Leaving home to attend college or university is an exciting time! If you’ll be moving into residence for the first time, you may have been making plans for every inch of your space for months already; on the other hand, you may not have given a thought to what you’ll need to take with you. Here are ten things to consider before you finish packing.
School supplies
You will have your own desk in your residence room. Ensure you’ve got all the school supplies that you’ll need for your classes, and keep your desk organized to make it easy and inviting to sit down and do homework. Everything should be at hand, to avoid wasting time and reduce the opportunity for procrastinating. One study tool that you might find surprisingly useful is an egg timer: set it for half an hour when you sit down to work; when it goes off, set it for ten minutes to give yourself a break, and then reset it for another half hour’s work. This cheap little mechanical device allows you to easily regulate your use of time without being distracted by touching your phone, which can be set into airplane mode and put out of sight.
A calendar, agenda or other type of organizer is essential to keep you on track. Most schools use an LMS system to post course information, and most of these have a notification option to remind you of class times, homework due dates, etc. Find out how they work, and make good use of them! In addition, a large calendar that you can write on is very useful for many students, as physically adding events to it makes them easier to remember, and seeing them in that visual format improves your organizational memory (especially if you use colours and images to denote different events).
Note: most residences prohibit the use of tacks, nails or tape to affix calendars or posters to the walls of your room, so take some removable poster tabs or stick-tack if you plan to decorate.
Computer
Just using your phone to do homework probably won’t cut it. Most post-secondary programs have a Bring Your Own Device requirement, and some describe the computer specifications you will need on their program’s website. Take advantage of back-to-school sales and choose a computer that will last for the duration of your program if you need to purchase one.
Connection
In most residences, wifi is included in your room cost. There are still a couple of residences that do not supply wifi without an extra cost or offer only wired internet in the residence rooms, so check with yours before moving in as you may need a network cable to connect to the internet. Likewise, some residences do not allow printers to connect to wifi, so you may need a printer cable if you have your own printer.
It is now unusual for residences to have telephones in the rooms, although some do offer access to a phone at their front desk. Don’t forget your cell phone charger!
Clothing
How much clothing will you really need to take with you to residence? Depending on your location, the warm summer weather may be gone very soon and won’t have returned before you leave next April, so limit the summer clothing you pack. Be prepared for rain and cold, however. You may be able to return some unnecessary items and collect more of the bulky winter clothing if you go home for reading week or Christmas break. Some programs, like aviation or dental hygiene may have dress codes or uniforms required for classes. The clothing styles on campuses are typically very casual, however, so leave your tux and ball gown at home!
Your residence room may not provide much space for storing clothing – two or three drawers and a small open closet are typical. If your room is large enough, you may be able to add a small dresser or set of shelves to increase your storage space. Closet organizers may also be beneficial. You will probably need to take your own hangars.
Use the laundry facilities at your residence regularly, and you won’t need a huge clothing supply. You will need a laundry hamper, though, as well as whatever type of laundry detergent is required for the residence’s machines. Most residences use a prepaid laundry card system.
Bedding
Check on the size of bed you’ll have in your residence room. Most dorm rooms have twin beds, while most others have double beds. In either case, you may find that your residence supplies “extra long” beds, which will require sheets that are either the next size up or that are purchased from a store such as Ikea. Many residences supply a mattress pad for your bed. Unfortunately, it will be hard to determine the quality of your bed until you actually get there – although most residences have pretty decent beds, you may end up wanting to get a foam mattress topper if you find your bed uncomfortable. A pillow and blanket or two will also be on your list, of course.
Eating
If you’re in a suite-style residence room, you will probably have a small kitchen with cupboards, a sink, and a refrigerator; if you’re lucky, your residence may also provide a microwave in each suite. In an apartment-style or townhouse residence, your kitchen may come complete with a full-size fridge and stove. You may have a full meal plan, but you will probably find that it’s convenient and desirable to be able to make your own snacks or to heat up a frozen pizza during a late-night study session.
A few plates, bowls, glasses, cutlery, a can opener and a cutting board will come in handy, along with the dishcloths and soap to clean them. Some very useful cooking appliances to consider, depending on your needs: a kettle, toaster or toaster oven, induction cooktop with pots and frying pan if you want to actually cook, or other small grills or other tools. Note that all appliances must be CSA certified and have an automatic shutoff feature to be allowed into any residence. The rules differ everywhere, so find out what appliances are permitted in yours.
Those staying in a dorm-style residence will not have in-room cooking facilities, although you may have access to a kitchen for students’ use somewhere in the building. Students sometimes take their own small cooking appliances to their dorm – again, check with your residence to see what is allowed. Many students take a mini-fridge; some residences have them for rent.
Make a list of essential snacks or food items that you’ll want to stock up on when you move in, and locate grocery stores near the residence. Planning in advance will save you time on your busy move-in day.
Bathroom
You will need to take your own towels and toiletry supplies, including soap and toilet paper. In many cases, you will also need to provide your own shower curtain and bathmat. Bathroom cleanser and cloths or paper towels will also be needed to clean up after yourself (your mom won’t be doing it for you!).
Health supplies
It would be wise to put together a small first aid kit that includes bandages, a small tube of antibacterial ointment, and cold and pain relief medications. Remember to take a supply of any prescription medications you may need (and/or a copy of your prescription). Also, be sure to take your OHIP health card in case of emergency, as well as a copy of any private health coverage that you may have (for example, if you are covered under a parent’s health benefits through their employer). Schools generally include health insurance coverage in their fee structure, but you can opt out and get a refund for this during the first few weeks of school if you can give proof of private coverage (you may have to ask or search the school’s website).
Sports and clubs
Do you expect to play a recreational sport or join a club that will require you to have specific equipment or clothing? If so, remember to leave space for this. You may be able to rent a locker if there’s an athletic centre on campus (in which case you may also need a lock). Even if those activities are not in your plans, you may find it useful to have some gym clothes and running shoes on hand, just in case, as even the social events put on by the residence may get you more active than you expected.
Transportation
Will you be taking your own vehicle to residence? If so, it will probably need to be registered with a paid parking pass for a specific lot near the residence. If you don’t have your own vehicle, you may be able to access public transportation with a monthly or yearly pass at a post-secondary student rate. Some schools offer discount transportation passes, often through the student union. If you want to take your bicycle to school, find out if there’s a place to store it in the residence building before hauling it there. Smaller transportation modes, like skateboards, are more common, as most residences are located fairly close to everything on campus. In fact, a number of schools have underground walkways between residences and other campus buildings, so you could avoid going outside at all if you so choose.
Try not to overpack!
If you will have a roommate, take advantage of the opportunity that many residences offer to connect with them before moving in. Find out what your roommate plans to take with them, and talk about any other items that either of you might find beneficial to have. There will be items for which you’ll want to share the cost (soap, toilet paper, tissues, etc.), and other items that you would only need one of (shower curtain, dish rack, toaster oven, etc.) so decide who will supply what on move-in day to avoid doubling up.
Most items you might find you need later can be bought during the semester, but remember: you will need to get all this back home next spring, so don’t end up with more than you can transport! If you do end up with too much stuff at the end of the school year, however, don’t just toss things in the garbage bin – be sure to donate them to a charity or other organization that will make good use of them.
Always check with your residence in advance to avoid taking items that are prohibited and will just be sent back home. Every residence can have different rules, so confirm that you can take your toaster, LED lights and candles before you arrive. Many residences will list what is and is not allowed on their website, but give them a call if you’re not sure about a specific item you’d like to take with you.
More thoughts on how to make the transition to residence go smoothly – academically, socially and emotionally – can be found in Ready to Launch: Navigating the Transition from High School to Post-Secondary Life – A Guide for Ontario Students and Parents.