What to Bring to College that You’ll Actually Use

College is coming up for so many people this fall! Whether you are a returning student or a new freshman, it’s such an exciting time come a new semester! Today’s post is all of the things that you should bring to college that you will actually end up using!

When I first went to college I was going to a school across the country and couldn’t bring a car full of things. I had two suitcases and two carry-ons because I was flying. This meant that I had to be very meticulous with what I brought. This also meant that I had to buy a ton of things when I arrived (and by me, I mean my grandmother-thanks again!).

By the time I was finishing up my first year, I realized that there were so many things that I brought with me that I never even touched. So I had wasted precious space in my suitcases for something I never used. I also want to mention that I brought over more of my things each time I went home and visited.

What to Bring to College that You’ll Actually Use

*Some of the below links are affiliate links and are at no additional cost to you. I have only included links to products that I have used myself and would recommend to others.*

1. Clothes That You Wear

College is a great time to go out and meet friends. This may mean that you wear certain “party” outfits to events. Let me remind you that is it soooo not worth it to bring 400 Christmas party outfits that you will only wear once or twice. All it will do is take up space in your already small closet. Don’t bring your white go-go boots for a possible 80’s party that you’ll attend once. Try to find outfits from the clothes that you already have for any kind of events!

2. Practical Shoes

Again with “shopping your closet”. I brought over a ton of shoes of mine and usually wore about 60% of them. Be strict with the shoes that you bring over because they take up a ton of room. You can also buy new shoes or bring some more next time you visit home. My campus was quite large, so I would be walking around quite a bit. I hardly ever wore any of the heels I brought.

3. Tool Kit

This may seem super weird, but you never know when you are going to need a hammer or a screwdriver. There were times that I bought a piece of furniture or something that needed a screwdriver to assemble it. Here is a link to a compact one!

4. A Step Stool

My dorm room didn’t have a lot of floor space, so it utilized it’s vertical space. My roommate and I were pretty short, so we used that step stool all of the time. Try to find one that can fold up to save some room. You can easily tuck it into any corner. Here is a link to a similar one that I had bought. 

5. Snack Bin

Okay yes, everyone should have snacks, but I am talking about a full on snack bin. I had a small bin that was dedicated to just snacks. There were countless times that I didn’t have time to eat breakfast or it was too late to buy dinner, so that snack bin came in handy all of the time. My all time favorite snacks are Lara Bars. 

6. Important Documents

You may not think that you need a birth certificate, or your social security card but man I used mine all of the time! You may apply to new jobs while in college and I was able to pull my SS card from a drawer, instead of asking my parents to mail it to me. Being able to speed up the process was really helpful for when I was accepted into a new job.

7. School supplies

Once you get to college, you have already had at least 12 years of schooling. Odds are, you have collected some school supplies along the way. If you have a TI calculator, bring it! I had to buy an expensive calculator because I needed it for a class and didn’t have time to have my mom send me mine. Bring a ruler, a hole puncher, pens and pencils. Those supplies add up quickly and I am so glad I brought most of them with me.

8. Tupperware

Tupperware is one of those weird things that you don’t think you need until you need it. Bring some from home if you have extra or buy some when shopping. Because I am vegan and couldn’t eat at every place on campus, I utilized the kitchen in the common area quite a bit. I would always make extra so I could have some leftovers for lunch the next day. This also helped me save money too!

9. Kettle

Don’t forget to check your housing rules regarding kettles! My roommate actually brought one and we used it all of the time! Whether you want some ramen or a nice cup of tea/coffee on a cold night, having hot water was a great bonus to have.

10. Personal Items

While you may not want to bring your most prized items to college, do bring your own personal items! You will be in an unfamiliar place living with unfamiliar people. I brought some of my stuffed animals and decor to make the place feel a bit more homey.

Related Posts: 

College Orientation- What to Bring, What to Ask and Where to Go

11 Tips for the Summer Before College

7 Things I learned in College

Have you started to think about what you’ll bring to college yet? Did you find any of things helpful when you went? Let me know in the comments below!

-Camille Grey-