Things to Consider Before Moving into Your Dorm

It always surprises me that college dorms set up rules, but then fail to announce these rules until after the students have already moved in. Oh, you can't put your bed up on cinder blocks? That would have been nice to know at the beginning of the day before we went out and purchased the cinder blocks. No, they waited to tell you until 9 PM at the first meeting. At the same time they announce that you also broke 5 other dorm rules and everything must be fixed by that night. Fun right? To avoid that, here are a few things you might want to avoid until after you have been given all of the rules.

Pictures and Posters

The first time you walk into your dorm and realize that the walls are made of cinder blocks or some other unreasonable material for hanging posters and pictures on the wall; you will probably get a few ideas as to how you can get your posters to actually stick. My advice is to not hang anything unless you have already been told what you can and cannot use. Dorms do not like repainting every year and if you end up ripping paint off the wall, they may have to. So, unpack the rest of your room and wait for someone who looks like they know what they are doing.

Phones

When I first got accepted to college one of the first things I purchased was a really cute cordless phone. Expect when I got to college I found out that I was required to use the ugly, tan, 1980s phone the school provided for me. Save your money and do not get your own phone until you know whether or not it will actually work. Every school has a voicemail system installed and sometimes you must use the ugly, tan, 1980s dorm phone in order for that to work.

Appliances

The number of small appliances you may want to bring to college is endless. The problem is, not every dorm allows every appliance. The most banned is probably a hot plate or an indoor grill. Some colleges even forbid microwaves though! Ask what is not allowed before purchasing these items. If you are going to a college that bans almost everything, your coffee pot can be a great resource. Once you get to college you will find that the coffee pot was going to waste at your house. They serve other purposes than just making coffee. We used ours to (slowly) heat canned soup, or make cheese dip.

Candles

Yes, we all love candles, ladies. My advice, leave them at home. If there isn't already a candle rule in place, you don't want to be the reason that there is. Do you really want to be known as the girl who burned down the dorm? Do you really want to be known as the girl in room 101 who got candles banned because of the bright red wax stain on her carpet? No, you don't. If you get candles banned from a college dorm, your name will be pasted through history as the idiot who messed it up for everyone. If you have ever once forgotten to blow out a candle, don't bring them to college. If you are worried about the smell then opt for a nice air freshener.

Contact Your Roommate

These are actually questions you should ask your roommate. Can you imagine showing up to college the first day with your microwave, mini-fridge, and indoor grill to find your new roommate has purchased these same exact items? This is why your college sends your roommate's phone number before college even starts. Pick up the phone, call him or her, and make sure you are on the same page.

Yes, it is amazing what colleges fail to tell you before you get there. The best thing you can do is to actually call the dorm before you move and ask them for a list of things that you can and cannot have.