I am by nature an over-planner. When I wanted a pet hamster, I researched everything there was to know about the species for over a year before giving a  presentation complete with a contract to my parents. It took months of research before I got my first piercing, but by the time I got my second body mod it only took me a couple weeks to follow through. For all you equally neurotic overthinkers as well as you perpetually laid-back types, I want to share some information that’ll hopefully make moving into res that much easier.

First things first is lists. Lots and lots of lists. Last year, I found 3 “college packing lists” that I really liked and kinda combined them into the ultimate list. In order of helpfulness they are:

1. http://www.gifts.com/ideas/dorm-essentials-checklist
2.  http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/registry/CollegeChecklistPage
3. http://www.collegepackinglist.com/

Each list has things that the others left out so you can pick and choose according to your needs. I know it’s fairly simple to Google some lists and figure out what you need so I figure it’d be more helpful if I also shared what I learned, especially what I learned not to bring.

The number one rule of packing for college is: YOU CAN ALWAYS BUY STUFF THERE. Logically, you think you know this but this is important to remember when your parents are hyperventilating at your purchase total in Bed, Bath and Beyond or when your luggage is bursting at the seams. So without further ado, here are: The Things I Wish I left at Home

• Shampoo/Conditioner – basically any hairstyling related product. There are drugstores on/near campus. (No Walmart though, be warned)
• Coffee/Creamer – My mom bought me a cute little coffeemaker as a going-away gift and included the same brand of nice coffee and whitener she uses at home but those things were really bulky
• Hangers
• Binders
• Food Storage Containers – Didn’t use them once
• Cutlery and Dishwashing Stuff/Dshes – You need 2 sets of cutlery max. Also, speaking from experience, dishes break while being flown across provinces.
• Headphones – Surprisingly awkward to pack when trying to prevent damage. I’ll stick to earbuds. Even though every dorm list says bring earplugs, earbuds and great music work just fine.
• So much clothing – I tried to pack clothes for every possible occasion. This was a bad idea. I didn’t need nearly as much formal clothing as I brought.
• So much linen – A couple of cheap towels are great for cleaning up spills and drying dishes but that’s really all you need.
• School Supplies – This one’s a bit tricky. Since class structure is so different than high school you’ll need to figure out your notetaking style after starting classes and whether you’ll just need a laptop, loose-leaf, binders or notebooks.

Things I’m Glad I Brought:

• A little tray from the dollar store to put wet shoes on near the door
• An extension cord/power adapter/surge protector combo
• An Ethernet cable
• Twin XL bedding
• Hanging shoe organizer
• Food. You will miss home-cooking very much. Trust.

I wish I had bought a router early on because the Ethernet cable becomes really annoying. Also, I forgot thumb tacks and using them with the given corkboard is a good way to minimize desk clutter. This is all the advice I can think of right now but I’ll update as I think of stuff and do my own shopping for this year. I found out that I’ll be in an apartment-style residence this year which involves a whole ‘nother level of shopping for my inner over-planner.

I’ll try and do some follow-up posts about how I managed the logistics of moving out-of-province. If you have any questions about what to bring for your first year in residence, ask away!