UNH Today

For incoming freshmen, summer is a time to work, relax and get ready for your first year at college. You may be stressing out about what to bring — after all, everything you might need will have to be stuffed into a dorm room. UNH Housing has a great, thorough list of what to bring (plus some optional items) that you can check out here.

Additionally, here are some things that might not be on your list but will come in handy as a college freshman…

• Professional wear: You’re in college now, so thinking about your future career is important. You’ll have the opportunity to attend the UNH Career & Internship Fair or present at the Undergradate Research Conference, and if you’re a Paul College of Business and Economics student, you’ll have formal class presentations. All of these require professional dress. Be sure to bring business attire; it will come in handy!
• Dishes: Chances are you won’t want to haul yourself to the dining hall every time you’re craving a snack, so make sure you have some basic kitchen supplies on hand so you can prepare a bowl of cereal or a peanut butter sandwich.
• Duffle bag: You’ll likely pack your things up in boxes or plastic bins, but don’t forget to bring a duffle bag. You’ll need it for weekend trips home or around New England.
• Extra set of sheets: Having two sets of sheets is a lifesaver — it means you don’t have to lug your laundry basket down to the laundry room to do a load every time you want to change your sheets. Make sure you buy XL twin-sized sheets.
• Extension cords and power strips: These will be useful for arranging your room just the way you want it — even if your TV is across the room from the nearest plug, you can still make it work with extension cords.
• Shower caddy: This will probably be your most-used item! A shower caddy that carries your shampoo, body wash, toothpaste, contact solution, etc. is a lifesaver for frequent trips between your dorm room and the common hall bathroom.
• Laundry supplies: You’ll need more than just detergent — throw in some bleach pens, stain remover spray and wrinkle release spray.
• First-aid kit: Make sure you have Ibuprofen, allergy medicine and cold medicine on hand in your dorm room. You will likely get sick and you won’t want to trudge to the drugstore when you have a cold.
• Cleaning supplies: Grab some basic cleaning supplies to store in your room. A clean and organized room will make it easier to get work done and more enjoyable to relax in. Disinfectant wipes or spray, paper towels and supplies to wipe down the floor once in a while are musts. I always found that having a vacuum is useful as well — you could split the price with your roommate.

• Reusable water bottles: Reusable water bottles are way more cost-effective than buying bottled water. UNH has filtered water stations in almost every residence hall, which makes it easy to fill up your water bottle whenever. Bring one or two to use in your dorm room and around campus.
• Rubber flip-flops: Just bring them. They are a must for going to and from the bathroom and for showering in the communal showers.
• Flash drive: A USB flash drive will make it easy to share large files like presentations with teachers’ computers. Just a good thing to have on hand!
• HDMI cord: My roommate and I invested in an HDMI cord (and a Mac connector cord) freshman year and it was one of our most-used items. We hooked up our laptops to the TV for Netflix marathons and movie nights.
• Sports and hobby equipment: Don’t bring every sports item you own, but choose one or two that you know you’ll get some enjoyment out of. Throwing a Frisbee in the fish bowl (in front of Scott) or taking advantage of free Campus Rec yoga classes is a great way to get some physical activity and make friends. Consider bringing your lacrosse stick, guitar, Frisbee, etc.

Enjoy your summer and we’ll see you on move-in day, Wildcats!