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The Ultimate Printable Packing List for Going to College, as a Freshman or as a Graduate Student
Try to acquire as much of the packing list for Freshman year at college as possible before travelling to college, but if you're buying a lot of these items it can be easiest to buy them once you get to college. On the day your parents drop you off, just plan a trip to one or two big box retailers in the neighborhood like Target to stock up on the miscellaneous small stuff. It's a great way to send your parents off knowing they've been helpful.
Enrollment Papers & Finances:
- Tourbook & maps; tickets; your itinerary
- Emergency information: who to contact in case of one
- All enrollment paperwork
- Schedule of classes & any notes you made in course catalog for selecting courses
- Checkbook, debit or credit card, etc.
- ID such as drivers license
- Old fashoined printout of contact information for key family & friends; when the web crashes and your computer's lost, you want to be sure to be able to contact a few key people.
Computers and Gear:
- One or two power strips, maybe extension cord, a 2 to 3 prong adaptor
- A couple ethernet cables in case you need them, the longer the better
- Your computer & power supply if it's a laptop
- Headphones for computer, consider USB headphones with mic to Skype home for free
- Webcam to keep in touch with friends & family?
- Printer (& extra ink cartridges)
- Surge protector
- Fan
- Telephone
- Camera
- If you have a secure list of passwords for online accounts, bring this, but be sure to keep it in a secure fashion (KeepandShare is a great place to keep your passwords securely online)
- Cellphone & charger
- Software on CDs that you might need to reinstall on your computer or install on a new computer
- iPod & charger & cables & earphones
- Backpack / messenger bag
- Small tool kit: consider hammer, screw driver, eye glass screw driver...
Clothing:
- Socks - dress - 2 pair
- Socks - 4 athletic, 15 other
- Bathing suit - 2
- Belts - 3-4 different styles including 1 very nice
- Hankerchiefs - 11
- Jeans - 5
- Shorts - 7
- Long-sleeved shirts (button ups) - 6
- Light zip up jacket
- Medium jacket
- Glasses & sun glasses
- Pajamas - 4 bottoms
- Sneakers - 2
- T-shirts - 13
- Button up short sleeve shirts (polo, etc.) - 5
- Underwear - 15
- Bath Robe (for the trip to those shared bathrooms)
- Hat
- Khaki pants
- Black dress pants - 1
- Suit (easy to clean) - 1
- Sweatshirt - 1
- Umbrella - 1
- Raincoat - 1
- Winter coat (s), scarf, cap, gloves, boots
For the Dorm Room:
- Sheets and pillowcases
- Pillows
- Mattress pad
- Blankets
- Bedspread or comforter
- Sleeping bag
- Towels
- Bedside lamp
- Desk lamp
- Storage such as footlocker, wire/plastic crates, cardboard boxes
- Fan
- Waste basket
- Alarm clock/clock radio
- Dry erase board
- Laundry basket / or real big laundry bag is even better
- Iron
- Laundry detergent
- Hangers
- Quarters for laundry
- Clorox wipes. Cleanup sticky spills.
Toiletries:
- Medication (a little kit of Tylenol, Advil, and cold medication (if you don't need it, your friends will!)
- Shampoo/conditioner
- Styling products
- Vitamins
- Nail clippers
- Tweezers
- Lotion / sunscreen
- Razor and shaving cream
- Shower tote / shower caddy
Office/Desk Supplies:
- Blank CDs & DVDs to burn
- Stapler and staples
- Printer paper
- pens and pencils
- pencil sharpener
- Notebooks
- Pocket folders
- 3x5 cards
- Post-it notes
- Paper clips
- Rubber bands
- Scissors
- Highlighters
- Ruler
- Hanging files & Manila folders (or you can keep all your notes & files securely online in KeepandShare -it's free!)
- Stamps
- Envelopes
- Sticky-tack to hang up posters, pictures and decorations (dorm damage fees can be expensive from duct tape, nails, glue etc.)
Shared Items:
(Check with roommate(s) to avoid duplication)
- Audio equipment
- TV and/or DVD player (coax cable for the TV)
- Coffee maker
- Microwave (often can be rented from the college)
- Hotput to make hot water for tea & coffee (if no microwave)
- Small refrigerator (often can be rented from the college)
- Area rug
- Couple fav posters from home for comfort factor
- Dry-erase board for your door (so people can leave you messages)
- Plants
Late Night Snacks:
- Top ramen
- Mac-and-cheese- especially the individual microwave variety
- Poptarts (also doubles as perfect breakfast-on-the-go)
- Cheez-its, because who doesn't need Cheez-its?
- Cup-of-Noodles-hands down, a college student’s best friend--perfect for late night cramming and hey, no dishes!
Misc Tips from Experienced Parents:
- Rolls of quarters for washing machines. More than a few parents said rolls of quarters were one way of helping do their children's wash without physically being there.
- The cure-all: duct tape. It's not a joke. Students need it to tape down all those wayward cords, fix broken items and hang things.
- Batteries. All sizes, and don't forget chargers. Most students forget that camera and calculator batteries die with lots of use, and there's not a go-to drawer filled with batteries like there is at home.
- Flip-flops for those community showers. They forget too that college dorms can be welcoming venues for germs.
- Flatware. At least one fork, knife and spoon are necessary - and often more if students tend to lose them. A box of plastic utensils is one suggestion. How about a plastic bowl and plate & roll of paper towels.
- Lighting such as flashlights and lamps. Lighting in dorm rooms is notoriously poor.
- Over-the-door storage units for shoes or extra hanging clothes or under-the-bed boxes. Dorm rooms are small. Need we say more?
What's Missing?
Leave a comment on this document if you think we should add something to this list!
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