Forget anything? Check our guide to find out
Whether you’re coming to CU from out of state or just down the street, it’s probably going to take some time to figure out exactly what you need in your dorm room and what you forgot to bring.
Your clothes, TV, computer, desk and mini-fridge are all pretty much a given, but it’s the small things you forget you end up wishing you had brought the most. Before you go to Target (2800 Pearl St.) and splurge on shag rugs and those really colorful lamps every freshman seems to buy, take a look at this list and use your money on the things you’re really going to need.
PRINTER:
It may seem obvious, and many students do bring these, but life can get frustrating quickly for those who don’t.
Early on, residents in the dorms are divided into two groups: those who have their own printers and paper, and those who sheepishly knock on someone else’s door every day asking if they can really quickly use their printer.
It is possible to print in the library or in various other buildings around campus, but going there can sometimes be out of the way. Not being able to print out little things you need, like directions on Map Quest or embarrassing pictures of your roommates, gets frustrating right away and asking your roommate to use their printer every single day is a real drag.
STAPLER:
The stapler goes along with the printer in that those who don’t have one are always mooching off the ones that do.
Do yourself a favor and shell out 10 bucks for one — it will make your life much easier. Professors don’t accept papers that have the corners folded over each other anymore, so a stapler is essential for any work you’ll be turning in.
Don’t underestimate the convenience of having one of these small wonders on your desk.
THUMB TACKS, POSTER TAPE:
Most desks in the CU dorms have bulletin boards attached to them, which become really useful with the number of flyers and junk they give you when school starts.
Still, the bulletin board is useless without trusty thumbtacks to pin up papers with, so make sure you’ve got a decent supply of those.
Also, thumbtacks may work for your posters on the walls, but be aware that maintenance isn’t shy about charging students for damage to the room (even tiny thumb tack holes) at the end of the year and poster tape may leave less of a mark.
You can find all the rolls a person could ever need in the CU BookStore and again, a solid stock of this tape will go a long way when you come back from the bookstore’s poster sale with five new Brad Pitt posters and nothing to hang them with.
WASTEBASKET:
They give you one of these that fits under your desk in the dorms, but unless you generate less than an ounce of trash a day you’re going to constantly be making trips to the dumpsters to empty it out.
Go to Target and get a couple extra ones for you and your roommate. You can stick them under your desk, next to your mini-fridge or behind your door to save space.
If you decide to stick with the one they give you, you may as well be sleeping in a landfill every night because you’re going to be wading in a sea of overflowing trash in your room before you know it.
FOOD:
You’re pretty limited with your food options because you’ve only got a microwave and a small fridge in the dorm, so stick with things that don’t really need to be prepared.
You may have stopped having peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches for lunch when you were in seventh grade, but be open to the possibility of introducing these back into your diet, as they are easy to make when you’re in a rush, relatively cheap, and conveniently delicious.
Also, since you’re going to be looking for stuff to grab and hold you over on your way to class, try picking up granola or energy bars, another quick, easy-to-eat snack that works well in the dorms.
Of course, don’t ignore the staples, like ramen noodles or Easy Mac, but be careful not to overdose on these tasty morsels too early in the year — there are plenty of ex-dorm dwellers who have been forever scarred since their dorm days and can hardly even hear the word “ramen” without cringing.
FLIP-FLOPS:
Aside from being convenient when you’re lounging around on Farrand Field while the weather is warm, these are a must for walking around in the bathroom and showering.
Despite the warnings, there are always a couple kids each year who think their feet are impervious to disease and try to shower without flip-flops. This generally leads to some sort of strange foot condition that’s too extreme to be shown on an Odor-Eaters commercial.
Listen to the warnings, get a cheap pair of flip-flops, and avert foot-disaster during your first year in the dorms.
