What To Buy Before Moving In To College

Here are top things that I've used extensively throughout my college life since essentially day 1 of Freshman year:

The Picks

Some links below are affiliate links — if you buy through them I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes what makes this list.

- Mattress Topper
  Unfortunately, most dorm beds will be firm and not the best to sleep on. While you may get through it, a mattress topper is a game changer and will upgrade your rest, provided you like a medium or soft firmness or honestly regardless of your preference.
  
  This one has served me for 3 years and still continues to give me great dreams!
  
  Note: 2 inches width should be good enough - but it's up to your preference! Most dorm beds will be XL, but a Queen is a recommended size if you plan to have a spacious appartment!
- Battery Backup
  A super useful thing to have on and around campus when outlets might be scarce and your phone/laptop might be dying while you're in the middle of something important
  
  Pro tip: Even more useful if it acts as a hand warmer as well - it'll keep your hands cozy for at least 25% of college life + your friends will love you even more. I had one similar to this for about ~4 years before it got recalled (and I got my money back lol).
- ANC (Active Noise Cancelling) Headphones
  Noise cancelling headphones are essential for a distraction free environment to lock-in, which won't be always available when working in public spaces such as libraries or the student union, or even your loud dorm.
  - Can be replaced with earbuds, but it's good to have both headphones and earbuds for different purposes.
  - I bought these ones for $60 ~2 years ago and they're decent for the price and get the job done, though better ones for more price can be worth it.
- Stainless Steel Water Bottle
  It's a no brainer to have your own reusable water bottle, but I want to advise on having one with:
  - Narrow body and decent length: you won't need one too big because water fountains will be all over campus, and water will stay naturally cool inside your bag + you want something to fit on the side of the bag easily without taking too much space
  - Avoid ones with plastic tubing to minimize mold and frequent cleaning.
  Unique pick: A copper water bottle or https://ishalife.sadhguru.org/usa/water-bottle-hammered-copper
- A Good Backpack
  Again, no brainer but these things will upgrade your backpack:
  - A sunglasses compartment
  - Added pocket for an iPad
  I don't have a link for it, but there's a good one for $50 at Sam's Clubs in person (similar to this one https://www.samsclub.com/ip/Swissgear-Laptop-Backpack/18941768203?classType=VARIANT&from=/search)
  
  Pro tip: Keep an AirTag in the bag
- Shoehorn
  The least glamorous, but one of the most useful items here and the one people thank me for. It avoids rubbing your finger or stressing the heel of your shoes everytime you put them one, and saves you and your shoes over the long term!
  
  I've been using them since ~3+ years and it's an everyday tool
- Desk Charging Port
  A good multi type charging port will eliminate the clutter of cables on your desk and help you organize everything you charge. If you have one with enough power, you can charge your laptop just using your phone cable!
  
  I've had this one for ~a year and it's been great, though there are many other types available online depending on what you prefer.
- Honorary Mention - a Multi-Cable
  Great to have one cord in your backpack that covers USB-C, Lightning, and micro-USB so you don't have to carry 3 cables. Alternatively, if your laptop and phone and iPad all use USB-C, a thunderbolt cable is great for fast charging + plugging into a monitor!
- A Smart Speaker
  A smart speaker will be your go to assistant in the dorm/ appartment. It's great to be able to play music whenever you want, ask for weather, have routines (example - when you wake up) and more without picking up your phone. I've had an Alexa for the last 3 years, but any assistant will work. You probably won't need a screen, but can be a nice upgrade.
- Smart Bulb
  Any smart bulb like these can be installed around your dorm to easily control ambient lighting and add convenience when you go to sleep, and you won't be stuck with the dorm lighting!
  
  Unable to change the dorm light? Lamps are very cheap and you can just put the bulb in them!
- A Nice Monitor
  A second screen is one of the biggest productivity upgrades you can make, and it'll make your room more feasible to study in. Really can't emphasize the usefulness of a 2nd screen until you've tried it!
  
  I bought a very cool monitor my 2nd semester which is similar to this one or this, but you can get a good one used for ~<$50 if you look at FB Marketplace and similar to one what I got for $150, so I suggest looking around!
  - I found 27 inches to be a good size, but 24 can also work, 32 might be too big.
  - A HDMI/ DP to USB-C cable for your laptop will make a huge difference (or you can get an adapter)!
- Shower Caddy
  A very small and inexpensive need if you share bathrooms or don't have space. You can also just take the caddy if you're going for a sleepover or on a road trip with your friends!

Final Thoughts

Welp, that's it for this list, thanks for checking it out!

Questions? Feel free to contact me!