Things You Don't Need in College

As a second semester senior, I look back on four years of college and realize the amount of stuff I brought every year to school got smaller and smaller. That was because I learned what to bring and what not to bring. Here are some tips of things you think you will need, but truly do not.

1. Printer: At our school part of our tuition is paying $25 printing dollars. That is plenty of money to print everything your heart desires. You don't really need your own printer plus it can get expensive when you have to pay for ink as well. Use the school's resources and you should be fine. If you still want a printer in the room, try sharing one with your roommate. If you do decide to buy a printer, try getting one that scans or copies too. This is helpful when I want to add a picture from a text

2. LOTS of shoes: Girls are guilty of this one, but sometimes boys can too. As far as shoes you really just need a couple pairs of sneakers and maybe a dress pair or two but that really is it.

3. Clothes for every season: Unless you are never going home at any point during the semester, it is unnecessary to bring clothes for every season. Bring clothes you will need season wise until you can go home and trade. This will save you space in your room and luggage space.

4. A Car: Although it is terribly convenient, you really can live without it. Unless your school is in the middle of no where, there are usually public transport systems that are cheap and reliable. Our school gives everyone a season pass on the bus system. Worse case scenario is to borrow a friends car and pay for the gas. This is still cheaper than owning a car, paying for parking, maintenance etc.

5. A laptop: I could say you don't need a computer, but who likes to spend ALL of their time in the library. Access to computers can also get competitive especially around midterms and finals. However you do not need a laptop. They tend to be more expensive and some professors actually prohibit use of laptops in their classes. The other thing about laptops is in many cases everything is attached to the mother board so if one piece is busted, you have to replace the whole motherboard, which is very expensive believe me. Having a laptop is nice, but not necessary.

Hope these tips helped and good luck with school!