Dorm Room Style

By Brianna, 17
"By Girls, For Girls" National Advisory Committee member

This September, I'm movin' on up—to a college dorm room! I have to stock half of a 12' X 14' space with everything I'll need for the year. Will you be shopping for college soon? Based on my recent dorm-stocking experience, here are some friendly, practical tips.

• Make a First Aid Kit. Got a paper cut? Keep adhesive bandages, gauze, and antibacterial ointment in a box. You may also want to include your preferred headache medicine.
  
  
• Take a screwdriver. A lot of electronics have battery compartments with screwed in covers. Keep a small screwdriver around for odd jobs.
  
  
• Invest in bed lifts. I can't loft my bed in my dorm, but I still want some more storage space. Bed lifts add six to eight inches of height underneath your bed.
  
  
• Get a sleep mask. If your roommate is a night owl and you are a morning person, you may want a sleep masque to block out the light.
  
  
• Make a bed caddy. Wait—what is a bed caddy, anyway? It's a pocket organizer that you can tuck under your mattress and it holds books or magazines. This was a must-have for me because I like to read before going to sleep. If you're crafty, you can make your own! Visit your favorite fabric shop and check out the pattern books
  
  
• Bring playing cards and board games. No homework? I'm taking cards and my favorite board games for fun nights in the dorm lounge.
  
  
• Pick up a plant. I certainly don't have a green thumb, but I've managed to keep an ivy plant alive. Cacti and aloe plants are easy to maintain, too. A plant livens up a tiny dorm room, especially if you don't go outside much. You can breathe easier, too. With a plant carrying out photosynthesis, you'll have air that is more oxygen enriched.

Making the transition to college will be easier if you've got everything you need. Or maybe you're not going to college, but a close friend is. Any of these things would make a really useful going away gift!