What should you buy for your dorm before you go off to college?

Hey, my name is Alejandro and I’m a senior at Babson College (fellow Beavers hello!). I’ve had my own personal experience with a college dorm, and I've also spoken to tens of students at different universities about what they think is essential to buy for your dorm in preparation for this piece. Everyone will have their own preferences and styles, but this blog is about what generic things you must have— let’s get going:

1. Mattress topper/pad: It’s not just a myth, it’s true— college mattresses are uncomfortable. Some people hate their college bed, some people love it, some people don’t mind it, but most think their mattress is uncomfortable to sleep on. I recommend buying a mattress topper or pad anywhere you can find before sleeping in your dorm. 
2. Refillable Water Bottle: while this item is not exactly for college dorms I really recommend this for college students. There're refillable water stations all over colleges nowadays and it’s an important part of a students life to stay hydrated with all the studying and partying they’re going to do. You really don’t want to be buying water bottles every day since it will be a strain on your budget and it harms the environment. Must have. 
3. Towels: I put this in here, even though it’s kind of obvious, since some students I know forgot when they got here. You need a towel. I recommend getting 2-3 regular bath towels plus 2-3 hand/face towels for when you use the common bathroom in your dorm hall. 
4. Bedly Straps: This goes with our mattress topper recommendation as a must have. Most mattress toppers slide off your college mattress and become extremely uncomfortable and they also cause your sheets to come undone. Don’t let this happen and snag one of these. Use the code “student” and get 1 Bedly free when you buy 2 (your friends will thank you) or code “dorm” to get 1 Bedly and get the second 30% off. 
5. Laundry Hamper: There are tons of cheap laundry hampers on amazon; just get the one that looks the best to you and you’ll be all set. Don’t forget this if you don’t want your room to be a constant mess and smelling like you-know-what.
6. Pillow and Sheets: I recommend really doing your research here. You don’t want to end up hating your sheets at college. Students have enough stress going around for them to also hate their sheets and pillows. Go to a store to touch the material and try them out. 
7. Desk Lamp: students stay up late to study, that’s a fact. Students also have roommates, which makes it hard to keep the light on at night to study if one roommate wants to sleep. Buy a desk lamp so that doesn’t happen and you can study whenever you want. 
8. 3-Drawer Cart: College dorms usually don’t have enough space for everything you want in your room. This is perfect for keeping snacks, school supplies, or accessories like scarves or belts visible and within reach.
9. Febreze: Honestly almost everyone I talk to says Febreze. Your room will most likely smell bad at some point and Febreze is a great solution. 

Here is a link for a blog on what to expect when you arrive to your dorm! 

Hope you’ve enjoyed this and please leave a comment below if you have any questions or suggestions!!