After stressful college applications, anxious months waiting for responses, and difficult decision-making, the exciting prospect of attending college is finally within reach. However, before that happens, you must decide what to pack.

“When we went college shopping for my sister, we had to get everything from a shower caddy to band-aids to an alarm clock,” Savitha Krishnan ’16 comments. “The never-ending list of supplies can be overwhelming.”

The following tips may help you navigate through the confusing dorm shopping process.

Be mindful of what your dorm will be like. Research through the school’s website and, if possible, visit your to-be dorm – you could be saved from bringing unnecessary items to your school. For example, knowing the size of the room may stop you from hauling that television a few hundred miles. Finding out the dimensions of the beds may prevent you from scouring the local Target to buy those extra-long twin sheets in place of your regular twin sheets. A small closet may only leave room for three of your favorite sweaters, but a seeing a large closet in person may encourage you to pack those five blue t-shirts that you just love so much.

“The most difficult thing I found about college dorm shopping was probably staying under my budget and distinguishing between the things I needed versus the things I wanted. There’s only so much space in your dorm room, so you don’t want to buy too much stuff,” Helena Xie ’14 advises.

Take distance into account. Keep in mind how far your school is and how you will be getting your stuff to the school. Although bringing a microwave to college may be feasible for a half-hour car drive, it may not be practical for a three-hour plane ride. If your school is especially far, you may find it easier to do some shopping once you arrive at your college, rather than stuff five suitcases with clothes, bedding, and appliances. Andy Zhang ’14 recommends that no matter where you will be attending college, you should not try to do all of your shopping before school starts: “It’s really hard to know everything you will need for that year, so be prepared to go shopping for dorm materials.”

Check what your college provides or bans. A majority of colleges have already compiled a list of items that already supply students and items that they do not allow in dorms. Most schools supply a bed, desk, and dresser, and many schools don’t allow candles, air conditioners, or pets, so you may not have to spend a whole day perusing Yankee Candle or PetSmart.

Talk to others. Coordinating with your future roommate will save both of you money and time, especially concerning large items like refrigerators, microwaves, or televisions.

Not only should you talk to who you will be spending the next year with, but you should also consult students who currently attend the college, because they have the most pertinent insight into what it is like living in a dorm and what you need. You can even chat with other rising freshmen that may have thought of items that have not crossed your mind.

Here is a list of supplies to bring that you may overlook:

Keep a budget. You may want to overboard with buying everything you like, but Xie reminds, “Not everything is necessary and not everything is cheap. I would advise making a list of your dorm materials, dividing it into two columns: the necessary stuff you do need, like mattress sheets, comforter, pillows, hangers, clothes, etc., and the unnecessary stuff you want. That way, you can stay organized and under your budget when you go out and start shopping.”

Keeping that in mind, here is a list of places to shop:

• Bed Bath & Beyond
• Amazon
• Target
• The Container Store
• IKEA

Reuse, reuse, reuse! You have probably collected many materials over the years that will be useful in college. Xie urges, “Definitely look around your house for stuff you already have before you go out shopping for new stuff. It saves a lot of money and time!”

Attending college is a completely new experience; by making your dorm your own and as comfortable as possible, you can smoothly transition into college and take full advantage of all your school has to offer.