Every fall, UC Berkeley freshmen move into the dorms, excited and nervous for their college experience. However, that experience can quickly turn sour without the right tools to navigate their time in the dorms. I’ve compiled a list of dorm essentials to help make your first year experience with dorm life — from the Units to Foothill — as enjoyable as possible.
Sleeping mask
Blinds not blocking the light? A sleeping mask blacks out all light, letting you go to bed even when your roommate stays up on their computer until two in the morning. Bonus points if it’s silk and good for your skin, too.
Robe
No one likes coming out of the shower in a tiny towel when your floormates are walking down the hall. Invest in a bathrobe to save you from embarrassment and keep you warm during the walk down the hall to your room.
Slippers
It’s a pretty safe bet that someone (roommates, friends) will be wearing shoes inside your room, but no one wants to wear sneakers while getting ready for bed or walking down the hall to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. A pair of cozy slippers is just what you need, especially during the winter months.
Shower shoes
Does this one need an explanation? It should be considered a health code violation to shower in the communal bathrooms without shower shoes. The kind that look like flip flops are your best bet, because they’re as aesthetically pleasing as shower shoes can be.
Quick drying shower caddy
On the topic of showering, you’ll need a shower caddy to hold your shower products. I recommend one that’s lightweight and mostly made of mesh so that it is easy to carry and hang up, and dries quickly without water accumulating at the bottom of it.
Backrest pillow
If you’re like me, sometimes you need to do homework from bed or just sit up and go on your phone or laptop to relax. A backrest pillow is a lifesaver for your back — just make sure it’s memory foam and fuzzy on the outside!
Backpack laundry bag
When your laundry bag is completely full and feels like it weighs a hundred pounds, you’ll be glad you can carry it on your back. While it may feel stupid to lug it around that way, I promise that you look stupider dragging it around by a single handle.
Desk mirror
A foldable desk mirror is perfect for getting ready in the morning and getting unready at night, especially if you have to get up before your roommates and can’t turn the lights on.
If you follow this guide, I can guarantee your dorm experience will be much calmer, cleaner and overall smoother. We at the Clog hope this comprehensive guide helps make your freshman year experience much more comfortable and convenient!
