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Not to age myself, but I was a college freshman nearly 10 years ago — and I loved every minute of it.

I was a goody-two-shoes, straight As, independent high schooler, nervous but also excited to live five hours away from home in my own dorm room. I made great friends, joined the dance team, joined a sorority and signed up for classes I was actually interested in, but it wasn’t easy at first.

The transition into this new chapter took some time, and my dorm room became my safe place for relaxing, watching TV, venting with new friends and, of course, studying. Although, looking back, there could have been a few things in my dorm to make it a little more comfortable and functional.

Here are seven dorm room essentials I wish I had back then (that I also use and love today).

Air conditioning isn’t always super reliable in a residence hall — if you even have it. The Buffy Breeze Comforter is naturally cooling to keep you from sweating through your sheets at night. It’s also extra fluffy and super cozy.

$60 $109.99 at Bed Bath & Beyond

All those quick Starbucks trips add up fast. Make your own coffee in your dorm room with this single-serve Keurig. If you have a mini fridge, you can keep a Brita pitcher in there for filling up the reservoir. You’ll need to fill this up each time you want a cup of joe, due to its small size. However, that means your coffee is fresh every time. You can also use a Keurig to make tea, instant oatmeal, Cup Noodles, Easy Mac and more.

$24.99 at Bed Bath & Beyond

Skip the traditional laundry bags with the drawstring cords — they’re so heavy when they’re filled to the top. It’s much easier to carry your dirty clothes to the laundry room over your shoulder in a large tote like this one. If you want to, you can even use this one as a hamper in your closet. If not, it collapses shut so you can store it under your bed or elsewhere.

$99.99 at Bed Bath & Beyond

Most dorm rooms don’t come with a full-length mirror. Looking back at some of my college outfits, it seems that I didn’t have one, but definitely should have. You can get a cheaper $17 mirror to hang over the back of your door or get a stylish one like this to serve as an accent piece in the room.

I got one of these sunrise alarm clocks after graduating, and I wish I’d had it sooner. Sometimes, the alarm on your phone just isn’t enough. This alarm clock lights up to mimic the sun rising to help you wake up more easily. It’s especially great on cold and dark winter mornings. However, it’s also a great reading light and a sound machine. Use it to block out the noise of your rowdy neighbors at night.

Sometimes, residence halls have odd, smoky smells coming from other rooms — if you know what I mean. Keep your air smelling fresh with an air purifier that cleans up to 250 square feet. Yes, this one is admittedly expensive, but it’s also been proven, through a brand study, to reduce the concentration of COVID-19 particles in the air by 99.98%. Plus, you can take this well into your adult life, from the dorm to your first apartment.

Many dorms include desks and chairs, but the chairs aren’t usually the most comfortable. However, class work may require you to sit in that uncomfy seat for long periods of time. Don’t suffer. Get a chair cushion to make studying more bearable. You’re already under enough pressure in college, your back doesn’t need to feel it, too.

If you liked this article, check out eight of the best laptops for college students under $400.

The post 7 dorm room essentials I wish I had my freshman year of college appeared first on In The Know.

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