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College Tips, Dorm Room · June 4, 2024

21 Unexpected Things to Bring to College You Shouldn’t Forget

Are you headed to college and trying to figure out what college essentials you might have missed? Here’s 15 unexpected college essentials and things to bring to college that you may not have thought of!

This post is all about unexpected things to bring to college and college essentials you can’t forget to pack for college!

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This Post is a List of Unexpected Things to Bring to College

It’s easy to forget things when you’re packing for college. I’m here to tell you all the things to pack for college that you probably haven’t thought of.

These items aren’t on most college packing lists since those cover the absolute essentials. But when it comes to making college life easier and living in a small dorm room, you’ll want to consider packing these items for college.

This list includes all the unexpected things to bring to college that are incredibly useful when living in a college dorm. Yet, they’re easy to forget and not the first things that come to mind when considering college move-in.

15 Unexpected Things to Bring to College That You Didn’t Know You Needed

#1 Space-Saving Hangers

It’s no secret that dorm rooms are small. Dorm closets are even smaller. If you want to maximize your small college dorm, space-saving hangers are a must.

They allow you to stack clothing on hangers to save tons of space and fit more into your closet. A total college must-have if you don’t want to bring tons of drawers and bins for extra clothing storage.

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#2 First-Aid Kit

Photo by Roger Brown

This is one of those unexpected things to bring to college that every student should have. We’re always used to just grabbing a Band-Aid out of our home cabinet. To be honest, I don’t think I bought a pack of Band-Aids in my life before college. My mom always had them stocked in her bathroom drawer.

But when you go to college and skin your knees after a night out or get a fun little paper cut on all those college assignments, you’re not going to want to walk all the way to the health center for a Band-Aid. Keep a first-aid kit in your room to grab in a pinch and for emergencies.

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#3 Heat Pack or Electric Heating Pad

This is one of those things that is not absolutely essential, but incredibly convenient to have at college. For me, a heating pad is a must since I get muscle tension headaches that turn into migraines. This is always a life-saver.

There will likely be times in college when you need to loosen up tight muscles. You may also need to soothe an upset stomach, ease cramps, or warm up after a night out. A heating hand comes in handy every time!

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#4 Personal Safe

Unfortunately, things get stolen from dorm rooms way too often. With your roommate, your friends, and your roommate’s friends coming in and out of your dorm all the time, there are lots of chances for things to be stolen.

While you may be able to trust some of these people, there will likely be times when you forget to lock your door. This leaves your personal items open for taking. Invest in a personal safe to store your laptop, important documents, and other valuable electronics in your dorm while you’re out and about.

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#5 Desk Lamp

Photo by Karolina Grabowska

A desk lamp is a must for college students, especially when living in the dorms. There will be lots of late nights studying and doing work.

A desk lamp doesn’t take up much room and it won’t keep your roommate up when you need to continue with late night work. It’ll also help you avoid straining your eyes when completing work.

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#6 Bedside Tray

This is one of those things to bring to college that you probably haven’t thought of, but is incredibly convenient. It attaches to the side of your bed. You can set small items on it while you’re studying or chilling in bed.

This way things are easy to grab and you don’t pile up your nightstand and dresser with random stuff. A bedside is also especially helpful for lofted beds. That way, you don’t have to climb down to grab what you need at night or while studying.

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#7 Stain Remover Pen

Stains are one of the quickest ways to ruin a good outfit. You’ll spend a good hour figuring out what to wear on a night out, only to spill your drink on it.

A stain remover pen comes in handy every time to minimize the stain or remove it immediately!

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#8 Reusable Utensils and Food Storage Containers

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko

There will be many times in college when you want to take food home from the dining hall or save your leftover takeout. Getting a set of reusable utensils and food storage containers allows you to eat and save whatever meals you bring back to your dorm.

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#9 Air Purifier

College is a petri dish, let’s be honest. You’re surrounded by tons of new people and loads of sick students, especially as winter rolls around. I ended up getting pink eye, an upper respiratory infection, and laryngitis all at once during my first semester. So yes, the freshman plague is a thing…maybe even more of a thing than the “freshman 15” (although that’s out for debate).

But regardless, if you want to keep your room more sanitary by reducing airborne particles that could lead to sickness and allergies, an air purifier is a simple solution. A clear must add to your list of things to bring to college.

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#10 Water Filter Pitcher

This is one of those things you don’t think of when it comes to college packing. But, if you’re moving into a college dorm or college apartment, you’re going to want one of these to filter your water. It can help reduce metals, harmful chemicals, and microplastics in your drinking water.

You won’t have to rely on storing packs of bottled water in your dorm with one of these. You just might want to figure out the size of your fridge first to make sure it’ll fit.

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#11 White Noise Machine

A sound machine or white noise machine is another college essential you probably didn’t think of. However, it’ll come in handy and you should definitely consider getting one. Dorms can be noisy especially when people are coming in and out on Friday nights and weekends. A white noise machine can muffle out sounds that could disrupt your sleep.

It can help you fall asleep easier and stay asleep longer since it’ll drown out people talking and disruptive noises on your dorm floor.

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#12 Rain Gear

Photo by Sole Montaner

Just thinking about college and rain gear brings back vivid memories of getting caught in the rain on the way to class. One time a literal torrential downpour started on my way across campus. By the time I got to class I was sopping wet (along with half of my class). After that, I didn’t go a day without keeping an umbrella and a change of clothes in my car.

Bring a durable pair of rain boots, a rain jacket, and an umbrella to keep in your dorm or car if you’re commuting from a college apartment. You may not need them for more than a handful of occasions, but when you do, you’ll be thankful you had them!

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#13 Cold Medicine

If you’re like most freshmen, you’re bound to get sick a few times during your first year at college. You don’t want to get your first cold of the year without being prepared with some medicine.

I’d keep a medicine box with cold and flu medicine. You may also want to keep anti-inflammatory medicines in their too for hangovers or headaches.

#14 AirTag Key Attachment and Photocard Holder

I took me a week to lose my dorm key. I’m not even kidding, and it was a process to try and get a new one. Putting your room key and photo ID holder on a key ring, along with an AirTag key attachment will reduce the chances of these important items getting lost.

An AirTag key gives you peace of mind. It’ll ensure you know where your key ring items are at all times. It simply connects with your Apple device. It’ll tell you the location of the AirTag which you’ll attach to your keyring with your room key and photo ID holder. This way you won’t have to worry about misplacing or losing them.

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#15 Portable Charger

Photo by Rann Vijay

Whether you want to study at the library, cafe, or other communal space, outlets are competitive and get taken fast. Having a portable charger with you will come in handy when you want to work in these spaces.

You won’t have to worry about competing for an outlet to charge your devices. Safe to say, a portable charger is a life saver in these situations.

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#16 HDMI Cord

If you want to watch Netflix or another streamed show on your TV, you’ll need to bring an HDMI cord. You can easily hook up your computer to the TV to watch your streamed shows and movies with this.

This is also really helpful if you want to watch shows from your streaming services in the communal spaces of your residence hall.

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#17 Fabric Steamer

Is this an absolutely necessary college essential? The answer is no. But, it’ll come in handy to quickly eliminate wrinkles and keep your clothes looking presentable.

Since you’re living in a dorm, it’s likely your clothes will be crammed into small spaces to maximize storage, which can lead to loads of wrinkles. You’ll want a steamer to smooth your clothes when you have presentations or formal events. It’ll make you look more professional and put together.

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#18 Designated Going-Out Shoes

Photo by Karolina Grabowska

Another one of those unexpected things to bring to college that most people don’t think about is designated going-out shoes. I hate to break it to you, but whatever shoes you go out in will probably be trashed by the end of the semester.

From spilled alcohol, mud, dirt, and whatever else, your shoes will be covered by the end of the semester if you choose to go out. It’s not worth wearing your favorite pair of shoes to college parties. Buy a pair of shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty. Designate these as your going out shoes so you don’t have to stress if they get ruined or trashed.

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#19 Eye Mask

This is another one of those unexpected things to bring to college that’s easy to forget. When you live alone and have your own room, it’s easy to shut off the lights and go right to bed when you want.

When you live with a roommate though, there might be times when they have to stay up doing work. They may need to keep their desk lamp on or their laptop which can be bright.

These lights can interfere with your ability to fall asleep or disrupt your sleep. An eye mask is a life-saver since it’ll block out light and make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep in your dorm.

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#20 Slippers

Photo by KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA

Dorm are old, which means so are the carpets and floors. I knew more than one person who threw up on their dorm room floor after a night out if that gives you any indication of how gross they can be.

A pair of slippers will keep your feet clean and off the dorm floors. They’re easy to slip on and perfect for when you’re chilling in your room or need to walk to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

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#21 Blackout Curtains

Dorms don’t always come with thick curtains. Some don’t come with curtains at all. If you want to get quality sleep and be able to sleep in after a long night of studying or going out, get blackout curtains.

These will keep light from pouring into your room early in the morning and can help you catch up on sleep.

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Find a Complete College Packing List Here

Let us know what you think of this list of unexpected things to bring to college. If you think of any more unexpected college essentials that came in handy during your first year of college, add them to the comments section!

Posted By: hercollegelife.com · In: College Tips, Dorm Room

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Hi I'm Jill, the creator of Her College Life. From growing up in a college town to navigating undergrad and grad school, I've piled up the knowlege to help navigate all your college related questions. From college move in, dorm room living, college parties, and academics, Her College Life is a blog to help you make the most of your college years!
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