If you’re like me, you definitely spent the greater part of the summer after your senior year of high school scouring Pinterest for all the tips you could find about what to bring and what not to bring to college. While these lists are uber helpful, I found that a lot of them leave out a few items that I find myself using all the time. After 2 years of college (!), I’ve compiled a list of 7 essentials to add to your college packing list. These items are almost as important as bringing sheets and underwear!
1. A Christmas Sweater
I can promise you that you will end up wearing a Christmas sweater before October – don’t ask me how, but someone always wants to start Christmas a little early. The best place to find that perfect ugly sweater is a thrift shop.Hit up the Salvation Army before you go to school and you won’t be stuck scrambling for a sweater in October when they’re all gone!
2. A Cactus
When you live in the Arctic Midwest like I do, there’s some days in the winter where you swear you’ll never see anything green again. This year, my roommates and I purchased a cactus from Ikea, and it’s probably the best $5 we’ve ever spent. Phil is the perfect amount of green to brighten a dreary day, and we only have water him every 2 weeks (although we did leave him at school over winter break and he’s still doing great! 🙂 )
3. A Flannel
A flannel is another item that you’ll find yourself wearing over and over again – they’re perfect for throwing on with a pair of leggings when you’re running late for class, and I guarantee that you’ll find yourself looking for one before some kind of 90s grunge or cowboy-themed event. Pick one up along with a Christmas sweater at the thrift store!
4. Holiday Decorations
Window clings, streamers, banners, throw pillows, door mats, door decorations, lights…Anything to make your dorm room/apartment a little more festive! My roommates and I love these window clings from GelGems for our mirror . They’re so easy to put up and can be used for almost any holiday!
5. A Hammock
When the weather is nice, you can always find people in hammocks scattered about campus. I love (trying?) to do homework in my FOX hammock when the sun is out, plus it’s a great way to just relax and enjoy the beauty of campus.
6. Socks
More socks means less laundry and more warm toes on a cold linoleum dorm floor. Â Athletic socks, boot socks, holiday socks, fuzzy socks…make sure you have them all because you WILL find yourself wearing all of them at some point!
7. Pencils
Okay, this probably seems like something that you would obviously bring to college, but I’m telling you to buy the 50 pack of mechanical pencils at Target before you get to school because you’ll probably be down to one pencil by November. Trust me, they’ll get stolen/broken/lost in the abyss of your backpack daily, so stock up now
Those are my must-have items that weren’t on my college packing list when I was a freshman! I’d love to hear what y’all ended up bringing to college. Comment down below!
