By Jackie Fritsch, a current student at Xavier University
Before leaving home, just like with every other trip away from home, you should always determine early on what all you should bring with you in order to make your trip comfortable and enjoyable. The same goes for your trip to and stay at college. In a way, it is rather like packing for moving out of your home and preparing for a new life away from it. Not only should you bring the necessary items which every traveler thinks of (including clothes, toiletries, and your suitcase), but you should also consider how often you will be coming home so you can perhaps switch out some of your supplies for new ones as the seasons and weather change.
Some of the primary items you should remember to bring along include your backpack and books for your upcoming classes, hygiene items, sheets and pillowcases for your bed, a flashlight and extra batteries, a microwave, and a mini fridge for your food. These are only some of the things you should keep in mind in any necessary situations since living away from home means you will be faced with more responsibilities which you might not have had back home with your parents. This also means that you will most likely have to do your laundry every weekend (something which you might or might not have had to do at home), and so you should be sure to bring along enough detergent to keep handy as well as fabric softener for drying them.
When starting out with living independently at college, if ever I needed something from home which I forgot to bring originally, I always had the opportunity to go home on the weekend and get it. However, I realize that this is not always the case for some college students living a reasonable distance from home, and therefore they should think of these things ahead of time before heading off to college.
Furthermore, living in the dorms is one thing, but if you’re a commuter like myself, living independently can be slightly different. Not only do I have to do my laundry on a weekly basis but I also have to wash and dry my dishes whenever I eat at my apartment instead of on campus. I also have to do my grocery shopping when necessary and be sure to do my other chores including taking out the trash, dusting and vacuuming my room, and cleaning the bathroom whenever needed. Although this can be somewhat time-consuming, in the end I always feel very accomplished and responsible – just like a college student should feel!
