Getting admission into a college is no easy feat, and the real challenge starts if you have to move away from home to a different state. Leaving the comfort of your own home is always a challenge, and recreating home-like comfort at a new place is a difficult task to accomplish. Traveling to a new state can be taxing, and hauling all of your things in an uncharted territory just adds to the burden.
In situations like these, it’s important to calm yourself and prioritize what you need most. Traveling as lightly as possible relieves a lot of pressure, and with a proper plan of action, you can manage an efficient move to start your college life. We’ve compiled a list of tricks to help you narrow down your packing list and help you gear up in the best way possible.
Table of Contents
Some Reconnaissance
Before deciding what to take (apart from clothes and toiletries obviously), it’s always good to do some research on your accommodation arrangements. Campus accommodations often have electric load regulations and if you want to take things like a hot plate (to warm or cook food) or an external heater for the winters, it’s good to find out what limitations are there in place. To decide how many extra items you can fit in, it may help to visit the campus before moving. That way, you’ll be able to see how much storage you have at your disposal and how many items you can take. Dorms in some campuses have shared storage, which significantly limits the items that you can store.
It’s also a good idea to ask ahead about the laundry facilities so that you can plan to take items to wash your clothes accordingly i.e., a small bucket, detergents, and an iron.
In short, find out the limitations of your new accommodation, and plan accordingly. Searching for college moving tips for different campuses around the country can help you efficiently plan your luggage.
Clothes
Of course, you will take clothes but how many and what type of clothes should you take?
Firstly, you should look into the yearly climate of the area you’re going to. If you have ample storage space, then it’s perfectly logical to take most of your wardrobes with you. However, in case of limited storage, you have to prioritize. If your semester is in the fall/winter time of the year, it would be wise to take your winter clothes and leave the rest behind. You can always buy more, get the rest couriered to you, or switch seasonal clothing when visiting home during break.
Other than your casual outfits, it’s important to have some athletic outfits with you for participating in teams, and at least one formal outfit for various presentations that your coursework will require.
Bedsheets/Towels and Toiletries
Campus accommodations do provide a bed, mattress, and pillow, but only a few offer their own bedsheets to go with. It’s wise to pack at least three sets of bed sheets and pillow covers to keep them in rotation. Towels are also a big must. Take your own for hygienic purposes, even if the hostel provides theirs.
For toiletries, keeping the essentials is enough. Having a shampoo, a bar of soap, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a comb is enough to keep you going. You can buy other items such as skincare products once you settle on campus.
Décor and Entertainment
With the essentials sorted, you can make room for some décor for your new room. Nobody likes to study in a bland space and stare at blank walls. Brightening up your room is a good idea, and décor such as RGB lights, a rug, or some picture frames/posters can brighten the look of your room.
Additionally, entertainment is necessary to stay motivated and have a recreational outlet. Sure, on-campus parties and events are there but those happen every once in a while. Having your entertainment system can be a great blessing. If your luggage limit allows, you can always carry your gaming consoles to play with your friends, or a sound system to enjoy the music of high quality. You can host your friends in your room and have a good time over a cup of hot coffee, with great music playing in the background on a winter evening.
Conclusion
Going to college in a different state can be a challenging run. Hauling all of your belongings to another world is not as easy as it sounds. However, going about it smartly can save a lot of hassle and money.
Get to know the facilities available to you, pack your clothes according to seasonal needs, and keep the necessary number of toiletries and bedsheets. After getting these high-priority items in check, you can stuff in a few extras. You’ll be adjusting to college life with these essentials in no time.