Things You Don't Really Need for College

When you’re packing for college, you either want to suck up your whole room and take it with you—or go out and buy a ton of new stuff to make your new habitat happening. You don’t, however, need to do either one. The rule of thumb is generally pack what you think you’ll need and then put half of it back. While you may not have to go that far, here are some things that you’ll definitely want to keep home.

The kitchen. It’s good to have a set of silverware, a cup, a bowl and/or plate and a regular cooking pot, but other than that, you don’t need anything fancy. If you don’t have a kitchen in your dorm, skip the pot itself; a hotpot will do nicely instead of a cooking pot since you can use it in your room. If you have a meal plan with the cafeteria, save your money to use on snacks and drinks to keep in your room.

The bathroom. Yes, you’ll definitely need your toothbrush, toothpaste, toilet tissue (if you have your own bathroom), wash, and at least one washcloth and one towel. But you don’t need seventy bath products, a towel for every day of the week and a dozen washcloths! I used two towels and two washcloths—one for me, one for cleaning—throughout all of my dorm years and it was fine. Using body wash that doubles as shampoo can also save you some room.

The pets. Yes, they’re cute and loveable, but they can really make things difficult sometimes. For starters, many colleges don’t allow them, and if you’re caught, you can get into some trouble. But even if they do allow them—many do let you have fish—if you something awesome comes up—a weekend trip, maybe—who’s going to look after them while you’re gone?

Being greeted by dead, floating fish when you return is definitely going to drag your spirits down. If you need life in your dorm, stick with a plant, especially a hardy one that will help keep your air nice and purified.

DVDs, CDs, books, and other media. Only bring your favorites. If you plan on coming home often—or even simply regularly—take even less and swap them out each time you visit. Of the two dozen or so movies and dozens of CDs I brought with me, I bet I only used ten combined. You’ll end up renting, swapping, and downloading while you’re there anyway.