Got room for some condoms in there?

OK, so you have your bedding, your towels, and your laptop; you think you’re ready to move off for your freshman year of college. Before you go, though, there are a couple of things that a freshman might not think to bring that will make dorm life a million times easier.

Take it from me, after 2 years in the dorms, I have this down to a science. Make room in those duffels, people; there are ten more things you’re going to have to squeeze in there.

#1 Tool Box
Yes, seriously, a tool box. My freshman year roommate had a brilliant aunt who bought her a mini tool kit as a high school graduation present (it was pink and girly). We used that thing more than anything else in the room. Yes, even our TV. Your bike break? A nail fall out of that little nightstand you bought from Ikea? Your ex leave something valuable at your place and you want to smash it? (JK….sorta.) You’ll have everything you need in that little box. Guys down the hall even borrowed our tools, so it’s even a social item!

#2 Condoms
This should just be common sense. Even if you don’t plan on having sex in college, you seriously never know what will happen, so be smart and prepare! The best part is that this one you don’t really even need to buy; most schools give them away for free at the student health center, so hop on over there and stock up.

#3 Duct Tape
This one is along the same lines as #1; it pretty much fixes anything. But beyond that, there’s some awesome stuff you can do with duct tape for really cheap room decor! I’ve seen everything from duct tape vases to closet doorway “beads.”

#4 Oven Mitt
Believe me when I say the stuff that you make in your little dorm microwave is HOT. I’ve burned my fingers on too many Easy Mac bowls to not give this as advice. Save your fingers, get a mitt!

#5 Febreeze
Whether you ran out of clean clothes and don’t have time (or quarters) for laundry, you spent the night at a frat party surrounded by drunk smokers, or you’ve been doing your own smokin’ in the dorm room and don’t want the R.A. to find out, Febreeze will save the day every time.

#6 Mini-Vacuum
Probably my dumbest move of freshman year was getting a navy blue rug. That sucker showed every.single.spec.of.dirt.EVER. I ended up buying a little, mini-vacuum for $10 and it was soooo handy, and not just for the rug. Or all those times I spilled Rice Krispies. Without being able to open windows, dust gathers much faster in a dorm room. It was a life saver for my allergies.

#7 First Aid Kit
Make your mom happy and get a small thing of Band-Aids, aspirin, triple antibiotic ointment, and various other helpful items. You’re not going to be invincible; you will get cuts and scrapes…and hangovers. This will be your best friend until the end.

#8 Message Board for Your Door (with an attached marker!)
This is crucial if you have a roommate. You will most likely go days without seeing each other with all the studying, classes, and late night activities you’ve got going on. This is the best way to keep in touch with a hectic schedule. My roommate and I always had a “code drawing” so that if we had a guy in the room, we’d draw it and the other roommate would know to vacate the premises. It’s also great to leave each other nice messages to cheer each other up!

#9 Book Light
Yeah, desk lamps are great, but one you can clip on to your book is even better. Roommates often live on opposite schedules and you must prepare for that. My freshman year roommate always studied when I was trying to sleep, and my sophomore roommate always slept when I studied. It really makes everyone happy when you just get a mini book light. You can see what you’re reading, and your roommate won’t be disturbed.

#10 Sewing Kit
Buttons fall off. Clothes rip. Costumes need jerry-rigging. So much stuff can be fixed with a needle and thread. Fortunately, I worked in the theater department’s costume shop my freshman year and learned how to sew. If you don’t know how, find someone who does and get a quick lesson before you head off to college. Then pack this tiny life saver. Hell, it might even be a form of income; the guys next door to me would pay me to fix their stuff for them. Beautiful.

There is not going to be anyone there to feed you soup when you have a cold or hand you band-aids when you’ve had too much to drink, fall, and cut yourself on glass. There is only the student health center and they don’t want to hear about your minor ailments; they’ve got a whole campus worth of people with real problems. Like broken limbs… and broken condoms.

Because of this you have to be prepared to take care of yourself when it comes to the minor things: the tummy aches, the colds, the bumps and bruises. And you have to be prepared.

Below is a handy dandy list of things you’ll need to build your very own medicine cabinet. No more unnecessary trips to the Health Center (where they probably can’t help you anyway), or crying to your mom on the phone. Well, you can still cry on the phone, but at least you won’t have to leave the house to get some Pepto.

1) A container

First things first – you’re going to need a place to store your medical supplies. This can be an under-the-bed plastic tub or a cool toolbox you decorate with stickers. Anything you want really, as long as it’s storable. And make sure that whatever you pick can hold a few 20 oz and cans.

2) Band-Aids and Bandages

This is the most basic part of your kit; the thing that you will probably be using most of all. You should stock up on band-aids of all sizes. You never know what you might need one for: blisters, shaving nicks, paper cuts, drunken falls. Also keep a few ace bandages handy. Thanks to the combination of stilettos and alcohol, sprained ankles and wrists are inevitable.

3) Neosporin, Peroxide, etc.

Or pretty much anything you put on cuts to disinfect and keep them from getting infected. Because infection is nasty and can KILL YOU. Seriously – clean your wounds!

4) Medicine

And not just pain meds either. I’m talking about cold and flu stuff as well. I don’t know how many times I had to walk to the damn Rite Aide with snot dripping from my nose because I needed some Nyquil. Not a great feeling. Keep it on hand – both nighttime and daytime because you will get sick and you will have a teacher that doesn’t let you off for it. Also, keep some stuff for upset stomachs as well; that dining hall food can be killer.

5) Ice Pack

Once again, people are constantly spraining stuff and, chances are, you don’t have a frozen pack of veggies in the fridge to use. An instant ice pack comes in handy in these situations, especially if you don’t have a fridge. Bonus: also good for hot days in a dorm with no AC.

6) Food stuffs.

Ok, this consists of the foods that you need when you’re sick: saltine crackers, soup, ginger ale, water. That’s it. Nothing special and elaborate. Just some things to get you through the worst of whatever is plaguing you so you don’t have to go down to the cafeteria and ruin everyone else’s meal with all your hacking and wheezing.

7) A flashlight and extra batteries

Ok this technically has nothing to do with meds, but you need these things and where else are you going to keep ‘em? The electricity goes off all the time in dorms. All. The. Time. And you need batteries for all your stuff (yes, even that); nothing is worse then being sick and realizing you have to actually get up and change the channel. Stock up!

So there you have it; an easy-as-pie supply list to keep you going semester in and semester out. Good luck and stay healthy!