So you made it through high school and graduated as a “mature” and “experienced” senior only to be thrust back to the bottom in college. Once again you’re the little guy on campus who has no idea what’s going on, watching the upperclassmen who seem to know what’s going on and wishing you could be like them. You’re not alone, we’re all confused together and that’s okay. When it comes to freshman year, we’ve got the good, the bad and the funny. Welcome to Freshman Problems.
Why I Bought a Printer:
I can’t say nobody told me that investing in a printer might be a good idea. I was told multiple times by emails from my RA, messages from my Student Advisor and even a couple YouTube vlogs about “What I Pack For College.” I thought the same two thoughts that most of us think. First, “I don’t need a printer because I can just print at the library,” and second, “It’s not worth the money.”
I learned within the second week of school that printing at the library was not going to work out well for me after accidentally printing a 30 page economics PowerPoint. I suddenly only had a dollar left to print with and had to walk back to my dorm with these papers I didn’t even need. I knew I was going to run out money and as someone who often writes papers from the comfort of my bed, I knew I wasn’t going to want to walk to the library late at night just to print something.
I still didn’t want to spend the money, but with the number of “does anyone have a printer I can use?” texts piling up in my hall group chat, it seemed like I wasn’t the only one with printer woes. I spend an hour or two procrastinating on Amazon and found some nice options for a printer in my dorm. Here are my favorites:
1. HP DeskJet 1112 Compact Printer ($29.89).
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013SKI4QA/?coliid=ICQXO1CLMPG3A&colid=36QE303…
This printer is a good options because of its affordable price and compact size. The cable for this printer is not included on Amazon, you have to buy it separately. However, the cable is very cheap.
2. Canon TS202 Inkjet Photo Printer ($29.95).
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NASS3KR/?coliid=I3R9CQMNC53V7Q&colid=36QE30…
This printer is a bit larger which is a drawback for some residence halls that may not be as large as others but the price is still low and the printer will be a reliable printer that will easily last for your next four years.
3. Canon PIXMA MG3022 Wireless Inkjet All-in-One Printer ($31.58)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078X1DQ2Y/?coliid=I3NZQYJ6I1GBLY&colid=36QE30…
This printer is both compact and inexpensive and can also scan documents which is a great thing to have for saving important information on your computer without having to keep unnecessary pages in your already cramped dorm space.
4. HP DeskJet 3755 Compact All-in-One Wireless Printer ($49.99)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LAK6JVW/?coliid=I2MEGQI1GC3RQ4&colid=36QE30…
This is one of the smallest printers available and comes in a ton of cute colors to match any dorm color scheme. Despite it’s small size, this printer has a scanner and a copier. This printer can connect to an app on your phone if you are on a Wi-Fi source. However, it can’t connect to the University Wi-Fi because of how the Wi-Fi is set up. You can still print wirelessly by connecting to the Wi-Fi the printer creates. This is the model I ended up buying because even though it was more expensive, it is more compact so I know I can use it for four more years even if my room next year is much smaller than my room now.
I’m very happy with my purchase and it has made it much less stressful to get assignments done. I can see why so many people told me I might want one and I plan on taking care of my printer so that it can last even after I’m out of college. If you don’t have a printer, its definitely not a necessity, but it’s certainly helpful. If you don’t get one, just make friends with someone who does.
Got freshman problems? Need something cheaper than a therapist?
Send me your thoughts!