Your dorm room is your haven; your retreat; your go-to place after every party and lecture; your home-away-from-home, where you’ll spend most of your time during your university years.
It’s likely your dorm room will only come with the bare necessities – a bed, a table, a wardrobe and a few shelves if you’re lucky. You’ve probably added some sheets, changed the curtains, put up a photo frame filled with people you love from home. These things make your room feel a bit more home-y, especially for international students who have travelled far.
But there are some essentials missing. You knew there were a couple of useful products you should have packed but forgot when you were busy packing what felt like your entire life into two large 30kg suitcases.
Still can’t remember them? Jet-lagged? Well, here we’ve noted them down – the 10 most useful items your new dorm room should have so you can nip out and grab them ASAP:
1. Long power strips
First thing’s first: let’s sort out the tech gadgets. Most rooms will probably provide the bare minimum in terms of power outlets, which is why these long power strips will come in super handy for charging your smartphone, tablet, laptop, camera, etc.
2. Earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones
Never underestimate the importance of sleep, as we have written about extensively here, here and here. Living in dorms means loud noises from parties and inconsiderate housemates. Want to study and sleep in peace? These guys are a must.
3. A printer
Unfortunately, most universities still require students to hand in physical copies of assignments. As a procrastinator, printing your final project within 30-minutes of the deadline at the university library is a risky thing to do – so many things could go wrong! Save yourself by getting your own printer.
4. First aid kit
Humans are optimistic creatures who mostly believe bad things won’t happen to them. But they do happen; cuts and falls happen to even the most graceful and careful of beings. With a box of basic OTC medicine, you won’t need to head to the drugstore at these inconvenient times.
5. Tool kit
Really? A tool kit? Trust us. If not you, everyone else in your dorm or hall will be asking to borrow this as soon as the first screw needs fixing.
6. Reusable water bottle
Stay hydrated, save money and save the planet by drinking water from a reusable bottle.
7. Electric kettle
This is to boil the water for the innumerable cups of coffee you’ll consume in college. If you’re nifty enough, you could even experiment with the kettle to make ramen or mac-n-cheese.
8. Hand-held vacuum
Crumbs pile up faster than you think when you spend hours binging on Netflix while lying on your bed. What’s easier than washing sheets? Answer: a Dustbuster.
9. Drying rack
Sure you can use the dryer but they’re not always free and are so harsh on clothes, not to mention the environment! Expendable racks circumvent this easily and can be handily stored under the bed if you’re short on space.
10. Organisers
Whether it’s shoe organisers hung over the door or multi-purpose baskets of varying sizes, get them all! Your cleaning supplies, hair tools, body lotions, etc. need a place that’s NOT your study desk, bed or the floor.