As a current sophomore at UW, I’ve compiled a list of the most useful items I’ve bought and the ones I wish I didn’t. With only so much room in a dorm or apartment, it’s important not to buy or bring too much from home!
BUY:
Sony WH-1000XM5 / Airpods
The most important investment I’ve made is a nice pair of headphones. My freshmen year, I loved my Airpod Pros with the noise cancel feature. After those broke just from wear and tear, I invested in the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones, which are slightly cheaper than the Airpods Max. Noise canceling headphones help me focus even in busy or loud environments, getting my work done faster and more efficiently.
Throw Pillows
I know so many people that say having an excess amount of pillows is too much, but I love it. When I lived in a dorm and my bed was both my bed and a couch, having extra pillows was perfect. Even now in my apartment, throw pillows on my bed makes my room even cozier.
Dr Martens
Specifically for Seattle students, Dr Martens are the perfect shoes to battle the rain without needing rain boots. I have the Dr Martens 2976 Quad Platform Women’s White Chelsea Boot; a long title, but trust me, they are super cute. Even with the white, they are easy to clean and keep rain away when walking across campus.
10 Ft Phone Charger
Outlets are put in the strangest places in a dorm, so I strongly recommend buying one of these chargers. Having this long of a charger lets you have your phone anywhere in your room. Especially if the outlet is far from your bed, it’s nice being able to charge your phone while you use it in your bed.
DON’T BUY:
Apple Watch
Whenever someone asks me if they should buy an Apple Watch, I always say, “It’s cool for a few days and then gets annoying.” An Apple Watch is just an added extension of your phone, which you already have on you 24/7. It also can cause issues when taking exams during college, as many TAs and professors are wary about wearing it during tests. With all of the devices you already need to have for college, this is simply an added one that hasn’t benefited me.
Mugs
Freshman year, I didn’t think I owned that many mugs; only four, so how could that be too many? I now live in an apartment with four other girls who also have a minimum of four mugs each. Needless to say, our fullest cabinet in our kitchen is our mug cabinet which is constantly overflowing. Some mugs have even gotten banished from the kitchen because there are simply too many. If you are going to buy a mug, simply buy just one, it’s really all you need.
Umbrella
Let’s be honest here, there’s some unwritten rule in Seattle that it’s uncool to use an umbrella. When I was on campus this last week, there was a bad rainstorm with higher winds and more rain than usual. Even with students’ hoods flying off their heads, the majority of students refused to use umbrellas. The umbrella that I bought during college move-in has been collecting dust in my closet since I got it.
Purse
It depends what activities you do off-campus, but I’ve never used a purse in my two years here at UW. Wherever I am headed off campus, I either have things I can just stuff in my pockets, or am carrying enough stuff that I need to use my tote bag. Although a purse can be helpful when going to a nice dinner or interview, I’ve personally never needed mine at college. If you do want to bring one, I would recommend bringing only one.
That wraps up my list of do’s and don’ts when buying for college!