It’s that time of year: Top 13 things you absolutely must have for college

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: back to school!

For those of you heading off to college, that means you need to take along some necessities for maintaining as much of your lifestyle as possible in a sparsely furnished room with cinder block walls, also known as a dorm.

You’re smart enough to know you need to bring the basics — clothes, towels, sheets, blankets, toiletries. And you know you need pens, pencils, highlighters, notebooks — whatever tools of the school trade work for you.

But what about the rest of the stuff? We’ve put together some tried-and-true tips, based on the experience of students and parents, about what other items you might want to consider bringing.

Here are a baker’s dozen of the best ideas for you to choose from:

1. Coffee.

First things first: Get yourself caffeinated for class. If coffee is what you need to get going in the mornings, you might want to bring a small coffee maker. A Keurig-style machine can also give you hot water for tea, hot chocolate, soup or even an emergency dose of instant mac-and-cheese.

But mostly, it’s for the coffee. Sometimes, we’re all like Lauren Graham’s character, Lorelai, from The Gilmore Girls: “I can’t stop drinking the coffee. I stop drinking coffee, I stop doing the standing, and the walking, and the words-putting-into-sentences doing.”

2. Water bottle.

You also need to be sure to keep yourself hydrated. Many experts recommend drinking water first thing in the morning (even before that coffee). Lots of college cafeterias and even classroom buildings come equipped with water fountains (many of which are filtered) so you can keep that bottle full all the time.

3. Laptop.

Now we’re into the educational necessities, and a computer is at the top of that list. You’ll be using your laptop for everything from writing term papers to creating presentations to watching Netflix.

If you’re thinking about getting a Mac, or any other Apple device, this is the time to get in touch with the experts at Experimac Manassas because they have several Back-to-School specials now through Aug. 25:

• Get 15% off (up to $50) Apple laptops.
• Buy a MacBook Pro and get a free laptop cover. 
• Buy an iMac and get a free six-month performance tune-up.
• Prince William and Fairfax County school employees get 15% off (up to $25) any Apple product or repair.

Anyone looking for a college laptop should consider that Macs offer numerous advantages over their rivals, such as an intuitive operating system, built-in security defenses, and included apps and software. They’re renowned for graphics, video and music capabilities. And opting for a used or refurbished laptop is a great way to save money on college expenses.

If you already have an Apple laptop, the specialists at Experimac can perform diagnostics to be sure it’s in the best shape for the new school year. They can help you increase the speed of your Mac, store information on a hard drive or transfer data to a newer product.

As Ron Mosely, Experimac’s owner puts it, “We can get them running just as fast as — or sometimes faster than — new.”

Basically, these gurus can give your laptop the tune-up it needs to get you through the school year. And best of all — no reservation is needed and you can avoid those infamous long lines at the Apple store.

4. Cell phone.

Yes, this one goes without saying, but make sure you’ve got the right service plan. For instance, if you use a note-taking app, be sure you’ve got enough data to cover your needs.

And if your iPhone screen is cracked or damaged, you can get it replaced and get 50% off the screen protector you should have had in the first place at Experimac through Aug. 25.

5. Power cords.

Now that you’ve got your laptop and phone ready to go — along with anything else that needs to be charged — make sure you’ve got what you need to keep them juiced up. Dorm rooms are notorious for not having enough outlets, so be prepared with power strips, HDMI cords and extra long charging cables. An extension cord can be handy, too, but make sure they’re allowed where you’re going to be living.

6. Backpack.

Just like Dora the Explorer, you need a backpack to haul your stuff in. There are tons of options, colors and features out there. Ultimately, it boils down to what works best for your specific needs. 

7. Laundry supplies.

Yes, you have to do it yourself now, so you’re going to need the supplies: laundry detergent, fabric softener or dryer sheets if that’s your jam and possibly a lot of quarters. Plus, you need a sturdy basket to put it all in. And if you’re really prepared, you’ll also toss in a sewing kit for reattaching buttons that are bound to get lost.

8. Shower shoes.

Get yourself some flip-flops for walking to and from the shower — and for wearing in the shower. They don’t need to be fancy; cheap ones will do the job. But save yourself a case of athlete’s foot.

9. Umbrella.

You still have to walk to class even when it’s raining, so make it a sturdy one that can withstand wind gusts, keeping you and your books dry.

10. Dorm Decor.

This is very subjective. You can do as much or as little as you want here. The goal is to make yourself feel comfortable by creating the kind of environment where you can sleep and study, hang out with friends, or just chill. You can go all out with colorful bedding, string lights, tapestries, even peel and stick wallpaper. It’s up to you. As you will learn via a quick search of the words “dorm décor ideas,” there are myriad ideas online (and that’s before you look at Pinterest).

11. Command strips.

You’re going to need something to hang your decor on those cinder block walls, which means those handy peel-and-stick Command strips are about to be your new best friend.

12. Cold medication.

Here’s some real advice from a real college student — Hannah Kanfer, a writer for Her Campus at George Mason, which pretty much makes her an expert on what to bring.

“If you want to know how most of my bonus bucks were spent, it was me walking in to One-Stop at awful hours of the night just for Nyquil or some cough drops,” Kanfer wrote. “We should all just accept that you’re going to get sick at least once a school year (because college is a life-size petri dish), and if you’re one of the lucky ones who doesn’t get sick, give it to a friend in need (like me).”

13. And finally, snacks.

As Kanfer explained, “Not once during college did I think, ‘I have too many snacks.’ Admittedly, this tip may encourage the sophomore/junior/senior 15, but let’s be real, a bag of Cheetos always sounds good.”

Final advice: Don’t overdo it here. If you forget something, you can always get it later. Maybe your parents want an excuse to come visit or send you a care package. Or maybe you need a reason to spend a weekend back at home. Just don’t over pack; you’ll be fine.