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As your high school graduate prepares to make the move from home to dorm, keep this checklist of college essentials handy.
Basics
- No. 2 pencils or mechanical pencils
- Large eraser
- Ballpoint pens in a variety of colors for note taking
- Notebooks or loose-leaf notebook paper
- Ruler with English and metric measurements
- Sticky notes and flags (Many bookstores will allow students to sell back books that haven’t been written in or highlighted; use these tools to mark important passages and make notes in books without writing in them!)
Organizational helpers
- Three-hole punch
- Backpack/messenger bag
- Scotch tape
- Stapler
- Scissors (It’s smart to buy one large pair and one smaller, craft size pair.)
Study aids
- Index cards (Great for making flashcards.)
- Highlighters in a variety of colors
- Calculator (Check class requirements before investing in an expensive one. Graphing calculators, for example, are required in many college math and science classes.)
- Schedule/planner (While students may use their smartphones to set reminders about due dates, class times, and appointments, a hard copy can still come in handy.)
Basic living materials
- Bedding
- Roll of quarters or loaded laundry card (depending on what your school requires.)
- Toiletries
- Towels
- Laundry detergent
- Laundry tote (The laundry room may be a hike from their room.)
- Hangers
- Drying rack for laundry
- Plastic cups, utensils, and plates
- Water bottles
- Pitcher
- Can opener
- Small refrigerator (Double check what size is allowed before purchasing.)
- Vitamins, allergy meds, and pain relievers such as aspirin or ibuprofen.
- Cleaning wipes
- Air fresheners
- Flip flops or other shoes to wear in the shower
- Case for carrying toiletries to and from the shower (Choose one that has holes in the bottom for drainage.)
- Desk lamp for a well-lit study space
- Handheld vacuum cleaner
- Tool set (This should include the basics, such as a hammer, screwdriver, and nails.)
- Ear plugs
- Extra storage, like a trunk or storage boxes
Technology
- Laptop
- Printer (Most schools allow students access to printers; if so, this item may be unnecessary.)
- USB flash drive (To make yours recognizable, find ones fitting your personality.)
- Power strips
- Extension cords
- Headphones
- Wireless Internet Card or Mobile Hotspot — compare before deciding — to get online anywhere
Fun stuff
- Board games
- Deck of cards
- Umbrella and rain boots
- Photos
- Wall art (and adhesive strips or hooks)
- Bulletin board/cork board/dry erase board (and necessary accessories)