As many students plan to move into the University dorms in the coming weeks, it is important to understand what to bring and what not to bring for your dorm experience. Living in a small shared space brings the challenge of prioritizing needs while also not overpacking. 

Shared Appliances

The first and most important step for living in dorms is to coordinate what you and your roommate will bring. University Housing has guidelines on how many of each appliance is allowed in one room, so going through that with your roommate is a smart idea to make sure you don’t end up with two refrigerators when you can only have one.

School Supplies

Because of COVID-19, this year will obviously be different in terms of class instruction. With most classes going online, the bare minimum would be a computer and a strong internet connection.

However, this also brings the opportunity for you to find what helps you learn the most. If taking notes on your computer or device will suffice your needs to be able to learn, then that is all you need. However, if you struggle with taking online notes and would rather use paper and a writing utensil, you might want to bring items from home rather than buying them on campus; the Illini Union Bookstore may become crowded during move-in days, forcing longer waits. 

In University Housing, you are provided with a desk and lamp, which will help a lot to light up your work area. 

Clothes

A variety of different clothes is obviously essential, especially in a midwest town like Champaign where the weather can vary wildly from day to day. However, it is important to note that this year will be unique given the fact that there will not be a lot of opportunities to dress up. Since most group occasions will not happen this semester, there is no need to bring an abundance of nicer clothes that would be saved for going out. This semester will offer the opportunity for you to pack and dress as casual as you see fit. Lastly, don’t forget some hangers for your closet.

Decorations

Decorations are very important for your dorm room. An empty dorm room can look very bland, but adding the right decorations can turn your dorm into a second home. Since you will be spending a lot of time in your room, I recommend going all out on decorations. String lights can be a really nice touch to any room and can add lighting that isn’t too bright but can still offer enough brightness to see. Posters, art and pictures are always a good way to personalize your room. The biggest thing about decorations is bringing enough stuff so that you feel at home. 

Also, never forget decoration hanging strips because you won’t be able to make holes in the walls of your dorm. 

Entertainment

Entertainment is a key every year, but given the extra time in your room that this year will necessitate, it seems almost essential. If you have a smaller spare TV sitting around, that can be a great addition to the room. It can be used for video games with friends, streaming services and campus-given cable.

If you don’t have a TV, a computer or tablet would work just fine for the use of streaming services and some games to keep you occupied.

This year especially, bringing cards or board games to play with people in your hall may help ease the time that is spent inside.

Cleaning/COVID-19 Supplies

This year, cleaning should be everyone’s top priority. Bringing more than enough soap, hand sanitizer, cleaning spray and wipes will be important this year. The University will provide some, but you can never really have enough, especially when dealing with shared spaces. 

You should definitely bring a few reusable masks to campus, given that they will be needed everywhere outside of your room. The University will supply some, but having more will let you interchange them more often.

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