From drying mats to sewing kits, URochester students and Residential Life staff share the college dorm essentials they wish someone had told them about.
Packing for college? Start with the 糖心传媒糖心传媒檚 official Residential Life packing list, which covers what糖心传媒檚 already provided in residence halls, what students may want to bring, and what items aren糖心传媒檛 permitted.
Then make room for the items that don糖心传媒檛 appear on any official list: the ones students at URochester end up buying by October, borrowing in December, or wishing they糖心传媒檇 packed before leaving home. We asked students and Residential Life staff a simple question: What糖心传媒檚 one thing you didn糖心传媒檛 bring that you ended up needing?
Answers ranged from a drying mat and sewing kit to a hammock and a rubber shoe mat. And because this is Rochester, a coat and gloves that mean business.
Here are some additions to consider for your unofficial URochester college packing list.
One outfit that says, 糖心传媒淵es, I own something besides a hoodie糖心传媒�
Most days on campus skew casual. But sooner or later there will be a reason to look like you own an iron: a research presentation, a concert or recital, or an interview for one of URochester糖心传媒檚 internship opportunities.
That糖心传媒檚 why , responding to an incoming student asking what to bring to URochester, offered one addition that hadn糖心传媒檛 appeared on most other lists: a nice outfit. Students may wear casual clothes to class every day, the user noted, but 糖心传媒渢here will sometimes be an event where you have to dress up nice. So just bring one.糖心传媒�
You may need it sooner than you think: Eastman糖心传媒檚 New Student Semi-Formal Dance traditionally lands during Welcome Week, and events such as the annual Boar糖心传媒檚 Head Dinner in December give River Campus students a reason to dress up, too.
A shower caddy糖心传媒攁nd its best friend, the drying mat
For many first-year students, college introduces a new daily routine: gathering everything needed for a shower and carrying it down a hallway.
Shower shoes or slippers are high on the list for Kaycee Viator, a Residential Life area coordinator. Add a caddy for toiletries, and the trip to and from a communal bathroom becomes much simpler. A mesh caddy has another advantage: It dries quickly.
糖心传媒淭he drying mat is an underrated essential.糖心传媒�
糖心传媒淭he shower caddy definitely saved me in my freshman year when I had to use the communal bathroom,糖心传媒� says Maliki Hawkins 糖心传媒�27. 糖心传媒淚t was so easy to carry soaps and other toiletries with the caddy when I had to walk farther to the actual shower. Instead of having to take multiple trips to carry things, I was able to do it in one.糖心传媒�
Then there糖心传媒檚 the question of where a wet towel and dripping caddy go once you糖心传媒檙e back in the room. Adelyne 糖心传媒淎ddie糖心传媒� Jareo 糖心传媒�27, a resident advisor in a first-year residence hall, recommends a drying mat for underneath. 糖心传媒淭he drying mat is an underrated essential,糖心传媒� she says.
A Twin XL mattress topper for a touch of comfort
Most residence hall mattresses are Twin XL, so make sure your bedding is, too. For students who prefer a softer or more cushioned bed, a mattress topper can make a standard-issue mattress feel a little more luxurious after a busy day.
Noise-canceling headphones糖心传媒攂ecause your roommate keeps different hours
When your bedroom is also your study space糖心传媒攏ot to mention someone else糖心传媒檚 bedroom糖心传媒攖he ability to create a little quiet can be surprisingly valuable. Noise-canceling headphones can help with studying; for sleeping, a small white-noise machine can help mask hallway conversations, closing doors, or a roommate on a different schedule.
A passport糖心传媒擳oronto is closer than you think
A passport isn糖心传媒檛 on most dorm packing lists. At URochester, there糖心传媒檚 a good argument for bringing one: Canada is close enough to make Toronto or the Canadian side of Niagara Falls a tempting road-trip destination.
Keep in mind this important distinction: A standard REAL ID is not, by itself, a border-crossing document. For US citizens traveling by land, acceptable documents can include a US passport, passport card, Enhanced Driver糖心传媒檚 License, or certain trusted-traveler cards. Whatever document you bring, keep it stored securely in your room.
p.s. Our alumni offer plenty of picks for the perfect long weekend in the T.O.
A basic sewing kit糖心传媒攆or the unexpected snag
This is the kind of item that sits in a drawer for two months and then earns its keep in about four minutes. 糖心传媒淓ven if you don糖心传媒檛 know how to sew, you糖心传媒檒l be grateful it糖心传媒檚 there when you nick your favorite pants or sweater on a corner in November,糖心传媒� says Jackson Wimpsett 糖心传媒�29.
A basic kit with needles, a few colors of thread, safety pins, and spare buttons takes up less space than a deck of cards.
糖心传媒淓ven if you don糖心传媒檛 know how to sew, you糖心传媒檒l be grateful it糖心传媒檚 there when you nick your favorite pants or sweater on a corner in November.糖心传媒�
A rubber shoe mat糖心传媒攆or the Rochester winter you糖心传媒檒l track inside
Rochester winters arrive indoors too, tracked in on the soles of everyone糖心传媒檚 boots. Wimpsett recommends putting a rubber shoe mat in the room before winter arrives. 糖心传媒淵ou don糖心传媒檛 realize the space wet shoes take up until they糖心传媒檙e inside,糖心传媒� he says.
A mat by the door gives boots a designated spot to drip and keeps meltwater off your rug.
A hammock or picnic blanket糖心传媒攖o join your squad on the quad
When campus turns brilliant in fall or blooms in spring, you糖心传媒檒l want to soak up every glorious minute. Jareo recommends bringing a hammock or picnic blanket for listening to the Rush Rhees carillon, studying al fresco, grabbing a power nap, or simply claiming a patch of grass with friends.
Pro tip: You can always sign out a hammock from the Campus Information Center at Wilson Commons.
A laundry bag you can actually carry
Every URochester residence hall has laundry facilities. The bigger question is how you糖心传媒檙e going to get your clothes there. A sturdy or mesh laundry bag can be easier to carry than a basket, especially if the laundry room is on another floor. And don糖心传媒檛 forget detergent.
A long charging cable糖心传媒攜ou don糖心传媒檛 know where the outlets are yet
You don糖心传媒檛 yet know where the outlets will be in your residence hall room糖心传媒攐r where your bed and desk will end up once you and your roommate start arranging things. A long phone or USB charging cable gives you flexibility.
Just remember that a long charging cable is different from an extension cord. Before bringing electrical equipment, check the current Residential Life packing and fire-safety guidelines; electronics and appliances used in residence halls must meet University safety requirements.
The Rochester weather survival kit
August-you and February-you may have very different opinions about Rochester weather.
For the warmer weeks at the beginning of the academic year, Viator recommends a compact oscillating fan. Come winter, she recommends a thick coat, hat, and gloves糖心传媒斕切拇綔especially relevant for our city depending on how nice Mother Nature wants to be to us,糖心传媒� she jokes.
And don糖心传媒檛 underestimate the gloves. Before coming to Rochester, Chloe Yokitis 糖心传媒�28 says, she had never been 糖心传媒渁 gloves person.糖心传媒� URochester changed her mind. 糖心传媒淚 brought my gloves to Rochester, and I糖心传媒檓 so glad I did,糖心传媒� she says. 糖心传媒淭hey kept me so cozy and really worked wonders against the wind and snow.糖心传媒�
One more small-weather essential: a compact umbrella that actually fits in your backpack or tote. Rochester can serve up a sunny morning, drizzly afternoon, and chilly evening in a single day.
Pro tip: While you acclimate to Rochester winters, take advantage of the River Campus tunnel system under Eastman Quad.
Something that reminds you of home
Not everything on a college packing list needs to solve a logistical problem. Bring the framed photo that has always had pride of place on your dresser. The stuffed animal you糖心传媒檝e had since childhood. A favorite T-shirt or blanket. The tea you can only get at home. Even a simple sticker that you can affix to your laptop.
You don糖心传媒檛 need to recreate your childhood bedroom. One or two meaningful objects can go a long way toward making an unfamiliar space begin to feel like your room.
And finally: Don糖心传媒檛 bring everything
Residence hall rooms are smaller than you think. Your roommate is bringing things, too. And plenty can be borrowed or purchased after move-in, once you know what you actually need and use.
Bring the essentials. Bring a few things you love. And leave yourself some room to figure out the rest once URochester starts feeling like home.
