As seniors near the end of their high school career, many will be attending college this Fall. If you choose to go to a school where you are living on the campus you will likely be living in a dorm. For those who have not been inside a dorm room, they are not the nicest facilities, to put it lightly. Some universities may be nicer than others, but you still lack the spacious, cozy environment you are used to. For most students, you will be alongside at least one other student. It has become more common in larger schools that you can apply for a dorm that has a bathroom and shower in the room. For those who do not have that opportunity, you may have to get used to sharing a bathroom and shower with tons of other people in your building. 

   Now this starts to sound slightly intimidating, but you can make it feel like home easily. Of course you need certain basic things; bedding, pillows, hygiene products, etc. Each person has their own needs, but there are plenty of essential things you may not have thought of. As a current senior heading to college this fall, I have compiled a list of dorm essentials.  

   For those living in a dorm with a shower outside your personal room, it is good to have a shower caddy to carry your products back and forth. Some universities aren’t the cleanest and it is always safe to wear shower shoes such as flip fops, Crocs, etc. 

   For your room, a small fan is good for schools in the south because it gets very hot down here during the spring/summertime. Kaleigh Victor, a Blackman Alumni at the University of Tennessee, recommends an Air Purifier to help prevent sickness. She also says how her favorite thing to have is a Mattress Topper to make her sleep more comfortably. Although most colleges have a dining plan, many students have a mini fridge and snacks in their room. Blackman alumni and Freshman at University of Tennessee, Kate Kilcoyne, has said a great and useful piece has been a Candle Warmer since you cannot burn candles in a dorm building. To wash your clothes, you have to walk out of your room to a communal laundry room. To make it easier and cleaner, you can get a mesh laundry bag and some dryer sheets. Since the dorms aren’t all very clean, getting a thin rug to lay over the floor can add design and keep you from stepping on the gross carpet. 

   Everyone has their own preference on what they feel makes them most at home when they are away. College is exciting and a new chapter, so find what works best for you and make it become home!