Living on a college campus is perhaps the best way to get a taste for university life. Dorming brings people together and makes lasting bonds in a way few other experiences can. Here are a few quick tips for getting you or your student settled into campus housing and making the most of the experience.
Being prepared for schoolwork and life in university housing is very important, but that’s no excuse to bring far too much. Overpacking is a college newbie mistake and usually looks quite foolish. Sure, it’s crucial to bring essential elements like clothing (including everyday attire, sleepwear, etc.) or bathroom materials like toothbrushes, towels, and shampoo.
For accessories, a guy’s wristwatch is an easy way to stand out. Most people use their cell phones as a swiss army knife in terms of checking the time, setting alarm clocks, using a stopwatch, and a lot of other things. Therefore, the simple addition of something like a men’s sport watch separates you almost immediately from the typical crowd of cellphone addicts.
One more fashion note if you want to add a little edginess to the palate of clothing you’re bringing to college. Jeans have been a staple of everyday wear for decades, but sizing and styles have varied considerably from generation to generation. Skinny jeans, however, haven’t quite made it to the mainstream enough to seem tedious. If you can fit into a slightly thinner cut than normal, it can really compliment your look.
Even though a computer is widely accepted as a must-have item of the university experience, that doesn’t mean that all of it’s accessories necessarily are. Whether it’s a desktop or a laptop, computers are necessary to communicate with friends and professors, get work done on assignments, and a variety of other functions. A printer is considerably less needed in a dorm room.
Not worrying about a printer can save a lot of money on ink and paper, but it can also save desktop space. If printing can be done ahead of time and there are university libraries and labs available, get the printing done there instead. Send the files to yourself as email attachments, transport them on a usb flash drive, or upload them to a remote drive. Obviously this process will take more time than printing at the dorm room, so procrastinators beware!
Also, bring along some creative things, like a musical instrument, video recorder, camera, or art supplies. Downtime can be fun, but it can also be productive! Other nice downtime activities are casual videogames, boardgames, and anything that taps the inherent community of dorms.
Recent Comments