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—By Paul Radatovich

As someone who’s lived in a college dorm for the last three years (going on four), I know a thing or two about preparing to live in one. Typically, going to college is the first time students ever live on their own, so it can be pretty intimidating. Especially if you’re rooming with a random person as opposed to someone you already know.                                                                              

Let me put it this way: a dorm room is like a whole house thrown into one room – and I don’t mean the size. I mean that the dorm is not just a bedroom. It’s a living room, kitchen, and dining room all put together.

Here are some tips to help you get adjusted to your new living quarters:

1. Be the first one to aid others

Your parents are usually the ones to the rescue, but since you left the nest you need to learn how to fend for yourself. Try making your own first-aid kit, so in case you or someone else gets injured, you have the means to tend to the situation. Your first-aid kit should contain bandages, pain relievers, cold medicine, allergy pills and cotton balls.

2. Protect your belongings

A good way to protect valuable items is simply not to bring them to college with you. That being said, there are still plenty of luxury items people really want to bring, such as TVs or video game consoles. If you have these items in your room, it’s a great idea to always keep your door locked. For the off chance your belongings do ever get stolen or go missing, it’s wise to take pictures of them, label or engrave your name on them, and write down their serial numbers so that you can prove these items are yours. For other items that are a bit smaller, consider getting a safe.
 

3. Don’t damage property while decorating

A lot of people like to really make their room their own in college, from plastering posters onto the wall to hanging up string lights. Doing either is fine, but keep in mind that the way you hang things matter. You don’t want to damage any of the school’s property, or else you’ll have to be paying those expensive fines. Try adhesives that won’t strip paint or put holes in anything, such as Blu Tack putty or washi tape. Both can be used to hold up lighter objects like posters or photos. For heavier objects, try using adhesive-backed strips with hooks.

4. Don’t let your room stink

For the sake of you, your roommate, and everyone on the same floor as you, don’t let your room stink. A lot of people are disappointed they can’t use candles to freshen up the place in a dorm, but that’s a huge fire hazard so it’s not a good idea. Instead of lighting a candle, try keeping your window open to let fresh air in – and the air from your room out. You can also get air freshener plug ins, sprays, etc. If you don’t want to spend money on those, however, you can always put a dryer sheet in front of your fan.

5. Plan your wardrobe ahead of time

It’s tempting to pack every article of clothing you own in your suitcase(s) when going to school, but you only have a limited amount of space. Therefore, you need to plan accordingly. Obviously, take your favorite clothes, but make sure you have outfits for changes in the weather and the seasons. A great way to save closet space is to only have the clothes you are currently wearing in your closet. Keep the rest of your clothes stowed away. For example, if it’s August and September, maybe keep your winter clothes in a container underneath your bed while the clothes you are currently wearing are hung up. Another way to save space is to get closet organizer items. Instead of having your shoes spread all over your side of the room, for instance, you could get a hanging closet shoe organizer.

6. Learn Time Management

This might be harder for some of you to learn than others. No longer is your mom telling you what to do and when to do it. Now, you’re in charge of juggling your classes, homework, sports practices/games, job, club meetings, etc. It’s a lot to keep track of, so I’m sure you’re wondering how your mom was able to do it all in her head, along with all your other siblings’ responsibilities. Thankfully, you don’t need to do that. Just plug all those things into your phone calendar or get a “To-Do List” app. If you’re “old-school”, you can buy a planner at the store and write in it every day so you know what needs to get done and when it needs to get done by.

7. Don’t lose your keys

Dorms can be real sticklers when it comes to keys. If you lose one, it can be expensive to replace. And if it you don’t tell the R.A.s or R.D. that you lost your key within a given time frame, the fines can be outrageous. Be responsible and always keep it in the same place when you don’t have it on you. However, and this is important, you should always keep your keys on you unless you’re in your room. You could accidentally lock yourself out or your roommate could lock the door when he or she leaves. Either way, it can be pretty embarrassing to tell the R.A. that you got locked out of your own room. One way to avoid forgetting your keys is to always keep them hung up next to your door on a lanyard.
 

8. Cool off

There’s a real possibility that your room won’t have air conditioning, which is fine during the winter, but those first couple months of the fall semester can be brutally hot. Thus, it’s in your best interest to get a couple of fans, maybe one big and one small. You can try making your room even cooler by putting frozen water bottles or a bowl of ice in front of your fans.

9. Live a little

College can be scary, but for the same reasons that it’s scary, it’s also exciting. Don’t be afraid to join a few clubs and get involved. You’ll be amazed at all of the interesting people you meet. There’s a real chance you’ll make lifelong friends with someone too. It happened to me, so it can happen to you.

Source: https://www.erieinsurance.com/blog/college-dorm-hacks