17 Essential Items Every College Student Needs To Pack!

This post is all about the 17 essential items every college student needs to pack.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Please read the disclosure here.

All of these items helped me so much during my freshman year of college and I know they will help you too!! I hope that this post gives you some ideas on what items are super important to pack for college.

WANT A FREE COLLEGE PACKING LIST!?

17 Essential Items Every College Student Needs To Pack!

1. Planner

Every girl needs a nice planner that she can use to organize her life. Staying extremely organized is the key to success in college which is why a new planner is the perfect graduation gift idea.

I just got this 5 x 8 planner which people rave about! It is a Day Designer knock off by Blue Sky and is really good for people who have a lot to do and aren’t the best at planning out their time.

This one is a daily/monthly planner and gives you an entire page for each day of the month which allows you to time-block your schedule for the day. Time-blocking can really help you to stay on task and use your time wisely.

2. Mattress Topper

Bringing a quality mattress topper to college is crucial because college mattresses are super uncomfortable!

The right mattress topper will make your bed so cozy and will allow you to get a better night’s sleep!

(I’ve heard excellent things about this mattress topper– I haven’t tried it yet since I brought a different one my freshman year. I’m planning to buy this mattress topper for my sophomore year dorm bed as I hear it is wonderful and will make your bed super cozy!!)

3. Card Holder

This is my favorite of these 17 essential items! I bought this pop-wallet right before my freshman year of college and have been using it ever since. It is the perfect place to put your student ID card and other important cards.

I am able to fit up to 4 cards in my pop-wallet and it’s very secure. If you are going to college, this pop-wallet is a great place to put your important cards. It will make your life a million times easier!

4. Water Bottle

Every college girl needs a good water bottle that they can carry around campus.

Two of my favorite water bottles are the Hydro Flask and Super Sparrow bottles. These bottles come in really fun colors and will keep your drink hot or cold for hours!

5. Laptop

Bringing an excellent laptop to college is essential!

I did so much work on my laptop freshman year that would have been a lot harder to do without one.

(This laptop is the one that I used during my freshman year of college and still use today. It’s an amazing laptop and perfect for college students. My favorite thing about this laptop is that it is really lightweight which makes it easy to carry around campus.)

6. Airpods/earphones

Make sure to bring some type of earphones to college.

Most likely you will be living with roommates and won’t want to disturb them at night. Earphones will allow you to listen to music or be on your phone without bothering others.

(I have these air-pods and used them during my freshman year as well. They work really well!)

7. Shower Caddy

Shower caddies are really useful in college, especially if you are going to use communal bathrooms.

Having a bag like this will help you organize all of your bathroom supplies. Try to buy one with straps so that you can hang in on a hook outside of the shower.

(This shower caddy is very similar to the one I had freshman year and is perfect for college.)

8. Long Charger

Outlets aren’t always in the perfect location which is why it is nice to have a long charger (10 ft or more).

(This long charger would be super helpful in a college dorm room.)

9. Surge Protector/Power Strip

Most colleges do not allow extension cords in dorm rooms because they are fire hazards. Instead, use a long power strip or surge protector.

(I used a Belkin power strip my freshman year and it worked really well!)

10. Water Proof Boots

I completely forgot to pack waterproof boots my freshman year and it was a mistake!

Bring waterproof boots even if you aren’t expecting it to rain a lot. It’s a lot better to be prepared.

I got LL Bean Duck boots this past Christmas and love them! However, if you’re looking for a cheaper option these waterproof boots will do the trick.

11. Mini Vacuum

A mini vacuum is really nice to have in college and won’t take up very much space which is good if you’re living in a small dorm room.

My sister has this vacuum and it works really well. It’s also super compact which makes it perfect for a dorm room!!

12. Broom & Dustpan

My roommates and I used our broom and dustpan so much freshman year! It’s a really easy way to clean your room quickly.

This broom and dustpan would be perfect for your college dorm room.

13. Shower Shoes

College shower floors are NASTY, even if you have your own shower. I used cheap Old Navy flip flops for shower shoes, and they worked great!

You can buy flip flops for around only $3 from Old Navy here.

14. Fun-Tak

Fun-Tak sticks so much better than tape and won’t damage walls. If your planning to hang any pictures up on your walls definitely bring Fun-Tak!

(If I didn’t use this fun-tak my freshman year, there’s no way all of my pictures would have stayed up.)

15. Command Hooks

These are a must if you are planning to hang up any frames, tapestries, or other decorations. They also come in all different sizes and won’t damage walls.

If you are planning to hang up a tapestry make sure to use the larger command hooks. The mini ones are not strong enough and they will fall down which is very annoying.

If you’re looking for a dorm friendly way to hang up decorations, command hooks are the best!

16. Hamper

My #1 hamper tip is to buy one that is very spacious and has straps so that it is easy to carry!

Bring one like this hamper that is big, will fit under your bed, and won’t take up a ton of room.

17. Mini Fan

Bring a mini fan even if your room is supposed to have air condition in case you need it. It’s always better to have one than to be super hot in your room!

This mini fan would be perfect for your college dorm room.

I hope that you enjoyed this post about 17 essential items every college student needs to pack! Don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest below! 🙂