10 Great Items For Your Freshman Dorm

I am about to enter my final year of college. To relive the glory days I have put together a list of some stuff that will make your transition more enjoyable and full of memories.

1. It’s Gonna Be Okay Journal, Modcloth, $15

Modcloth / Via modcloth.com

Get ready for your life to be completely different! In both good and bad ways, your life will be never be the same from the moment your parents drive away. You’ll have to make independent decisions and discipline yourself, but you’ll also have new opportunities and unique chances to grow. This journal (or any journal) will help you sort out all “the feels” you will be feeling. Sure, opening a Word doc and typing things out is therapeutic, but there’s just something about the physical act of writing that makes you feel better. It makes what you are feeling seem… more concrete.

2. Dancing Water Speakers, Urban Outfitters, $40

urban outfitters / Via urbanoutfitters.com

Many dance parties will take place in your dorm room. Pre-parties, after-parties, and after-after-parties, too. These speakers are perfect for when your computer speakers alone just won’t do. The multi-colored LED lights inside will bring any gathering the perfect vibe. The water also moves to the beat of the song which is very groovy.

3. Bacon, Whiskey and Coffee Soap, ThinkGeek, $25 (for all three!)

ThinkGeek / Via thinkgeek.com

This one is probably my favorite. These bars of soap are not only vegan, but they have not been tested on animals. And if you suddenly become a liberal a few months in like many college students, you’ll be proud to announce how environmentally friendly your soap is to your new friends. But seriously! Bacon, whiskey and coffee scents – can you get any more college?

4. Bicycle, Schwinn, $190

Schwinn / Via schwinnbikes.com

Chances are, as a freshman, you won’t have a car. That being said, a bike is a helpful and quick way to get around campus. Plus, if your campus is anything like mine (super hilly), it’s a great way to keep off the Freshman Fifteen!

5. Posters, Etsy, prices vary

An Epic Year / Via etsy.com

Posters are a great opportunity to add personality to your room. Instead of getting that typical Bob Marley poster, or the “keep calm and carry on” graphic, try out Etsy. You’ll be supporting independent artists and the prices are perfectly reasonable.

6. Dry-Erase Calendar Decal, PBTeen, $19

PBTeen / Via pbteen.com

My roommate had this very decal freshman year and I was very jealous. Between remembering test dates, club meetings, and trips home, this giant calendar won’t let you forget a thing!

7. Alarm Clock, Target, $10

Target / Via target.com

You and your parents are more than likely shelling out a lot of money for your education. So you best be waking up for class on time! Cell phones die and you can’t rely on your roommate to wake you, so you should get an actual alarm clock. I picked this one in particular cause it’s ca-yoot. I highly suggest getting a more simpler alarm clock as opposed to one that likes to run around your floor or one that makes obnoxious noises. If your classes are before your roommate’s and they have to hear that every morning, you may not make it to the end of the semester!

8. Keurig® K10 MINI Plus Brewer, Bed Bath and Beyond, $100

Bed Bath and Beyond / Via bedbathandbeyond.com

Freshman year means Gen Eds. Gen Eds means writing papers you don’t care about. Writing tough papers means drinking lots of coffee. If you don’t like coffee now, oh, trust me, you’ll learn to! This baby Keurig makes one cup of Joe and since it’s tiny it won’t be intrusive in your dorm room. They also come in fun colors if you are feeling adventurous. (Other fun things from Bed Bath and Beyond include the one and only Chillow, as well as this oddly shaped bean bag chair.)

9. Making College Count, Amazon, $12

Amazon / Via amazon.com

I picked this up the summer after my freshman year and it radically changed my views of college. I thought that once I made it college, I was done. I could get okay grades and do a few extra-curricular activities here and there, just so I had something to talk about in interviews, and I’d be golden. Such is not the case. Especially in this economy, you need to make the most out of your college experience. This book will help guide you on how to do that. And don’t worry – no where does it say you can’t have fun in the process.

10. A Pair of Bean Boots, L.L. Bean, $110

Peter Nettleton / Via ordealbymoleskine.wordpress.com

I wear my bean boots around campus for rainy days in the spring and fall, and on snowy days during the winter. You’ll be doing a lot of walking and being cold from class to class is no fun. Be prepared – that means a raincoat and umbrella, also!