What To Bring To Residence

Life after high school can be pretty exciting, especially if you know you’re going to be living in residence when you go to college or university.  Residence is a place where there are hundreds of people your age doing the same thing.  Chances are you will meet some of your best friends there.   When I moved into residence I just guessed on what would be good to have, but after a few years there I became “seasoned” and I feel I can compile a list of what to bring to residence that would be important for any freshman.

Most residences in Canada are single rooms, but there are a few that require you to have a roommate.  For this list I’m going to focus on single rooms.  Your university will also have a list of recommended items to bring, they always forget some pretty easy ones so I’ll try to include the ones they miss.

The My University Money Guide For What To Bring To Residence

1. Mini-Fridge – Most residences have a meal plan that doesn’t quite suit your needs.  A mini-fridge is great for storing foods for when you’re too lazy to get breakfast, or if nothing is open.  Also great for keeping your social drinks cold.
2. Microwave – I never had one of these my first year, but my neighbour had one and he used it for two meals a day, plus a snack before bed.  A microwave can also be used to save space since you don’t need a kettle to boil water, or an air popper to cook popcorn.
3. A Fan – This $25 item was the best purchase I made, residence buildings can be stuffy, so you can have this fan by your window to draw fresh air in.  At night it can keep you cool, but the most important feature is that it blocks out surrounding noise.  The slow hum of the fan will help you fall asleep and drown out the noise from the hallway.
4. Multiple Garbage Cans – I had a few rooms in residence, all were messy until I threw in an additional garbage can, especially on a party night. This is when I had a double room to myself, so I had more room for such a luxury.  Whenever you host a party it helps make your room a whole lot cleaner in the morning.
5. Coffee Maker – I didn’t really drink coffee until my last year of school, but when my buddy stayed overnight he sure gave me hell for not having one in the morning.  Having a coffee maker will be a huge money saver if you drink coffee every day.
6. Laptop – I was more of a desktop kind of guy, but having a laptop can save you tons of time and its very convenient to take to the library.  It can be used as a TV as well, especially if you sign up for Netflix, you can even connect it to a TV to play DVDs.
7. Travel Mug – Great to bring your coffee to class in the mornings, great for drinking out of in your hallways or on your way to a buddies room.
8. Sandals– If you have a tunnel network at your campus than you don’t need to go outside, and you can wear shorts and sandals year round!  You might also want a separate set for the public washrooms/showers.
9. Hangers – Most rooms have a closet and a dresser, hangers can make your life easier by keeping your clothes organised and wrinkle free.
10. Alarm Clock – Most people now have cell phones to use as an alarm, but it’s nice to have a clock somewhere in the room so you can always see what time it is.
11. White Board – Some places provide a large white piece of paper with plastic over top for the outside of your door.  It’s good for people to leave you messages when you’re not around.
12. Change Jar – If you go to the bar once or twice a week you’re going to have a whole lot of change in your pockets when you come home, might not be a bad idea to have a jar to store it all so you can bring it to the bar at the end of the semester.
13. Wall Mounted Hangers – You can get hangers that stick to the wall and some of them even stay up for the entire year.  They are good for hanging your towel or your jacket to help conserve space in your room.
14. Bounce Sheets – They are great for laundry, I always would tie a few to my fan to make my room smell fresh and throw a few in my gym shoes for good measure.
15. Electric Pot – This is a great invention for residence students.  It’s a pot with a lid that can boil water, excellent for cooking up noodles or Kraft Dinner.
16. And of course, bring whatever is on your welcome guide from the university, they will most likely tell you to bring sheets and pillows and all of that fun stuff.

There are a few things that you shouldn’t bring: