What to Bring to College if You're Dorming

There are many things you could bring, but in a dorm, the room is smaller than usually and most of the time, you will be sharing the space. So you want to be less messy and efficient as possible. The things that I have now in my room, I will list them out, but of course, all are optional and up to you to bring. They usually provide you with a bed/bunk bed[s] with a mattress already, a closet, a drawer, and then a table for each student in the room, with possible storage spaces elsewhere like above the door like in my room. Other essentials you could bring that I have with me now:

• Backpack
• a 1 in. binder [a big binder isn't really needed unless you want to take notes on loose pieces of paper and then keep them in there
• dividers [if you buy the good ones, it can be reused throughout the whole year for the new quarters/semesters]
• college-ruled paper [really, you only need like 1 pack, 2 tops]
• a planner/organizer [usually provided by school, just have to go look for them at the beginning of the school year]
• pencil pouch
• 4-5 highlighters [1 for each class]
• 2 lead pencils
• 2 erasers
• a sharpener
• a scissor
• a small stapler
• 4 black/blue pens
• 2 paper clips [don't really use though]
• glasses/case
• 2 pads [for girls]
• a small brush
• gum/tic tacs
• a bottle of pills in case of headaches/sicknesses
• 2 pens in outer compartments
• chap stick
• hand sanitizer
• headphones
• card holder wallet
• a towel to wipe my bike seat if it is wet in the morning
• a little pouch
• ID
• bandaids/disinfecting wipes
• debit/credit card
• some cash/change
• Books
• 1-2 books to read for fun [I didn't keep any in my dorm by the 3rd quarter through because I didn't really have time to read for fun]
• that were bought for classes - usually in my desk
• Laptop
• Laptop charger
• laptop cover/bag
• 
  
• Phone
• phone charger
• 6 notebooks [about 2 was used per quarter]
• if you like to take notes on here, otherwise, you can type everything on Word
• 1 pack of printer paper [not used often]
• extra dividers with tabs to mark them
• some bags
• plastic
• 2-3 totes [useful to carry textbooks]
• gym bags

• a folder to keep your papers that are related to college
• i.e. FAFSA, scholarships, taxes, applications, etc.
• lint roller
• bike seat cover [don't really use]
• a pack of extra highlighters
• 2-3 packs of extra AA/AAA batteries 
• scientific calculator
• cords for it/manual
• 3-5 sticky notes
• 3 packs of small sticky's to put as marks in books
• a box of band-aids/disinfecting wipes
• size varies
• a flashlight
• a CD
• some scratch paper/TO-DO lists
• can use papers from classes you don't have anymore as scratch + recycle
• a journal/diary
• a 12 pack of colored pencils
• I also bought a variety of other colors also
• extra toothbrushes
• one for each quarter/semester could be good, depending on you
• nail 
• polishes
• nail polish remover
• a box of white envelopes
• 4-5 floss
• 5 boxes of tissues
• day/night medicine for fever, colds, etc.
• any other meds you need
• a bag of cotton balls
• a bottle of eye-glasses cleaner
• 2-3 toothpastes
• a toothbrush holder
• rubber bands
• hair ties
• chap stick[s]
• eating utensils
• fork
• spoon
• bowl
• make-up
• wedges/sponges
• eye liner, foundation, mascara, etc.
• keys [bike, room, etc.]
• 3-4 tapes [clear, tan-colored]
• jewelry
• earrings, necklaces, etc.
• a box to hold all of them
• Money-related
• checkbook[s]
• update it when spending
• purses, wallets, etc.
• receipts
• medical ID cards
• ID's
• library card
• Driver's license
• CA ID
• cash
• a pack of stamps
• Snacks
• 6 boxes of cereal for Spring Qtr so far
• Special K Cereal Bars
• Quaker's Chewy bars
• Mi Mama
• Sunchips box
• Water bottles [better to just bring reusable water container]
• raisins
• Volleyball
• Lotion
• Deodorant
• School supplies
• white-out
• clip to clip the snacks
• thumb tacs
• ruler
• lead for 0.5/0.7
• glue/glue sticks
• staples
• pens
• highlighters
• markers
• white board markers
• colored pencils
• pencils [#2]
• desk lamp [was provided by school]
• a mini white board/magnet
• a white board calendar
• sticky notes/note pads/to-do lists
• odor eliminator/freshener
• 3-hole puncher
• scissor
• 3 hair clips
• IPhone speakers
• power cord
• clothes
• sweaters/jackets
• shirts/pants
• socks, underwear, bras
• belt, scarves, gloves
• formal wear
• bathing suit
• bath robe
• 2 towels
• 2 mini towels [to wipe face in the morning]
• shoes
• tennis/walking shoes
• flats
• heels [formal wear]
• casual tennis shoes
• flip flops/sandals
• shower shoes [flip flops]
• Hair dryer
• straightener
• blow dryer
• can bring mini fridge
• a roll of towel paper