as close to a window as you’d like. I put my fan right up against my bed and it saved me when it got brutally hot" —celestialskies
Get them both on Amazon: $57.81 for the first fan and $30.82 for the second.
19. Lots of to-go tupperware containers (if you actually like your dining hall food and want to avoid spending money on food elsewhere).
20. A shelf that'll make life easier for anyone who's doomed to sleep in the top bunk.
21. Enough surge protectors and extension cords to power up each and every one of your gadgets.
"Everyone will come into your room and need to plug in and dorms are not the like what you see on any TV show ever. You get a cement square with two outlets." —peytons4996cf828
Get this surge protector from Amazon for $18.65 and get the extension cord there for $6.09.
22. Slabs of sticky putty so you don't damage those lousy dorm room walls and end up having to pay for it.
23. A drying rack for those times when you actually do your own laundry (instead of bringing it home to mom and dad).
24. A portable speaker to use in your room, the shower, the quad.... anywhere you may want some tunes.
"Don’t be that person who plays music from your phone all the time. You'll also be the hero of the group if you bring it on camping or beach trips." —chloeasmithson
Get this one from Amazon for $19.99 (it has a long battery life *and* it's waterproof).
25. Reliable security software so your computer doesn't get screwed over by rogue viruses and the like.
26. A reliable rain jacket and pair of rain boots so you never have to drench yourself on the way to class.
"The greatest investment. It made getting around campus when it rained so much easier." —daniellek499db35c5
Get these rain-proof accessories from Urban Outfitters for $150 (boots) and $99 (jacket).
Or get a slightly cheaper pair of boots at L.L. Bean for $89.
27. A pack of chewing gum for when you're bored, stressed, or looking for ways to make new friends.
28. A pair of snazzy headphones that'll follow you wherever you go (whether it's walking on the quad, studying in the library, or working out at the gym).
"Between working off my midterm stress at the gym and eliminating distracting noises at the library, I use my headphones multiple times every day." —malloryr49f8f2c02
If you're more into ~aesthetics~, get this floral pair from Modcloth for $34.99 or if you want a more heavy duty, noise-canceling pair, get this black pair from Amazon for $84.99. If you'd rather use earbuds, these are a good option.
29. A light-up magnifying mirror that'll let you get ready in the morning without pissing off your still-very-sleepy roommate.
30. A wax melter to make your room smell like a goddamn haven straight out of a fairytale.
31. A basic toolkit that'll be a lifesaver when it comes to small mishaps (plus, you'll feel so accomplished fixing things by yourself).
32. Some stain remover to save you when your favorite shirt starts to look like a Jackson Pollock painting.
33. Everything you've ever used from your medicine cabinet back at home.
"Pain relievers, fever reducers, antacids, cold medicine, bandages, etc. Chances are you will get sick during that first semester and you won’t feel like getting out to get what you need. Plus, stuff like medicine can be really overpriced at campus stores and nearby gas stations, so you’ll probably save some money buying it in advance." —LizzyNeverSleeps
We don't know ~exactly~ what medications you should stock up on (that's up to you), but you can get this compact first aid kit at Amazon for $21.99.
34. An over-the-door shoe organizer you can also use for snacks, toiletries, accessories.... anything that'll fit in those handy dandy pockets.
35. Lamps to use when you get sick of the overhead fluorescent lighting (aka five minutes after you move into your dorm room).
"You don't know it now, but you’ll come to hate the fluorescent lights in your dorm room. The warmer light from lamps can make or break a living space." —addiep4a8bd1751
Get the floor lamp at PBTeen for $149 and the unicorn lamp at The Land of Nod for $79.
36. Ear plugs for when things get really, REALLY, R-E-A-L-L-Y bad when it comes to the noisy roommate (or hallway) situation.
37. Enough underwear and socks to last you through an apocalypse (or a deep hatred/laziness for doing laundry).
38. Comfy accessories for your bed so you can actually enjoy the few hours you spend in it.
39. And an external hard drive or USB drive for backing up all your hard work and not leaving your grades up to ~technical chance~.
Now get to campus and start killing it!
The comments for this post have been edited for length and clarity.
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