If you’re planning on going to college next fall, and if your family celebrates the winter holidays with gifts, you may as well start thinking about what you’re going to need come fall.
There’ll be plenty of boring (think: cleaning supplies) and cool (think: posters and room swag) stuff to get later. But here’s a list of some must-haves (and maybe-haves) to get you started.
Suit or blazer
Chances are you’re going to be giving presentations in class, networking at job fairs and chatting with interviewers for internships. Yeah, your skills matter, but to get in the door, you’ll want at least one outfit that says, “I’m the best decision you’ll make.”
Backpack
Look for one with a laptop sleeve. And water bottle pocket. If you need an upgrade from your high school pack, now might be a good time.
Noise-canceling headphones
While they won’t cancel out every instance of chatter, noise-canceling headphones can help you zone in and focus wherever there’s background noise. So, when your roommate is running the hair dryer and fan and white noise machine, you’ll be able to dial into some [insert band name here] in peace and knock out that paper.
Skinny hangers
Chances are you’ll wish for a little more closet space in your dorm. Unless you knock out a wall in your room, though — generally frowned upon, we hear — your best bet is probably having stuff that takes up less room to begin with. Yes, like skinny hangers.
Mini whiteboard
When you’re living with a roommate who’s just as busy as you are, sometimes it’s nice to be able to leave a message when you’re leaving for a weekend of camping and she’s getting back from a soccer tournament. (Or, you know, you could text her.)
Dishes
Yeah, you’ll probably eat most meals at the dining hall. But at least get a bowl or two for the inevitable cereal and ramen (not at the same time, please). And prepare for four years of jokes about how you must love free food.
Travel mug
Because caffeine for those 8 a.m. classes is, well, almost essential.
Command strips
Unless you’re more of a bare-walls type of person.
Shower shoes
You’re sharing enough with your floormates. You don’t need to share foot germs, too.
Umbrella
Even though Colorado is notoriously sunny, there will be those rare rainy days. If you were lucky, you didn’t have far to walk to get from the car/bus/minivan to high school. But in college, you might have a 15-minute walk between the coffee shop and math class. Get an umbrella so you won’t be taken by surprise when a sudden cloudburst moves across campus.
