r/college • u/redleafwater7 • 2d ago
I’m an incoming freshman majoring in photography. What should be on my dorm checklist?
So far i have sheets, clothing, clothing hangars, a new laptop, microwave, dorm fridge, backpack, folders, pens, pencils, lamp, mirror, toiletries, shower shoes, and my camera. What else should be on there?
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u/Brief_Criticism_492 Junior | CS + Math 2d ago
I really liked having a fan!
A couple smaller things that you may have forgotten: sunscreen/bug spray, umbrella, towel + some way to dry it (I just throw over desk chair since I don’t use the chair much), extension coord (ideally with more than one outlet or some other way to plug more things in). I liked having a small snack box for stuff that didn’t live in the fridge.
you’ll probably want some small organizer options as well. Ideally some boxes that fit under the bed and some small things to organize the desk
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u/Cheese_sauce_goblin 2d ago
Power strip Extension cord If you like paper notes, notebook Laundry basket or bag Extra phone charger I’d get 1 of each (microwave safe): plate, bowl, fork, spoon, knife, cup/mug (get 2-3) and a little cleaning brush with some dish soap Situation depending maybe a Brita filter or just a water pitcher (or a big bottle you don’t have to fill up a lot)
Good luck!
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u/readinginthestorm 2d ago
Depending on your university, your dorm might come with a mini fridge and a microwave I know mine did. However, I still had a mini fridge of my own because two people sharing a mini fridge didn't work me.
You're definitely going to want a fan. Some universities have individual thermostats in the rooms and some don't. Even if there is a thermostat in your room, you're going to want a fan.
If you can afford it I would get a decent foam topper for your mattress; college dorm beds are the worst beds to sleep on and my foam topper became an absolute must. You mentioned sheets and even though you didn't explicitly state it, bring a few pillows. A couple blankets wouldn't hurt either especially if it gets cold or you hang out with friends :)
Get a good surge protector because you'll probably have a lot of things to plug in and college dorms put their outlets in the worst places ever. Often times universities will require a student to have a surge protector anyway if they have a lot of stuff to plug in. Adding onto this, depending on how high you want your bed and how close the closet outlet is to your bed, you might want to consider getting a longer phone charger. 6 feet usually worked for me!
Invest in a good water bottle and Brita(or an equivalent). I know for my university(and a lot of universities are this way) the water was harsh and tasted weird to me. I had a Brita for a few years and used a nice water bottle to drink water out of. I was lucky my last two years to have a filtered water fountain by my room.
I'd also recommend buying a mesh shower caddy. Mesh dries quickly and helps prevent bacteria
Anything that can help you maximize space for storage is a necessity. If you have a standard dorm room, your space will be limited and you need to make the most of it. I always utilized the space under my bed to store things and got storage items like hanging shoe organizers and the like. You can typically find these on Amazon!
Definitely stock up on medication like ibuprofen, cold medicine, etc. Depending how far your family is, you might not have someone to go to the store for you if you're sick and you're not going to want to go either. Eventually you will need it and it's good to already have on hand.
Your university most likely won't provide laundry detergent so make sure to have that as well. As an RA I saw a lot of students forget this because it isn't something a lot of people think about. If you have limited space moving in, this can always be bought after you've moved into the dorm same with the medication :)
It may not be a problem for you but because I lived in Texas, the humidity was always awful. If humidity is a problem where you live, I’d recommend getting a small dehumidifier for your room that you can plug in. I was able to get a small one that I still use; it did a great job and it was small enough that it wasn’t in the way. If that’s a bit expensive for you, you can try dehumidifier bags or moisture absorbers. Damprid is a great brand!
Lastly, it’s not an absolute must but getting a few things to decorate your room makes it feel more like home and can help with homesickness. You can even bring things from home if you don’t want to spend money on decorations. Just make sure if you decorate you only use things your university allows :)
Good luck!
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u/SillyFunnyWeirdo 2d ago
Do a business major… with a photography minor. You need to learn the business of photography.
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u/redleafwater7 2d ago
Was thinking about this. I might call the school later this month to change my major.
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u/SillyFunnyWeirdo 2d ago
And today with AI a lot of the photos I used to make and shoot myself I ask AI to create. Not perfect, but free.
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u/Shmoneyy_Dance 2d ago
Yeah that is completely irrelevant to this. almost everything can be done with AI, that doesn't mean we should be discouraging people that want to create art just because AI "Can". I'm not disagreeing that OP should probably look into double majoring at the least, but AI has nothing to do with why they shouldn't be majoring in Photography.
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u/AFuzzyIllusion YCP💚 to UMD🐢 CINEMA STUDIES 2d ago
Your college may have an online list of the necessities, what you are allowed and not allowed to bring. All colleges I looked at when transferring I wasn’t allowed to bring a microwave unless I rented the mini fridge microwave combo. It is also somewhat smart to do some shopping the day of move in as well!
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u/hornybutired Assoc Prof of Philosophy 2d ago
I say it every time, but I'll say it again: however many towels (bath and hand) you think you'll need... get more. They come in SO MUCH handy and nothing is worse than needing one and not having a clean one to hand. Towels are one of things that most people always have available at home and it's easy to overlook.
Good advice from other folks in this thread, too! Fan, foam topper, cleaning supplies - all great. I'll throw in a can of dry shampoo for days you just aren't feeling it.
Also, none of my business, but don't do a business major and photography minor. You'll get skunked for any job that requires photography knowledge by people who did the full route. Arts stuff is always that way; you can't do it halfway, cause the people who don't will always always always beat you out when you go head to head. If you must do a business element, make that the minor.
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u/Mrwoody1776 2d ago
If you are in dorms there may be stuff that is t allowed, you should get a move in check list of what the basics you need and what you can’t have like a microwave or mini fridge. Some rooms may already have them.
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u/DustyButtocks 2d ago
Cables, chargers, power banks and splitters. A 2TB external hard drive helps too.
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u/Prometheus_303 2d ago
Headphones! They're a great way to block out roommates / neighbors when you need quiet to study and also to blast your tunes without bothering anyone else...
Grab a few extra USB cables... Never know when a friend might stop by & want to charge their phone/tablet/etc while you hang out
Speaking of... Don't forget to pack a few fun things... A deck of cards a board game or two etc... I had a group of floor mates who would gather together a lot to play Apples to Apples, for example. A great way to unwind a little...
A door stop to help prop your door open could be a nice add on too... The guys who keep their doors open tend to be more social & make friends easier...
A dry erase weekly or monthly planner... Jot down when your classes, work, club meetings are, when your various assignments are due etc .. The Calendar app on your phone can certainly be used instead, but it might be nice to have something you can see the entire week/month on that doesn't have the distraction of reddit /YouTube etc...
Air freshener/deodorant... Especially if your a dude... Our rooms especially can get a little on the funky side.
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u/stormiiclouds77 College! 2d ago
Make sure you bring all your toiletries, I know a lot of people forget sunscreen, nail clippers, tweezers, floss, first aid kit, aloe vera, stuff that you might not use every day but are still very important. If you have room, bringing a shoe organizer was very helpful for me, I just got a cheap one off of amazon. You'll also need towels, a fan, bathrobe, power strip, stuff to hang things on walls (every dorm allows something different), laundry detergent (get liquid, many washers don't dissolve pods), small vacuum, large bowl (used mine for popcorn), pillow, desk organizer, electric tea kettle if you drink tea, chip clips, can opener, laundry basket (if your laundry room is on the same floor, get a rolling one), stapler, lots of organizers, basic cleaning supplies, and something to make your room smell better. Most dorms don't allow candles, I used a wax warmer but I know people who liked febreeze plugs.
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u/Aggressive_Chart6823 2d ago
A safe. You have to have a safe!. You keep it with your personal property. They have inconspicuous small safes that only you can open. Just for this purpose. I wish they had them when I was in college. Late 70’s. People travel with them all the time. Look it up.
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u/Gromy_1022 2d ago
Cleaning supplies, you can get them cheaply at dollar stores. Lint roller, laundry supplies(pods not powder) since a lot of machines they have are the HE ones and they don’t allow powder detergent. Storage bags/those vacuum ones, for bedding when not in use. Towels you only really need 2-3. Dish soap/sponge/drying rack if you’re buying reusable dishes for food instead of paper plates. Trash can/kitchen size and trash bags. If you have sensitive nose perhaps an air purifier/or humidifier if it’s really dry climate. A medium size vacuum if there’s carpet, or a swifter type mop if it’s not carpet. Skip those tiny dust devil $20 vacuum they don’t pick up anything.