Ten Surprising Essentials To Bring To College!

This post is about ten surprising essentials to pack for a college dorm. All opinions are my own.

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College move-in begins in a few short weeks. If you’re like most parents, you’ve been checking your packing lists and buying dorm essentials. You want to make sure your child is prepared and comfortable in his or her new home.

By the time you’re done shopping, you’ve amassed a mountain of items. You’re probably already strategizing about how you’ll pack the car.

Move those pillows and towels over! Make room for a few more things. I am going to give you my list of ten surprising essentials that you may not have even considered.

I am about to send my third kid to college. All of my kids go to school a plane ride away. Here is my list of things you don’t know you need until you need them.

Zip Ties and Duct Tape

Zip ties and duct tape can solve a multitude of problems. They’re great for reattaching things. They have saved my life.

Last year, we packed the car to move Nugget into her dorm, 1200 miles away. Somehow, someone hit a switch on the trunk rendering the latch useless.

At 11:30 pm, we learned a useful lesson. If you ever find yourself locked in a car trunk, there’s a switch to disengage the latch. It will NEVER latch again.

This is good news if you need to get out. It is anxiety-provoking if you need to drive 1200 miles in 6 hours. We were the latter.

Our super-handy friend came at midnight to try to rig it. After hours of tinkering, he did. It stayed closed for the first 600 miles of the drive.

Nugget and I stopped for coffee and a bathroom break about halfway to our destination. As I turned the car off, we heard the “click.” The trunk had popped open!

Panic-stricken, we needed a plan. So I got my coffee, breathed like I was in yoga class, and thought. People say, “What would Jesus Do?” Jesus didn’t have zip ties and duct tape. But I did.

I calmly dug through the trunk stuffed with dorm things, and dug out the box of stuff I packed for Nugget, “just in case.” In the box, were my saviors, zip ties, and duct tape, among other things.

If you are old enough to remember the television series, MacGyver, you know that man could escape the jaws of crocodiles in quicksand using a paper clip and a feather.

In MacGyver fashion, I created a latch out of duct tape. I zip-tied the trunk hatch to the loop. I used the rest of the duct tape to hold the trunk closed.

Having zip ties and duct tape in my arsenal of ten surprising essentials got us through the rest of our trip looking like we just drove out of a dumpster, but intact!

Door Stopper

This simple item will make move-in easier. Not having to unlock and open the dorm door with every trip is going to make the process a little smoother.

A doorstopper is also a useful tool to make friends. Prop the door open and new friends are sure to pop in to say hi.

As a new student, most kids want to meet new friends. It’s part of the college experience. Prop your door open, play some music, and meet your hallmates.

Charger Power Bank

An external charger will keep your phone and laptop working for you all day. Toss it in your backpack to stay connected through long days of lectures and study sessions.

You may not always be near an outlet to charge your devices, so having a backup power source is essential.

Kissy lives in an off-campus apartment. She drives to campus and spends the entire day. She attends her classes, goes to the gym, and studies in the library. Sometimes, she goes straight to her part-time job.

Having an external charger powered up and ready to use, means she’ll make it through her long days, even when she’s on the go all day.

Drink Covers

If you’ve been following, you know that Kissy got roofied in college and spent the night in the emergency room. She did not leave her drink unattended. She did not accept a drink from a stranger. Evil people lurk everywhere and they are covert. It’s really easy to get unknowingly drugged.

Cover your drink! I send my kids these drink covers. They are thin, disposable, and convenient. They are paper and adhesive, and a few can easily go into a pocket or bag. You simply poke a hole for a straw or make a small opening to sip.

Young women and men need to be cautious and protect themselves when out in social situations.

Costumes

Be it Halloween or theme parties, costumes are a thing in college. If you have a few favorites, pack them. If not, you can probably make something out of duct tape!

Flashlight

My girls go to school in the hurricane center of the country. If the power goes out, a flashlight is useful. It’s one of those things you don’t miss until you need one.

We have this flashlight. Remember to get batteries!

Wrinkle Release Spray

Well-meaning parents send travel irons and ironing boards to college. I did. They went untouched.

You may not be inclined to iron in college. You have options.

I have one kid who will wear wrinkled clothes. I have another who will meticulously iron. The last one is a hybrid of the two.

This is where wrinkle-release spray will be your ally. It’s faster and easier than ironing and works well. We use this wrinkle-release spray

If ironing is more your vibe, I recommend bringing a steamer. It takes up less room than a traditional iron and. ironing board. We use this steamer.

Safety Pins

This is another item that you don’t know you need until you need it. Moms always have this kind of random stuff.

You never know when you may need a safety pin to put together a last-minute costume! They’re also handy for making a toga out of that top sheet that’s never being used.

You never know when you’ll need a safety pin! I always seem to need one when I can’t find one.

Clear Bag For Game Days

If you’ll be attending the weekly football games or other campus events, chances are, you won’t be allowed in with a traditional bag.

Having a clear bag to carry essentials will get. you through security quickly. You’ll be able to stash your stuff and be hands-free to clap, cheer and carry on!

My tailgaters and I use this clear bag when attending stadium events. It’s available in several colors to match your game-day vibe.

So, there you have it. My list of ten surprising essentials you need to bring to college.

Related post: Do This Before You Send Your 18-Year-Old To College