It’s an exciting but sad day, packing the stuff in your room at home to take to your new home - college. As simple as this seems it is quite a challenging process. I have seen many campus housing or fraternity/sorority rooms overflowing with junk that will never be used, as well as several students who have had to borrow everything from their roommate or new neighbors.   You will not want to be on either end of that continuum, but somewhere in the middle.  Space is usually at a premium, so efficiency is the goal.

So, what should you bring?

The first thing you should do is call your roommate and coordinate what each of you is going to bring. There is nothing worse than having two refrigerators but no TV or, worse still, two of everything!

Here is a list of things that will likely come in handy during the year.  Not all of them are a must, but hopefully there will be some in this list that you hadn’t thought of.

• Television 
• VCR/ DVD player
• Microwave
• Refrigerator (or a micro-fridge combo unit)
• Cell phone with good service/coverage where your college is
• Digital camera to capture all your new friends and fun
• I-Pod/MP3 player/Stereo with a docking station
• Computer (preferably a laptop), with peripherals
• Three prong extension cords
• Power strip/surge protector
• Sports equipment (football, volleyball, basketball, and any other type of ball)
• Desk Lamp
• Alarm Clock (maybe two)
• Laundry bag or basket
• Laundry soap
• Stain Remover
• Knowledge of how to do laundry or money to pay someone to do it
• One or more rolls of quarters (for laundry, the coke machine, tolls, etc.)
• Tide To Go Instant Stain Remover
• Sewing kit (needles and thread, safety pins, two-sided tape, etc.)
• Eating utensils (preferably plastic)
• Cups and plates - plastic or styrofoam (washing dishes in a community bathroom isn't fun)
• Bedding (bring a good blanket because it can get cold in campus housing)
• Anything to decorate your room and make you feel at home
• Iron and small ironing board
• PDA/organizer/planner
• Backpack
• College clothes (leave the high school T-shirts and letter jackets at home)
• Bike and (good) bike lock
• Fan (campus housing may have poor air circulation)
• Bath towels, soap, robe, etc.
• Personal hygiene items (toothpaste, deodorant, etc...)
• Shower shoes
• Shower caddy for toiletries
• Small can-opener and bottle opener
• First aid kit, including Band-aids, antibiotic ointment, ace bandage, etc.
• Tylenol or other pain reliever
• Umbrella
• Raincoat
• Rain shoes/boots
• Pictures of family, friends and/or pets
• Your insurance card/health insurance information
• Phonebook from your hometown (so you can call and order flowers for your Mom on her birthday, etc.)
• Swimsuit(s)
• Workout and/or sports clothes
• “Dress” clothes (guys, this means at least a blazer and one or more ties)
• “Grubby” clothes (who knows if you’ll go clean up along the highway, paint someone’s house or need to play mud football)
• Confidence
• Positive attitude

More importantly, what you should leave at home!!!

• Pets (Fish are marginally okay)
• High school memorabilia and letter jackets
• Full size refrigerator (rooms are only so big)
• Fire arms – even if you hunt or shoot for sport (regardless where you live at college, the security is likely not as good as it was back home)
• Expensive clothing and jewelry (This is the real world, theft does occur)

Out-of-season clothes (your closet is only so big).  If you live a great distance from your school, bring a light jacket and some long sleeve shirts for when the weather changes unexpectedly, and for cold buildings.