Helpful Tips For College Students

By Joyce McIntosh


For the first-year college student, heading away from home and out on your own is both exciting and a bit nerve-wracking. While the extra freedom is fun, it brings along with it some extra responsibility. To make your foray into the college world a bit easier, consider a few of the following helpful hints.

Packing for college is always a huge challenge. Some students bring way too much along with them, while others bring the bare minimum and find themselves lacking some basic supplies. Your college or university website should have some helpful tips about what you will need, particularly if you will be staying in a dorm or campus apartment. Create a large checklist for yourself, detailing everything you will need to bring. Be sure that you know the size of your room, as well as all of the amenities included so that you don't bring items that you don't need.

There should be several categories in your checklist including clothing, sheets, towels, pillows and blankets, as well as personal items such as shampoo, toothpaste and other similar items. If you will be using a communal bathroom with many other students, a robe, flip flops and a shower caddy will make this task easier. Laundry bags and laundry supplies are another helpful item, as well as a travel iron. A few personal items, such as photos of friends and family, are another good thing to bring along. You will need an alarm clock to ensure that you get to class on time. Also, if you take medications, be sure to bring along your meds and also find out how to quickly transfer the prescriptions to a local pharmacy or opt for a mail order pharmacy.

A tough and large backpack is essential for all students, as textbooks are often big and heavy. It is wise to invest in both a laptop and some brand of tablet. Some college texts are starting to become available on various tablets, and this can certainly lighten your load. Plus a tablet is a great way to read books for fun, as well as chat with friends and surf the web. Pens, pencils and notebooks are other important supplies that you will use every day and can store in your backpack.

While a refrigerator and/or a microwave oven are not essential items that you must have in your dorm room, they certainly do make life a lot more comfortable. Consider purchasing pre-owned items after you reach your dorm, especially if you have to tote the items a long way or have to fly to get to your college. Even a small electric kettle or a coffee pot can be handy, offering you a way to make coffee, tea or the ever popular ramen soup that college students eat by the caseload. If you have room in the dorm space, a chair or even a futon or some type of beanbag can be a cozy addition to the room as well.

Rather than pack up everything and drag it all back home during your summer break, it is easier to simply place these items in a mini storage unit. While you might be worried about storing your items, simply find an East Lansing mini storage or Bath mini storage facility that offers on-premises security monitors and a facility that is completely fenced and fully lit. This way, you will feel comfortable about storing your items for several months.

Of course, summer only lasts for a few months, so it's crucial to find a mini storage company that offers weekly or month-to-month lease options. Some companies will pro-rate your first month's rate. Obviously, students often have limited finances, so also try to find a storage facility that offers discounts for students. It also is wise to select a location where you can have access to the unit 24 hours a day, seven days a week.




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